Lead Safety Systems Engineer Engineering Seattle

AIM Intelligent Machines, Inc.; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

AIM Intelligent Machines, Inc. is seeking a Lead Safety Systems Engineer to define and implement the system safety architecture for autonomous machines.

You will collaborate across hardware, software, and controls teams to translate safety requirements into real system behavior, ensuring fail-safe operation in dynamic jobsite environments. You will own hazard analysis, validate safety through structured evidence, define ODD constraints, and build telemetry to monitor safety across the deployed

Responsibilities

• Define system safety architectures across hardware, software, and control systems.
• Design safety layers including redundancy, fault detection, and safe-state transitions.
• Develop and maintain the safety case with traceability to hazards and mitigation.
• Lead hazard analysis using FMEA, HAZOP, Fault Tree Analysis, and STPA.
• Define Operational Design Domains and boundaries for safe operation.
• Lead verification and validation strategies including simulation and field testing.
• Build fleet safety observability with telemetry and safety metrics.
• Mentor engineers and raise safety engineering standards.

Job description

AIM builds autonomy for the real world - robots that move mountains. Our systems fuse software, hardware, robotics, and mission-critical infrastructure into ruggedized, safety-critical machinery operating on jobsites across the world. We replace decades of manual, error-prone, high-risk work with intelligent machines that reshape how earthmoving is done. Autonomous heavy machinery introduces safety challenges that do not exist in traditional robotics or automotive autonomy. AIM machines operate in dynamic environments where terrain is constantly changing, multiple machines operate in close proximity, and human workers interact directly with robotic equipment. Safety is therefore not a single subsystem - it is a system-level property that must be designed into every layer of the autonomy stack and operational workflow. We’re building the safety systems, architectures, and validation frameworks that allow autonomous machines to operate reliably around people, equipment, and critical infrastructure. We’re growing fast, scaling globally, and building the engineering foundation that will define the next century of construction.

About you

You are a systems thinker who understands that safety emerges from the interaction of hardware, software, human behavior, and operational environments.

You have experience designing and validating safety-critical systems, ideally in robotics, autonomy, industrial machinery, aerospace, or automotive systems.

You are comfortable working across disciplines - robotics, perception, controls, hardware, operations, and product - ensuring that safety requirements propagate correctly through the entire system.

You think in terms of failure modes, hazard mitigation, and safe system behavior under uncertainty.

You are equally comfortable:

• analyzing hazards
• defining safety architectures
• working with operators and field engineers to ensure real-world safety

You take ownership of system outcomes, not just analysis documents. You ensure safety requirements translate into real system behavior and operational procedures.

Most importantly, you help organizations build safety into engineering culture and system design, not bolt it on afterward.

About us together

machines interacting directly with human workers

continuously changing terrain and jobsite layouts

dust, vibration, and harsh environmental conditions

dynamic interactions between multiple machines

safety‑critical operations involving heavy loads and moving equipment

real‑time control systems operating on ruggedized edge compute

Safety must therefore be addressed at multiple layers:

autonomy behavior

human‑machine interaction

operational procedures

fleet‑level monitoring and learning

We will design safety systems that allow autonomous machines to operate predictably, fail safely, and continuously improve through operational learning.

If that excites you - you’re the kind of Safety Systems Engineer who will thrive here.

What you will own

As the Lead Safety Systems Engineer, you will define and implement the system safety architecture and validation framework for AIM’s autonomous machines.

You will work across engineering and operations teams to ensure that safety is designed, validated, and continuously improved across the entire autonomy stack and deployed fleet.

Lead System Safety Architecture

Define system‑level safety architectures across hardware, software, and control systems.

Design safety layers including redundancy, fault detection, and safe‑state transitions.

Define degraded operating modes and fail‑safe behaviors for autonomous machines.

Specify safety mechanisms such as safety controllers, watchdog systems, and emergency stop architectures.

Develop and Maintain the Safety Case

Develop and maintain the structured system safety case demonstrating that AIM machines are safe for deployment.

Maintain traceability between hazards, safety requirements, mitigation strategies, and validation evidence.

Ensure safety arguments remain valid as the system evolves.

Produce safety documentation required for customers, regulators, and OEM partners.

Perform Hazard Analysis and Risk Management

Lead comprehensive hazard analysis across system domains using methodologies such as:

• FMEA
• HAZOP
• Fault Tree Analysis
• STPA where applicable

Identify failure modes and unsafe system behaviors across mechanical, electrical, software, and operational systems.

Define mitigation strategies and safety requirements.

Maintain hazard tracking throughout the product lifecycle.

Define Operational Design Domains (ODD)

Define the environmental and operational conditions under which AIM machines operate safely.

Identify constraints including terrain, weather, visibility, machine proximity, and human presence.

Maintain ODD definitions as system capabilities evolve.

Define mechanisms for detecting ODD boundary violations.

Design Safe Human‑Machine Interaction

Define safe interaction models between machines and human workers.

Specify safety perimeters and behavior constraints around workers and equipment.

Define human override and intervention mechanisms.

Ensure machine intent and system state are communicated clearly to operators and nearby personnel.

Lead Verification and Validation Strategy

Develop system‑level verification and validation strategies for safety‑critical functionality.

Define appropriate mixes of:

• simulation testing
• software‑in‑the‑loop testing
• field testing

Ensure validation programs cover the full operational design domain.

Develop automated testing frameworks for safety‑critical systems.

Build Fleet Safety Observability

Define telemetry and monitoring systems that track safety performance across deployed machines.

Develop safety metrics including near‑miss events, safety envelope violations, and system health indicators.

Identify safety trends across the fleet and proactively address emerging risks.

Lead Incident Analysis and Continuous Learning

Lead root cause analysis for safety incidents and near misses.

Ensure lessons learned are incorporated into system design, validation strategies, and operational procedures.

Raise the Safety Engineering Bar

Define safety engineering standards across the organization.

Lead cross‑disciplinary safety design reviews.

Mentor engineers on hazard analysis and safety‑critical system design.

Build scalable safety engineering processes that enable teams to design and validate safe systems.

Basic Qualifications

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