Leads safety-critical program execution for autonomous vehicle capabilities from concept through deployment. Establishes requirements traceability, coordinates hazard analysis and safety assessments, drives verification and validation planning, manages cross-functional risks and dependencies, monitors safety and program metrics, and facilitates governance reviews. The role requires deep knowledge of ISO 26262 and related safety standards, experience with autonomous or other safety-critical systems, and a technical degree with 1–6+ years of experience depending on education level.
Meet the Team:
This role is responsible for driving the execution framework that enables the safe, scalable deployment of autonomous capabilities across multiple platforms and operational domains. As autonomy systems increase in complexity, this position ensures that safety, systems engineering, validation, and operational readiness activities are planned, integrated, and executed with the rigor required for safety-critical systems.
Working across engineering, functional safety, systems engineering, autonomy, hardware, software, and operations, the Functional Safety Manager provides the structure, governance, and visibility needed to deliver safety-critical capabilities from concept through deployment. The role ensures requirements traceability, verification and validation readiness, risk management, and alignment of safety objectives with program milestones, supporting both product delivery and safety assurance objectives.
What You’ll Do:
- Lead planning and execution of safety-critical initiatives across the autonomous vehicle lifecycle, ensuring alignment between product roadmaps, safety goals, and deployment milestones.
- Establish and maintain traceability between hazards, safety requirements, system requirements, verification activities, validation evidence, and release decisions.
- Coordinate cross-functional safety activities including hazard analysis, safety assessments, safety case development, and operational readiness reviews.
- Drive integrated verification and validation planning across simulation, test environments, closed-course testing, and field operations to support evidence-based deployment decisions.
- Manage program risks, technical dependencies, and change impacts across systems, software, hardware, perception, localization, controls, and operational teams.
- Monitor safety and program metrics, proactively identifying issues that could impact system performance, safety objectives, regulatory compliance, or delivery commitments.
- Facilitate executive reviews and technical governance forums, providing clear visibility into program health, residual risk, and safety readiness.
What you need to succeed
- Experience leading programs involving autonomous systems, ADAS, robotics, aerospace, industrial automation, or other safety-critical platforms.
- Demonstrated experience applying ISO 26262 across the safety lifecycle, including hazard analysis and risk assessment (HARA), safety goals, functional and technical safety concepts, and ASIL decomposition. Working knowledge of ISO 21448 (SOTIF) and other related standards such as IEC 61508, UL 4600, or ISO/PAS 8800 is a plus.
- Familiarity with safety lifecycle artifacts including Item Definitions, HARA, FMEA/FMEDA, Safety Requirements, Safety Plans, Safety Cases, and Verification & Validation strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to align engineering execution with safety assurance objectives while maintaining program delivery commitments.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering or related technical field plus demonstrated competencies and technical proficiencies typically acquired through 6+ years of experience OR; Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering or related technical field plus demonstrated competencies and technical proficiencies typically acquired through 3+ years of experience OR; PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering or related technical field plus demonstrated competencies and technical proficiencies typically acquired through 1+ years of experience.
ID: R-103059
Hiring Range for Job Opening
US Pay Range
$153,200—$183,800 USD
Similar Jobs
Robotics
Owns functional safety certification, standards compliance, safety lifecycle gates, safety cases, certification body relationships, safety manuals, subsystem data packs, regulatory monitoring, and field modification impact analysis. The role serves as the named Functional Safety Manager, evaluates evidence against IEC and ISO standards, supports customer conformity files, and independently challenges safety analyses across autonomous machinery products.
Top Skills:
Eu Machinery RegulationIec 61508Iec 62061Iso 13849Iso 21448Iso 25119Iso 3691-4PfhdSotifUl 4600
Artificial Intelligence • HR Tech • Information Technology • Software • Business Intelligence
Advises health plans and provider networks on member and patient experience improvement. Leads payer-provider collaboration, performance improvement initiatives, training, coaching, metric interpretation, and end-to-end client engagements. Uses PDSA and healthcare quality frameworks to improve CAHPS, HEDIS, HOS, Star Ratings, and value-based care outcomes. Requires healthcare operations expertise, provider-setting experience, strong presentation skills, and nationwide travel.
Top Skills:
ExcelMS OfficePowerPointWord
Fintech • Information Technology • Insurance • Financial Services • Big Data Analytics
Coordinates governance, prioritization, tracking, reporting, and operational readiness for RIS Operations initiatives. Maintains project backlogs, monitors risks and milestones, manages intake and capacity planning, develops executive dashboards, coordinates IT enhancements and deployments, establishes KPI/KRI frameworks, supports business cases and benefits tracking, and improves process documentation and self-service reporting.
Top Skills:
Azure DevopsClaude AiExcelMicrosoft Powerpoint
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
