Senior Sensor Hardware Functional Safety Engineer

Zoox; Foster City (CA); Hybrid; USD 226,000 - 271,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights

Amazon RSUs

Health insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Long-term care insurance

Job summary

Zoox in Foster City, CA is seeking a versatile Sensor & Hardware Safety Engineer to merge hardware reliability with real-world system behavior in a hybrid role.

You will split time 50/50 between hardware-level Functional Safety (ISO 26262) and system-level sensor safety (SOTIF / ISO 21448), ensuring ASIL compliance and safe operation of cameras, LiDAR, and radar across edge cases and environmental challenges.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Automotive, Robotics, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering.
• At least 3 years of professional experience involving board bring-up, silicon validation, or hardware design.
• Understanding of SOTIF and ISO 26262 safety protocols.
• Strong interpersonal and professional communication within a collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate supplier technical documentation to verify SEooC and AoU alignment.
• Assess vendor deliverables to ensure ASIL standards are met for firmware, software maturity, and diagnostics.
• Perform board-level FMEDA for ICs, including FPGAs and microcontrollers.
• Define architectural requirements with Software, FW, and EE to enhance diagnostic monitoring.
• Support the V&V team in developing SOTIF-compliant simulation and physical test protocols for edge-case scenarios.

Skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Automotive, Robotics, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering

Job description

We are seeking a highly versatile Sensor & Hardware Safety Engineer to bridge the gap between rigorous hardware reliability and real-world system behavior. In this hybrid role, you will be responsible for 50% hardware-level Functional Safety (ISO 26262) and 50% system-level sensor safety (SOTIF / ISO 21448). You will ensure that our custom hardware meets strict ASIL compliance while guaranteeing our advanced sensor suites (Cameras, LiDAR, Radar) operate safely through perception edge-cases and environmental challenges.

In This Role, You Will

• Evaluate supplier technical documentation for advanced imagers, microprocessors, and SoCs to verify SEooC and AoU alignment.
• Assess vendor deliverables to guarantee ASIL standards are met for firmware/software maturity and diagnostic systems.
• Execute board-level FMEDA for sophisticated integrated circuits, including FPGAs and microcontrollers.
• Partner with Software, FW, and EE departments to define architectural requirements that enhance diagnostic monitoring.
• Support the V&V team in developing SOTIF-compliant simulation and physical test protocols for edge-case scenarios.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a B.S. in Automotive, Robotics, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering.
• At least 3 years of professional experience involving board bring-up, silicon validation, or hardware design.
• Understanding of SOTIF and ISO 26262 safety protocols.
• Strong interpersonal and professional communication capabilities within a collaborative environment

Bonus Qualifications

• ISO 26262 professional certification (CFSP or CFSE).
• Background in automotive-grade hardware validation and design.
• Experience utilizing traceability platforms like JAMA or Polarion.
• Familiarity with industry standards including IEC 61508, DO-254, and DO-178C during board bring-up.

$226,000 - $271,000 a year

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.