Senior Staff Safety Assurance Engineer - Robot Safety
About The Position
1X is building humanoid robots designed to work in homes, handling chores and tasks to give people their time back. This requires solving robotics, AI, and manufacturing challenges simultaneously, at scale, in a form factor safe enough for family environments. NEO is their flagship home robot, designed to move, learn, and operate alongside people, and the company is focused on shipping it. They are scaling and hiring with intention, seeking individuals inspired by the mission to change how humans spend their time by safely creating abundance for all. The Autonomy & Safety Engineering team ensures 1X robots operate safely, reliably, and predictably in real-world human environments by developing systems, methodologies, and operational frameworks to validate robot safety across autonomy, controls, perception, hardware, and deployment operations. The Safety Assurance function is critical in defining how safety is measured, documented, validated, and operationalized as 1X scales embodied AI systems into homes and real-world environments.
Requirements
- 10+ years of experience in safety assurance, robotics safety, autonomous systems, systems engineering, aerospace, automotive, industrial automation, or related safety-critical domains
- Experience developing and implementing safety processes, risk frameworks, or operational safety validation methodologies
- Strong understanding of systems engineering principles across hardware/software integrated environments
- Experience working with safety standards such as ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 26262, DO-178C, or equivalent frameworks
- Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or related technical field
- Deep expertise in safety assurance, systems safety engineering, robotics safety, or other safety-critical engineering domains
- Strong systems-level thinking with the ability to evaluate complex interactions across software, hardware, autonomy, and operational environments
- Experience developing hazard analysis, risk assessment, safety validation, or assurance case methodologies
- Strong technical communication skills with the ability to align engineering, operations, and leadership stakeholders around safety objectives
- Ability to operate independently and drive large cross-functional initiatives in fast-paced startup environments
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with humanoid robots, autonomous vehicles, industrial robotics, aerospace systems, or embodied AI systems
- Familiarity with autonomy stacks, perception systems, controls engineering, or robotics simulation environments
- Experience supporting safety reviews, regulatory readiness, or operational deployment governance
- Background in reliability engineering, operational risk management, or incident investigation methodologies
- Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Robotics, Systems Engineering, Safety Engineering, AI, or related field
Responsibilities
- Lead the development and execution of safety assurance methodologies, validation frameworks, and operational safety processes for 1X humanoid robots.
- Ensure that robot behaviors, autonomy systems, and operational deployments meet rigorous safety standards while enabling rapid product iteration and large-scale deployment of embodied AI systems.
- Establish scalable safety assurance frameworks across autonomy, controls, perception, hardware, and operational robotics systems.
- Define and operationalize hazard analysis, risk assessment, validation, and safety case methodologies across robot development lifecycles.
- Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Product, Operations, and Safety teams to ensure safety requirements are integrated into system architecture and deployment readiness.
- Improve operational safety readiness through structured incident analysis, validation testing, and continuous risk mitigation processes.
- Develop scalable documentation, governance, and auditability processes supporting internal safety reviews and future regulatory readiness.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Generous paid time off, company holidays, and parental leave
- 401(k) plan with company match (100% on the first 3% of contributions, 50% on the next 2%)
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) options
- Commuter benefits (transit and parking)
- Short-term and long-term disability, and life insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health, financial, and personal support
- Onsite snacks and catered lunches
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
