Principal Functional Safety Engineer

Summary

Join Agility Robotics, a pioneer in humanoid robot development, as a Principal Robotics Functional Safety Engineer. Lead functional safety efforts from concept to deployment, ensuring compliance with relevant standards (ISO 13849, IEC 61508, etc.). Represent Agility in safety standards development, shaping industry discussions and influencing practical solutions for real-world deployment. Create and maintain key safety deliverables, including risk assessments and safety cases. Support customer deployments, collaborating across disciplines to define and validate safety-critical requirements. Drive architecture-level safety decisions, balancing performance, risk, and compliance. Oversee third-party vendors for verification and validation activities. Contribute to safety firmware development and advise on AI safety. Monitor industry standards and proactively evolve internal safety processes. This high-impact role requires a passion for advancing the safe deployment of complex robotic systems and the ability to influence industry standards.

Requirements

• BS in Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or related fields
• 12+ years in robotics or safety-critical engineering roles, including 7+ years focused on functional safety
• Involvement in standards development or working groups
• Experience supporting or leading field deployment of robotic systems, including on-site troubleshooting, configuration, or validation
• Deep familiarity with functional safety lifecycle practices and experience producing deliverables aligned with ISO 13849, IEC 61508, or similar
• Familiarity with applicable safety standards for mobile and industrial robots, including ANSI/RIA R15.08 and the ISO 10218 series
• Experience managing third-party vendors or labs for verification and validation (V&V) activities to ensure compliance, quality, and traceability
• Hands-on experience with safety design and implementation of industrial mobile robots or dynamic systems (e.g., legged, autonomous, or robots with collaborative applications)
• Proven ability to coordinate across engineering teams to define and validate safety requirements
• Experience using safety analysis tools such as SISTEMA
• Strong communication skills and an ability to advocate for safety in technical decision-making

Responsibilities

• Lead functional safety efforts from concept through deployment, including documentation and compliance with the machinery directive, ISO 13849, IEC 62061, IEC 61508, and relevant industrial mobile robot standards such as ANSI R15.08
• Represent Agility Robotics in safety standards development and influence discussions toward deployable, real-world solutions while upholding ethical and safety priorities
• Create and maintain key safety deliverables such as risk assessments, safety requirement specifications (SRS), FMEDA, SISTEMA analyses, validation plans, and safety cases
• Support customer deployments through remote collaboration and on-site visits as needed, ensuring safe and compliant integration of robotic systems in dynamic environments
• Collaborate across disciplines to define, communicate, and validate safety-critical requirements for hardware, embedded software, and control systems
• Drive architecture-level safety decisions for mobile and legged robots, balancing real-world performance, technical risk, and compliance
• Oversee third-party vendors and labs for verification and validation (V&V) activities—including activities in support of CE marking for European market access—to ensure quality, traceability, and alignment with internal safety goals
• Coordinate closely with the compliance team to ensure coverage of electrical safety, hazardous materials, environmental and radio regulations such as NFPA 79, IEC 60204-1, REACH, RoHS, FCC, and related directives
• Contribute to safety firmware development, including fault detection, diagnostics, watchdogs, and safe-state logic
• Advise on AI safety, ensuring machine learning or autonomy features operate within defined and predictable safety boundaries as defined in the ISO IEC TS 22440 series
• Monitor industry standards and best practices, and proactively evolve internal safety processes to meet or exceed regulatory and customer expectations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with safety firmware implementation (e.g., fault handling, safe state logic)
• Familiarity with AI/ML safety practices in robotic systems
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Robotics, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Experience supporting or leading field deployment of robotic systems
• Experience mentoring and growing teams of senior engineers and staff-level talent

Benefits

• 401(k) Plan: Includes a 6% company match
• Equity: Company stock options
• Insurance Coverage: 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance for employees
• Benefit Start Date: Eligible for benefits on your first day of employment
• Well-Being Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Time Off: Exempt Employees: Flexible, unlimited PTO and 10 company holidays, including a winter shutdown
• Time Off: Non-Exempt Employees: 10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 10 company holidays, including a winter shutdown, annually
• On-Site Perks: Catered lunches four times a week and a variety of healthy snacks and refreshments at our Salem and Pittsburgh locations
• Parental Leave: Generous paid parental leave programs
• Work Environment: A culture that supports flexible work arrangements
• Growth Opportunities: Professional development and tuition reimbursement programs
• Relocation Assistance: Provided for eligible roles