Senior/Staff Systems Engineer - Safety and Fail Operational

Zoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous mobility solution for cities and deploy such a robotaxi solution safely. As a Senior/Staff Systems Engineer at Zoox, you will have the opportunity to work closely with cross-functional teams to define, analyze, and measure our system's performance and safety. Your work will be critical in guiding the safe and successful deployment of fully autonomous driving technology by ensuring its readiness and maturity at every stage.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and contribute to the definition, development, and evolution of the safety case and key system performance metrics that measure the robotaxi’s ability to safely complete journeys.
• Perform comprehensive hazard and system analysis using methodologies such as System-theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) to identify potential system issues.
• Model the performance impact of autonomy behavior and residual operational risks.
• Develop robust methodologies to quantify the readiness and maturity of the autonomous driving system, including performing probabilistic risk assessments.
• Derive comprehensive verification and validation (V&V) strategies for progress metrics and use analysis outputs to inform test scenarios and coverage.
• Identify and manage safety requirements where applicable.
• Communicate complex concepts, model outcomes, and actionable insights to diverse stakeholders and executives.
• Ensure end-to-end traceability of requirements, metrics, and analyses to produce a closed-loop safety case and enable continuous feedback loops.

Qualifications

• M.S. or higher degree in an Engineering or Computer Science discipline.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in fields such as Systems Engineering, System Safety, data analysis, performance tracking, or risk quantification for complex systems.
• Experience performing hazard analysis using one or more methods such as STPA, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), or Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA).
• Demonstrated experience in defining, implementing, and managing quantitative metrics and data pipelines for software or hardware systems.
• Proficiency in probability, statistics, and quantitative analysis/modeling tools, with the ability to use Python to interface with large-scale data sources.
• A strong understanding of complex software systems, preferably in robotics, autonomous driving, or aerospace.
• A collaborative team player with strong written and in-person communication skills, capable of influencing and presenting complex data to varied audiences.

Bonus Qualifications

• Systems Engineering or System Safety experience with autonomous driving systems.
• Metrics ownership experience in autonomous driving or robotics.
• Hands-on experience applying relevant industry safety standards such as ISO 26262 or ISO 21448, including any certifications.
• Experience with risk assessment methodologies or building out a large-scale process from conception to implementation.

$185,000 - $277,000 a year

Base Salary Range

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.