Zoox Logo

Zoox

Senior Systems Engineer, Fail Operational Safety Strategy

Reposted One Month Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Hybrid
Foster City, CA, USA
194K-306K Annually
Senior level
Hybrid
Foster City, CA, USA
194K-306K Annually
Senior level
Define and own fail-operational safety strategy and roadmap for new ODDs. Design fault response and decision-making logic, build assessment frameworks and metrics for resilience, partner with engineering and operations, and use AI/LLM tools and data automation to improve fault handling and safety.
The summary above was generated by AI

Zoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous mobility solution for cities and safely deploy such a robotaxi solution. The System Design and Mission Assurance (SDMA) team plays a foundational role in the company's success, responsible for constructing the safety case and fail-operational design for our autonomous driving robots before public road deployment. You will be part of an organization with strong leadership and a transparent, respectful culture that enables you to reach your full potential.

In this role, you will focus on pioneering safety strategies for novel environments. Specifically, you will:

  • Define and own the fail operational safety strategy and roadmap for expanding into new operating environments and Operational Design Domains (ODDs). Ensure all new ODD elements have tailored solutions that meet safety and reliability requirements.

  • Design and maintain fault response strategies that keep the vehicle safe and operational during malfunctions, including decision-making logic that selects the appropriate action based on the nature and severity of the fault in the context of the entire ODD.

  • Build a framework for assessing the effectiveness of fault handling and recovery in new ODDs, defining key metrics for system resilience and safety while using data analysis and automation to drive continuous improvement.

  • Partner closely with software, hardware engineering teams, and operations to ensure a holistic approach to system safety and fault tolerance, translating complex technical concepts for diverse audiences.

  • Leverage the latest AI and LLM tools to accelerate the analysis work and automate processes to reduce repetitive manual work.

Qualifications

  • B.S. or higher degree in Systems Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, with 8+ years of relevant experience.

  • Strong systems engineering background with experience in requirements management and system architecture development.

  • Deep understanding of fault detection, isolation, and recovery techniques, including redundancy, failover, and graceful degradation strategies.

  • Strong analytical skills in quantitative analysis and modeling, performance metrics definition, and system-level trade-off analysis.

  • Excellent technical communication and documentation abilities, with demonstrated success working with cross-functional teams in complex technical environments.

Bonus Qualifications

  • Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant field.

  • Experience with autonomous vehicle development or similar complex robotics systems.

  • Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., Polarion, DOORS) and experience with system safety analysis and requirements validation.

  • Experience with data analysis tools (Databricks, BigQuery, Looker, Grafana)

  • Familiarity with ISO 26262, ISO 21448, and other industry safety standards.

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.

Follow us on LinkedIn

Accommodations
If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [email protected] 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.

HQ

Zoox Foster City, California, USA Office

4000 E 3rd Ave, Foster City, CA, United States, 94404

Zoox Foster City, California, USA Office

1149 Chess Drive, Foster City, CA, United States, 94404

Zoox Fremont, California, USA Office

47540 Kato Road, Fremont, CA, United States, 94538

Zoox San Francisco, California, USA Office

60 Broadway St, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94111

Similar Jobs

4 Minutes Ago
In-Office
135K-227K Annually
Entry level
135K-227K Annually
Entry level
3D Printing • Aerospace • Hardware • Software • Manufacturing
Designs and maintains Python-based automated test systems for flight-critical avionics hardware. Responsibilities include integrating instrumentation and data acquisition equipment, managing test software through qualification and acceptance, troubleshooting anomalies, performing root cause analysis, documenting systems, enhancing automation frameworks, conducting code reviews, and collaborating with hardware, avionics, and test engineering teams. The role supports human-rated space station systems and may require evening or weekend work during mission milestones.
Top Skills: AngularAWSC++Ci/CdData Acquisition (Daq)DhcpEthernetGitLinuxNational InstrumentsPythonPyvisaReactScpiTcpUdp
6 Minutes Ago
Easy Apply
Hybrid
San Francisco, CA, USA
Easy Apply
132K-198K Annually
Senior level
132K-198K Annually
Senior level
Consumer Web • eCommerce • Marketing Tech • Retail • Software • Analytics • Generative AI
Own and optimize marketing operations systems, workflows, integrations, scoring models, routing logic, and funnel processes supporting inbound, demand generation, and product-led growth. Partner with Sales, Demand Generation, Web, Analytics, and Systems teams to improve lead quality, conversion, response times, and handoffs. Manage the marketing technology stack, monitor data and sync health, coordinate vendors, and evaluate AI-powered automation to increase operational efficiency.
Top Skills: Ai AutomationCrm SystemsMarketing Automation Platforms
15 Minutes Ago
Easy Apply
Hybrid
San Francisco, CA, USA
Easy Apply
186K-232K Annually
Senior level
186K-232K Annually
Senior level
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Biotech • Pharmaceutical
Build and operate reliable data systems and products supporting clinical operations, drug evaluation, business development, analytics, machine learning, and AI agents. Responsibilities include designing pipelines, canonical data models, data contracts, warehouse transformations, quality and observability practices, governance for regulated data, and incident response. The role partners closely with Product Engineering and Data Science, uses AI-assisted development, contributes to architecture, and mentors other engineers.
Top Skills: DagsterDbtDockerGitLlmsOpentofuPythonSnowflakeSQLTerraform

What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene

San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.

Key Facts About San Francisco Tech

  • Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
  • Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
  • Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
  • Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
  • Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
  • Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account