Senior Staff Systems Engineer

Agility Robotics • San Francisco, CA

28d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Senior Staff Systems Engineer at Agility Robotics, you'll be the technical leader defining and delivering system-level architecture for our humanoid robot platform, with deep specialization in functional safety requirements integration. Working within a high-impact Systems Engineering team, you'll take ownership of complex safety-critical requirements, cross-functional interfaces, and system-level integration-bringing clarity and structure to incredibly complex safety-critical systems. This role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader with deep functional safety expertise who thrives in ambiguity, takes initiative without waiting for permission, and has a passion for building real safety-critical systems fast. You'll help shape how Systems Engineering and Functional Safety integration is applied in a fast-moving startup, balancing the rigor of safety standards with the agility and pragmatism needed to ship products.

Requirements

• 10+ years of Systems Engineering experience in safety-critical domains: robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or similar multidisciplinary hardware/software systems
• 5+ years deep functional safety experience with hands-on application of safety standards such as ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 26262, IEC 62061, or similar
• Demonstrated experience leading system-level safety integration, architecture, and safety requirement management efforts
• Previous experience in high-growth, fast-paced environments where self-direction and bias for action are essential
• Expert-level functional safety knowledge: Deep understanding of safety lifecycle processes, hazard analysis (HARA, HAZOP, FTA, FMEA), safety integrity levels, and safety architecture principles
• Advanced requirements management expertise: Expert-level skills in authoring safety requirements, managing traceability, and defining cross-functional safety interfaces
• Strong familiarity with the V-model approach to safety-critical systems engineering, including how to adapt it for rapid development environments
• Safety standards mastery: Working knowledge of machinery safety standards (ISO 13849, IEC 62061), general functional safety (IEC 61508), and robotics-specific safety standards (ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA R15.08)
• Experience with safety analysis tools (e.g., ANSYS medini analyze, PTC Windchill FTA, ItemIS) and requirements management tools (Jama, DOORS, Polarion)
• Experience working closely with Test Engineering to drive system-level safety validation and verification strategies
• Safety leadership mindset: Takes ownership of safety-critical decisions, follows through on safety commitments, and maintains safety integrity under pressure
• Systems safety thinker: Equally comfortable zooming out to define safety architecture and zooming in to debug a safety-critical interface or test
• Scrappy and resourceful-gets safety-critical things done with limited resources or structure while maintaining safety rigor
• Strong communicator and collaborator, able to align and influence without authority, especially on safety trade-off decisions
• Thrives in ambiguity and brings clarity through structure and action while maintaining safety discipline
• Bias for safety-aware action: Makes pragmatic safety decisions quickly while ensuring appropriate safety rigor

Nice To Haves

• Experience with safety-critical robotics or autonomous systems strongly preferred
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• Functional Safety certifications (TÜV, UL, or similar) in relevant standards
• Experience with collaborative or mobile robotics in industrial environments
• Background in AI/ML safety considerations for autonomous systems
• Experience mentoring junior engineers in safety-critical system development
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance processes for robotics in manufacturing environments

Responsibilities

• Define system and subsystem architectures spanning mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software domains with embedded functional safety considerations
• Drive system-level trade studies and architecture decisions balancing safety, performance, cost, and execution speed
• Own the "How" of functional safety implementation: Translate Functional Safety team requirements into detailed, traceable system requirements in Jama
• Bridge safety and systems engineering: Decompose higher-level safety goals across departments and integrate with performance/customer requirements
• Serve as single source of truth: Provide unified requirements that balance safety, performance, and commercial objectives
• Drive system-level verification of safety requirements through integration testing
• Own system-level safety requirements: writing, decomposing, validating, and driving execution in partnership with Functional Safety team
• Collaborate with Hardware, Software, Controls, and Test Engineering to ensure clean mapping to development and verification strategies
• Facilitate cross-functional decisions when safety requirements conflict with performance, cost, or schedule constraints
• Lead development and maintenance of Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for safety-critical interfaces
• Actively participate in design reviews, safety assessments, and root cause investigations with functional safety expertise
• Identify technical and safety risks, lead trade studies, and influence decisions from a systems-level viewpoint
• Mentor team members on functional safety principles and requirements management

Benefits

• Competitive compensation: Industry-leading salary, equity, and benefits package
• Professional growth: Work with world-class robotics and safety engineering talent while building expertise in emerging humanoid robotics applications

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Machinery Manufacturing
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees