Senior/Staff System Safety Engineer - Trajectory Generation

Zoox; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 201,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a Senior / Staff Systems Safety Engineer to shape the safety architecture for autonomous vehicle trajectory generation. This role involves working at the forefront of robotics and autonomous systems, developing comprehensive safety requirements, and collaborating with diverse teams to ensure safe operation. Join a dynamic team committed to redefining mobility-as-a-service, where your contributions will directly impact the future of autonomous vehicles. If you are passionate about safety in cutting-edge technology, this is your chance to make a difference in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Paid time off

Health insurance

Long-term care insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Amazon RSUs

Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering with a focus on safety requirements.
• Strong background in requirements management and system architecture.

Responsibilities

• Develop system safety requirements for trajectory generation systems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure safety specifications are met.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Requirements Management

Analytical Skills

Technical Communication

Quantitative Risk Analysis

Education

M.S. or higher in Systems Engineering

PhD in a relevant field

Tools

Requirements Management Tools (e.g., Polarion, DOORS)

Job description

The Platform Safety Engineering and Analysis team at Zoox defines system requirements for Zoox’s robot platform to ensure safe and reliable autonomous vehicle operation, including hardware and associated firmware. This team works at the intersection of hardware and software to establish the technical framework that connects component-level requirements to system-level and product level requirements.

As a Senior / staff Systems Safety Engineer for Trajectory Generation, you will work across hardware and software domains to develop comprehensive system safety requirements and metrics that ensure safe and reliable trajectory generation capabilities for our autonomous vehicle platform. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the fundamental architecture and requirements that enable safe autonomous vehicle operation, working at the cutting edge of robotics and autonomous systems.

In this role, you will:

• Maintain and develop system safety requirements for trajectory generation systems, including hardware like sensors and compute platforms. Consider the full context of the autonomous driving software/hardware stack, and Operational Design Domain.
• Collaborate with hardware, firmware, and AI software teams to establish the safety case for trajectory generation within the full robot system. Ensuring system architecture safety requirements are met.
• Analyze system performance and create technical safety specifications that align hardware capabilities with software requirements.
• Document system architecture, requirements, and technical decisions.

Qualifications

• M.S. or higher degree in Systems Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related fields with 5+ years of relevant experience
• Strong systems engineering background with experience in requirements management, system architecture and modeling, and validation methodologies
• Demonstrated experience with sensing systems (cameras, lidars, radars) and compute hardware platforms in safety-critical applications
• Understanding of autonomous vehicle software stack and integration challenges
• Strong analytical skills in performance metrics definition and system-level trade-off analysis
• Excellent technical communication and documentation abilities
• Proficiency with probability, statistics, and quantitative risk analysis
• Experience working with cross-functional teams in complex technical environments
• Working-level experience with Functional Safety standards such as ISO 26262, ISO 21448, MIL-STD-882, and equivalent.

Bonus Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant field
• Experience with autonomous vehicle development or similar complex robotics systems
• Knowledge of automotive-grade hardware systems and integration requirements
• Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., Polarion, DOORS)
• Understanding of ML/AI systems and their requirements
• Certification with relevant safety standards such as ISO 26262

Compensation

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. The salary range for this position is $201,000 to $290,000. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. 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.

About Zoox

Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

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Accommodations

If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [e-mail] or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note:

You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.