Senior Safety Software Engineer

Cobot•Santa Clara, CA

33d•$195,000 - $210,000•Onsite

About The Position

Safety isn’t a constraint — it’s the foundation that enables robots to work seamlessly alongside people. At Cobot, we’re redefining what safety means in human-robot collaboration by designing systems that are transparent, predictable, and deeply reliable in real-world environments. As a Senior Safety Software Engineer, you’ll take ownership of the architecture and software that make this possible. You’ll help shape how safety is designed, tested, deployed, and continually improved across our robots. You will respond effectively to incidents, and maintain the rigorous standards required for certification and regulatory approvals. This role offers the opportunity to influence not just the product, but the organizational culture around safety — partnering across teams, guiding technical decisions, and elevating our functional safety capabilities. If you’re motivated by the challenge of enabling safe autonomy at industrial scale, we’d love to meet you. This role is located onsite at our Santa Clara, CA headquarters.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer, Electrical, Robotics, or Software Engineering (or related field).
5+ years developing embedded or real-time software for safety-critical or regulated systems.
Strong C/C++ skills for low-level and embedded development.
Experience with RTOS, firmware bring-up, device drivers, and MCU peripherals.
Hands-on work with IEC 61508 or comparable safety standards (ISO 26262, DO-178C, ISO 13849).
Proficiency in safety analysis methods (FMEA, FTA, HARA, STPA).
Ability to produce high-quality documentation and follow structured, traceable development processes.
Strong cross-functional communication skills.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup and small, interdisciplinary teams.
Must have and maintain US work authorization.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant field.
Experience architecting SIL-rated compute or control subsystems and preparing certification evidence.
Background evaluating safety-rated compute hardware, software components, and toolchains.
Familiarity with safety case development, safety argumentation, and lifecycle safety artifacts.
Experience with asymmetric multicore MCUs, redundancy techniques, or mixed-criticality systems.
Knowledge of industrial robot safety standards (ISO 10218, ISO 12100, ISO 13849).
Experience with regulatory engagement, audits, and safety documentation.
Understanding of sensor fusion, perception, or robotics system integration.
Experience promoting a safety-first culture through hazard analysis, incident response, and training.

Responsibilities

Architect and deliver safety-critical software and compute subsystems, including SIL-rated designs, documentation, and evidence for certification and regulatory review.
Evaluate and integrate safety-rated hardware, software components, and development toolchains, ensuring performance, reliability, and compliance with functional safety standards.
Analyze real-world and simulated operational data to assess safety performance, identify risks, and contribute to continuous fleet-level improvements and mitigations.
Contribute to the product safety case and safety culture, partnering across engineering and operations to embed safety into design, development, and deployment.