Sr Manager, AV Behavior Safety Engineering (GPSSC)

Relha LLC; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 251,000 - 385,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle program

Remote work option

Travel up to 25%

Job summary

General Motors in the SAFE‑ADS division seeks a Sr Manager of AV Behavior Safety Engineering to lead strategy and execution for defining, measuring, and validating safety of SAE Level 3–4 automated driving systems powered by machine‑learned models.

You will own the behavior safety claims and evidence, collaborate across AI, software, validation, and vehicle programs, hire and mentor a high‑performing team, and help set safety targets and SPIs to support launch readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in machine learning, engineering, data science, or a related field.
• 8+ years in autonomous vehicle or robotics development or related field.
• Proven track record in production‑intent AV programs and technical safety leadership.
• Experience defining ODDs, behaviors, and evaluation criteria with AI/ML systems.
• Ability to influence cross‑functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong communication and problem‑solving skills; travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and execution for AV behavior safety engineering.
• Define safety claims, sufficiency criteria, and evidence for AV behavior safety.
• Collaborate with Software Validation, Simulation, and Safety Metrics teams.
• Set evaluation metrics, human benchmarks, and SPI targets.
• Hire, lead, and develop a high‑performing AV behavior safety team.
• Ensure readiness for launch with a formal assurance process.

Skills

Machine learning

AV safety

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or related field

Masters degree (preferred)

Tools

Python

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Scikit-learn

SQL

LangChain

Job description

Sr Manager, AV Behavior Safety Engineering (GPSSC)

The Safety Assurance for Effective Autonomous Driving Software (SAFE‑ADS) department is part of GM’s Global Product Safety, System, and Certification (GPSSC) organization. Our mission is to help GM deliver trusted automated‑driving products. As the central authority for automated driving system (ADS) safety, SAFE‑ADS brings together experts from across the company to develop and maintain a comprehensive safety case including safety performance indicators for GM’s automated‑driving technologies.

GM’s vision is zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion—and autonomous vehicle safety is essential to achieving that vision.

As Sr Manager, AV Behavior Safety Engineering, you will lead the strategy and support execution for how GM defines, measures, and validates the safety of SAE Level 3 – 4 Automated Driving Systems powered by machine‑learned models. You will report into the AV Safety Strategy and Assurance organization and directly influence launch decisions for GM’s next generation of automated driving products.

If you are passionate about safety, have deep experience in autonomous vehicle development and validation, and are a proven technical leader in AI/ML‑driven systems, this role is an opportunity to shape how millions of people experience safe automated driving.

The Role

The AV Safety Strategy and Assurance team is seeking a hands‑on technical senior manager with extensive experience in the end‑to‑end development lifecycle of autonomous vehicle behaviors, from ODD and behavior definition through simulation, closed‑course, and public‑road validation.

You will:

Lead Technically

Reference and interpret standards such as ISO 21448 (SOTIF), ISO 5083, and AVSC best practices to define GM’s strategy for safe autonomous system development, validation and deployment

Own the behavior‑focused portion of the ADS Safety Case, including key claims, sufficiency criteria, and recommended evidence for AV behavior safety performance.

Collaborate with Software Validation, Embodied AI, Simulation, and Safety Metrics teams to define the end‑to‑end AV behavior validation methodology for AI‑driven systems.

Set the strategy for how we systematically break down ODDs and how performance is validated per behavior and in aggregate.

Collaborate on evaluation metrics, human benchmarks, and safety launch targets for AV behaviors and overall system performance. This includes supporting development of safety performance indicators (SPIs) for AV behaviors.

Assess AV performance across safety and reliability dimensions using simulation, closed‑course, and public‑road data and provide clear, prioritized feedback to engineering teams

Define and run an assurance process to verify the sufficiency criteria and safety targets to support launch readiness

Lead People

Hire, lead, and develop a high‑performing AV behavior safety engineering team.

Set clear goals and expectations, provide coaching and mentorship, and grow the team’s technical depth in AV behavior safety, validation, and safety case development.

Why This Role Is Unique

Impact at Scale: Your work will directly influence how GM brings safe automated driving systems to millions of customers.

End‑to‑End Ownership: You will own the strategy, framework, and evidence assessment for AV behavior safety.

Cross‑Functional Reach: You will collaborate across AI, software, validation, simulation, metrics operations and vehicle program teams, shaping the direction of GM’s automated driving roadmap.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field

8+ years of experience in machine learning, engineering, data science, or a related field

8+ years in autonomous vehicle or robotics development or related field

Demonstrated experience working on production‑intent AV programs

Track record providing technical safety leadership in AV development (e.g., defining safety strategies, risk assessments, validation methodologies, safety case contributions).

Deep understanding of AV behavior development: defining ODDs, behaviors, and evaluation criteria; analyzing simulation, closed‑course, and public‑road test data; and generating prioritized, actionable recommendations for developers.

Experience applying AV safety standards and best practices, such as ISO 5083, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), and AVSC practices

Excellent communication and storytelling skills, including the ability to explain complex technical tradeoffs to executives and non‑technical stakeholders.

Proven ability to influence cross‑functional teams (Software, AI/ML, Systems Engineering, Product, Program Management, Operations) without direct authority.

Strong problem‑solving mindset, comfort with ambiguity, and a proactive attitude toward learning and continuous improvement.

3+ years of people leadership experience, including hiring, leading, and growing high‑performing technical teams.

What Will Give You A Competitive Edge (Preferred qualifications)

Masters Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics or related field

Programming & Frameworks: Python, R, Java, PySpark, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn, LangChain, SQL

Machine Learning & AI: Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI, RAG, Deep learning, Reinforcement Learning, Natural Language Processing (NLP), SVM, XGBoost, Random Forest, Decision Trees, Clustering

Cloud & Big Data Platforms: (Preferred Microsoft Azure (Data Lake, Machine Learning, Databricks)), Nice to Have (AWS (S3, SageMaker, Bedrock) or Google Cloud Platform (BigQuery, Dataflow, AI Platform) )

Compensation: The compensation information is a good faith estimate only. It is based on what a successful applicant might be paid in accordance with applicable state laws. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position, as well as geography of the selected candidate.

• The salary range for this role is $250,600 and $384,600. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this 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.

Company vehicle: Upon successful completion of a motor vehicle report review, you will be eligible to participate in a company vehicle evaluation program, though 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.

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.

The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.

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

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us or call us at 1-800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.