Autonomous Driving - Safety & Incident Response Process Owner Autonomous Driving - Safety & Incident Response Process Owner Autonomous Driving - Safety & Incident Response Process Owner

Volkswagen AG•Austin, TX

29d

About The Position

As ADMT, we develop and realize fully autonomous mobility and transportation services. Our mission is to make mobility-and transportation-as-a-service safe, accessible and most attractive for society. For that, we cover the entire ground from strategy and business development, software development and end-2-end integration, fleet operations to next-generation self-driving systems. Being the driver in Volkswagen Group initiative for mobility solutions, we’re an integral part of Volkswagen Group's future success.Brief Role DescriptionThe Safety & Incident Response Process Owner is responsible for owning and continuously improving the operational safety and incident response processes for Level 4 autonomous driving deployments for US based operations. This role ensures that safety incidents, anomalies, and emergencies are handled in a structured, timely, and effective manner to protect people, assets, and public trust. The role acts as a central coordination point during safety-critical events and ensures that lessons learned are translated into lasting safety improvements. This role owns operational safety execution and incident response and does not own system-level safety case development or safety standard compliance decisions. The position plays a key role in demonstrating operational safety readiness to internal stakeholders and external authorities.

Requirements

7+ years of Experience in operational safety, incident response, or fleet operations within a safety-critical or regulated environment.
Experience working with complex, software-driven systems (e.g., autonomous vehicles, robotics, aviation, rail, or similar domains)
Exposure to on-road testing or deployment operations, preferably in autonomous driving or ADAS program
Experience defining, owning, or improving operational processes and procedures
Experience working in cross-functional and international teams
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Safety Management, Transportation, or a related field or equivalent experience in operational safety or incident response within a safety-critical environment
Strong analytical and decision-making skills under time pressure
Excellent written and verbal communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, operations, legal, communications, and leadership teams
Structured, process-oriented mindset with strong attention to detail
Ability to balance safety, operational continuity, and regulatory expectations
High sense of responsibility, integrity, and safety ownership
Strong Knowledge of Level 4 autonomous driving concepts, Operational Design Domains (ODDs), and fallback strategies
Strong knowledge with incident classification, escalation models, and emergency response frameworks on federal and state level.
Experience with safety incident investigation and root cause analysis methodologies
Strong understanding of Safety Management System (SMS) principles as applied to operational safety, incident management, and continuous improvement
Understanding of human–machine interaction in operational contexts (remote operators, safety drivers, dispatch)
Experience with safety reporting, safety KPIs, and operational safety metrics

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Engineering, Safety Management, Transportation, or a related field
Advanced training or certification in Safety Management Systems (SMS), operational risk management, or incident command frameworks (e.g., aviation, rail, nuclear, or equivalent domains)
Working awareness of system safety standards (e.g., ISO 26262, ISO 21448 / SOTIF, UL 4600, regulatory and SMS frameworks) sufficient to support effective coordination with system safety and engineering teams
Working knowledge of perception, prediction, planning, and control stacks
Familiarity with AI/ML failure modes (e.g., dataset bias, corner cases, overfitting, distribution shift)
Experience with simulation-based safety validation and scenario generation
Familiarity with SIL, HIL, and vehicle-in-the-loop testing approaches
Experience with safety analyses including HARA, FMEA, FTA, and scenario-based safety assessment
Experience interacting with regulators, assessors, or certification bodies in ADS contexts
Participation in industry working groups, standards committees, or safety consortia

Responsibilities

Own and maintain the end-to-end incident response process for Level 4 autonomous vehicle operations in close collaboration with the global organization
Act as a safety authority or coordinator during safety-critical incidents and operational emergencies
Ensure timely classification, escalation, and communication of incidents according to defined procedures
Escalate systemic safety issues and trends to the Safety Management System governance function for assessment and incorporation into system-level safety controls
Coordinate cross-functional responses involving operations, engineering, legal, PR, and leadership
Drive or support safety incident investigations and root cause analyses
Define, track, and verify completion and effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) arising from safety incidents, operational risk assessments, and audits
Identify systemic operational safety risks and trends based on incident data
Drive continuous improvement of operational safety processes and controls
Define, document, and maintain operational safety procedures, playbooks, and escalation paths
Support safety readiness reviews for new ODDs, vehicles, features, or operational changes
Ensure alignment between operational processes and the organization’s Safety Management System
Monitor and report operational safety performance using defined KPIs and indicators
Work closely with fleet operations, remote operations, and on-road teams to ensure safe execution
Support training and qualification requirements related to incident response and safety procedures
Provide safety guidance during live operations, testing, and deployment activities
Contribute to the definition of operational safety constraints and go/no-go criteria
Support regulatory reporting obligations related to safety incidents and operational events
Prepare safety incident summaries and reports for internal management and external stakeholders
Participate in audits, assessments, and reviews related to operational safety and incident response
Support engagement with authorities, emergency services, and partners as required