Operations Safety Engineering Lead – Autonomous Vehicle Development

General Motors of Canada; Pennsylvania; Remote; USD 157,000 - 242,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading automotive company is seeking an Operations Safety Engineering Lead to drive safety strategies in autonomous vehicle operations. This role involves collaboration with cross-functional teams to establish safety metrics and frameworks and lead operational safety efforts. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree in engineering and over 8 years of experience in safety-critical environments. This position offers a competitive salary and the flexibility to work remotely.

Benefits

Health and wellness benefits

Retirement savings plan

Tuition assistance programs

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in safety-critical systems engineering.
• Innovative ability in safety frameworks and risk assessment.
• Strong understanding of vehicle systems and autonomy technology.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety strategy for autonomous vehicle operations.
• Collaborate across teams to integrate safety in development.
• Establish metrics for operational safety performance.

Skills

Leadership in safety-critical systems

Collaboration skills

Safety assessment expertise

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Overview

Job Description

Company Vehicle: Upon successful completion of a motor vehicle report review, you will be eligible to participate in a company vehicle evaluation program, through which you will be assigned a General Motors vehicle to drive and evaluate. Note: program participants are required to purchase/lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years unless one of a limited number of exceptions applies.

The Role

At General Motors, we are shaping the future of mobility through cutting-edge autonomous vehicle technology. Safety is at the core of everything we do—and as the Operations Safety Engineering Lead, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that commitment.

This position offers the opportunity to lead safety strategy and execution across the entire lifecycle of AV operations, from development and supervised driving to commercial launch and post-launch continuous improvement. You will provide critical technical and operational leadership, define standards, guide decision-making, and collaborate across engineering, product, and operations teams to uphold the highest standards of safety.

This is a rare chance to influence the future of autonomy at scale, while setting industry-leading benchmarks for operational safety.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end safety leadership for AV operations, covering manual, supervised, and autonomous driving modes.
• Drive the development of operational safety frameworks, processes, and best practices across the AV lifecycle.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including software, hardware, systems engineering, validation, operations, and product management—to integrate safety considerations into every stage of development and deployment.
• Lead risk assessment, incident analysis, and safety decision-making forums to ensure robust and transparent processes.
• Establish metrics, monitoring systems, and reporting mechanisms for operational safety performance pre- and post-launch.
• Drive continuous improvement cycles by leveraging field data, performance metrics, and lessons learned.
• Represent GM in internal and external forums as a trusted voice of safety leadership, setting a vision that aligns technical rigor with operational excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Human Factors, or a related technical field
• 8+ years of experience in safety-critical systems engineering, operations safety, or related technical leadership roles.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in high-stakes environments requiring sound judgment and decisive action.
• Demonstrated expertise in safety assessment, hazard analysis, or safety case development.
• Strong understanding of vehicle systems, autonomy technology, and operational processes.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Track record of developing and implementing safety frameworks in complex technical domains.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Engineering, Systems Safety, Human Factors, or related field.
• Experience in autonomous vehicle development, deployment, or operations safety leadership.
• Hands-on experience with safety standards and frameworks (ISO 26262, ISO 21448, SAE J3016, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated success in post-launch safety monitoring and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ability to anticipate emerging safety challenges in complex systems and proactively design solutions.
• A vision for scaling safety practices that balance technical depth with operational agility.
• Experience engaging with regulatory bodies, industry groups, or safety certification organizations.

At GM, we don’t just build vehicles—we design safer, smarter ways for people to move. If you are driven by the challenge of leading safety strategy at the forefront of autonomy, we want to hear from you.

Compensation

• The expected base compensation for this role is $157,100- $241,500 USD Annually
• Actual base compensation within the identified range will vary based on factors relevant to the position
• Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance

Benefits

GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

This role is categorized as remote. This means the selected candidate may be based anywhere in the country of work and is not expected to report to a GM worksite unless directed by their manager. This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

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