Director of Safety Engineering, Robotics & Autonomous Systems
About The Position
Field AI builds autonomous robotic systems designed to operate in complex, unstructured, and safety-critical real-world environments . Our robots work alongside humans in outdoor settings where uncertainty, scale, and operational risk are fundamental challenges. Safety is a core product capability at Field AI. As our systems transition from advanced R&D into scaled field deployment, we are seeking a Director of Robotics Product Safety to define and lead the company’s product safety vision, strategy, and execution. As Director of Robotics Product Safety , you will own Field AI’s end-to-end product safety function. You will set the safety strategy for autonomous robotic systems, establish scalable safety processes, and serve as the executive-level authority on product safety across the organization. This role combines deep technical judgment, systems safety leadership, and cross-functional influence . You will work closely with executive leadership, engineering, operations, and external stakeholders to ensure Field AI’s robots are safe, deployable, and trusted in the field.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Systems Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering , or equivalent experience
- 10+ years of experience in robotics, autonomous systems, product safety, or functional safety
- Proven experience leading system-level safety for complex electromechanical and software-driven products
- Track record of influencing architecture and product decisions at a senior level
- Deep understanding of real-world robotics deployment risks
- Strategic thinker with strong technical judgment
- Able to make and defend difficult safety decisions under uncertainty
- Credible with both executives and hands-on engineers
- Pragmatic, risk-based, and outcome-focused
- Passionate about deploying safe autonomy in the real world
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field
- Experience with autonomous mobile robots, outdoor robotics, or defense-adjacent systems
- Functional Safety certification (e.g., TÜV Functional Safety Engineer)
- Experience interfacing with regulators, customers, and safety assessors
- Background in AI/ML-enabled systems and autonomy safety
Responsibilities
- Safety Strategy & Leadership Define and own Field AI’s product safety vision, strategy, and roadmap
- Establish company-wide safety principles, policies, and governance for robotic systems
- Act as the executive point of contact for product safety decisions and risk acceptance
- Balance innovation speed with rigorous, risk-based safety practices
- System, Autonomy & AI Safety Oversight Provide technical leadership on system-level safety for autonomous robotic platforms
- Guide safety approaches for: Autonomous navigation, perception, and planning Human–robot interaction in field environments Fault tolerance, degraded modes, and fail-safe behaviors
- Oversee safety treatment of AI/ML-driven components , including uncertainty and edge cases
- Review and approve safety architectures, concepts, and safety cases
- Cross-Functional & Executive Collaboration Partner with leaders across: Autonomy, perception, software, hardware, and systems engineering Field operations, deployment, and customer programs
- Influence product architecture and roadmap decisions through a safety lens
- Provide clear, actionable guidance to executives on safety risks, tradeoffs, and mitigations
- Standards, Compliance & External Engagement Own Field AI’s approach to safety standards, regulatory alignment, and compliance
- Guide interpretation and application of relevant standards (e.g., ISO 12100, IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 10218)
- Lead engagements with customers, partners, regulators, and third-party assessors
- Ensure safety arguments are credible, defensible, and scalable across products
- Team Building & Organizational Scale Build, lead, and mentor a high-impact product safety team
- Define roles, responsibilities, and career growth paths for safety engineers
- Establish scalable safety processes that integrate naturally with engineering workflows
- Champion a strong safety culture without slowing execution
- Field Risk & Incident Management Provide executive oversight for: Field deployment risk assessmentsIncident response, investigations, and corrective actions
- Define thresholds for risk acceptance and deployment readiness
- Ensure lessons learned from the field are systematically fed back into product design
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
