Sr. Safety Engineer

Rivian•Normal, IL

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The Safety Engineer – Material Flow & Logistics Safety serves as the corporate technical expert for material handling, facilities logistics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and custom automation systems. Based out of the Normal, IL campus, this role has a global scope—governing standards, conducting Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), and performing risk assessments for new equipment builds, retrofits, and facility expansions across all manufacturing plants, R&D facilities, tech centers, and non-manufacturing sites. The ideal candidate brings extensive hands-on experience in logistics risk assessments, man-machine interaction design, and automated transport safety. You will oversee compliance with industrial safety standards (ANSI/ITSDF B56.5, ANSI/RIA R15.08, ISO 12100), evaluate automated transport architectures, and build a scalable enterprise-wide logistics safety framework that ensures safe operation across shared human and automated spaces. This role is located in Normal, Illinois (On-site base with up to 40% domestic and international travel, supporting global manufacturing and non-manufacturing facilities)

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Safety Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical field.
3+ years of experience in manufacturing, industrial, or automotive/EV environments in a safety engineering, controls, or EHS engineering role.
Hands-on experience performing machine/process risk assessments and implementing engineering controls (e.g., guarding, interlocks, safety PLCs, presence-sensing devices).
Strong knowledge of OSHA machinery regulations and key industry safety standards (e.g., ANSI/ITSDF B56.5, ANSI/RIA R15.08, ISO 12100, ISO 13849, ANSI B11).
Demonstrated experience running equipment risk assessments, commissioning, and safety validation for AGVs, AMRs, automated conveyance, or high-density material handling systems in a production environment.
Ability to read and interpret mechanical, electrical, and controls drawings, equipment technical documentation, and safety specifications.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear procedures, checklists, and training materials for diverse audiences.
Willingness to be based on-site in Normal, IL, with the willingness and ability to travel up to 40% for FAT testing, integration reviews, and vendor site audits.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing, deploying, or auditing structured logistics risk frameworks (e.g., MEPS - Mobile Equipment & Pedestrian Safety or similar enterprise-wide facilities risk methodologies).
Certified Machinery Safety Expert (CMSE), Functional Safety Engineer / Expert (TÜV), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or equivalent certification.
Proficiency validating safety logic on major platforms (e.g., Allen-Bradley GuardLogix, Siemens TIA Portal Safety, PILZ, SICK, Keyence).
Experience integrating ergonomic principles and facilities traffic management (pedestrian vs. vehicle segregation) into greenfield or brownfield plant designs.
Experience establishing corporate safety standards across a multi-site or global operational footprint.

Responsibilities

Lead risk evaluations (ISO 12100, ANSI B11, ANSI/RIA R15.08, ANSI/ITSDF B56.5) focusing specifically on facilities logistics, material handling routes, and dynamic man-machine interactions.
Define, implement, and audit safety parameters for shared worker/vehicle spaces, including pedestrian segregation, dynamic speed monitoring, optical sensing, dock safety, and physical/virtual containment.
Specify, validate, and audit safety hardware and software systems (LiDAR scanners, safety PLCs, presence-sensing devices, emergency stops, safe-motion drives) on automated guided vehicles and mobile platform systems.
Architect, standardize, and deploy enterprise-wide facilities and logistics safety frameworks (e.g., Mobile Equipment & Pedestrian Safety - MEPS) across all production lines and distribution hubs.
Travel (up to 40%) to vendor facilities for Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) to ensure systems meet Technical Safety Standards and local/international codes before shipment.
Lead Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) and functional safety buyoffs for new and modified machinery, conveyance, automated storage/retrieval systems (ASRS), and AGV fleets across global facilities.
Partner early with Material Flow Engineering, Facilities, Manufacturing Engineering, and Integrators during initial layout and design phases to embed safety into Scope of Work (SOW) and procurement packages.
Maintain, refine, and enforce internal machine safety and equipment standards across logistics and manufacturing operations.
Support machine guarding, control-reliable safety circuits (ISO 13849 / ANSI B11.26), Control of Hazardous Energies (CoHE/LOTO), and robotic cell safety assessments across campus and site operations.
Provide cross-functional machine safety support for specialized equipment across global production shops in coordination with site Subject Matter Experts.
Collaborate with Maintenance, Operations EHS, and Shop Safety Leads to execute Safety Buyoff processes, transferring equipment safely from project phase to daily operational ownership.
Investigate technical safety failures, automated equipment collisions, or near-misses; drive engineering countermeasures, root-cause analyses, and global Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA).
Provide technical input to EHS RACI/RAPID activities related to equipment, construction, and operations projects; support governance cadences (e.g., Safety Engineering steering reviews, project risk reviews) with clear metrics.
Develop and deliver technical safety training for engineers, maintenance, operators, and EHS staff on topics such as machine risk assessment, guarding, safe operating procedures, and AGV traffic integration.
Coach shop safety leads and supervisors to transition tactical verification tasks (e.g., routine buyoffs within standards) to the operations level while maintaining strong technical oversight and audit capability.