Embedded Software Engineer - Safety
AIM · Seattle · $170,000–$190,000 (stated in the posting)
About us
AIM builds autonomy for the real world — robots that move mountains. Our systems fuse software, hardware, robotics, and mission-critical infrastructure into ruggedized, safety-critical machinery operating on jobsites across the world. We replace decades of manual, error-prone, high-risk work with intelligent machines that reshape how earthmoving is done.
Safety is foundational to everything we build. Our autonomous systems operate in complex, unpredictable environments where software and hardware decisions have direct physical consequences. As we scale our fleet and develop our next generation of hardware, we're building the engineering practices, safety systems, and verification processes required to deploy autonomy responsibly and reliably.
We're looking for a Senior Embedded Safety Engineer to help define how AIM approaches functional safety across our autonomous machines. Learn more about AIM here.
About you
You're an experienced embedded safety engineer who has helped bring safety-critical hardware and software products into production. You understand functional safety beyond documentation and compliance — you've designed safety mechanisms, evaluated system hazards, developed verification strategies, and made difficult engineering decisions to ensure products are safe to deploy.
You have direct experience working with established functional safety standards such as ISO 26262 or IEC 61508, and understand how to translate safety requirements into practical engineering decisions.
You're comfortable operating in environments where there isn't a single established standard or playbook. You can evaluate existing safety frameworks, identify gaps, and develop a defensible safety strategy for emerging technologies.
You bring strong technical judgment, communicate clearly across disciplines, and have the conviction to challenge engineering decisions or stop a release when safety requirements haven't been met.
About us together
We're building autonomous heavy equipment that operates in challenging, unpredictable real-world environments. That means solving difficult safety engineering problems:
Defining a functional safety strategy for off-road autonomous machinery where no single standard fully addresses the application.
Translating system-level hazards into actionable hardware and software safety requirements.
Designing and validating safety mechanisms for autonomous machine operation.
Establishing the evidence, testing, and engineering processes needed to support a defensible safety case.
Evaluating failure modes across embedded software, electronics, sensors, and machine control systems.
Balancing engineering velocity with rigorous safety requirements and release readiness.
We'll work across engineering disciplines to establish safety practices that are technically sound, practical to implement, and capable of supporting real-world deployments.
What you will own
Define AIM's Functional Safety Strategy
Develop and help drive the functional safety strategy for AIM's autonomous heavy equipment platforms.
Evaluate applicable safety standards, including ISO 26262 and IEC 61508, and determine how established frameworks should inform AIM's safety approach.
Identify gaps in existing safety processes and establish practical engineering requirements.
Define safety objectives, acceptance criteria, and verification expectations for new systems and features.
Design Safety-Critical Systems
Collaborate with Firmware, Electrical, Robotics, and Systems Engineering to develop safety requirements and mechanisms.
Conduct hazard analyses, risk assessments, and failure mode evaluations.
Translate safety requirements into hardware and software design constraints.
Review system architectures and identify potential safety risks before deployment.
Build and Validate the Safety Case
Define verification and validation requirements for safety-critical functionality.
Develop or guide test strategies that demonstrate safety requirements have been satisfied.
Establish traceability between identified hazards, safety requirements, implementation, and verification evidence.
Support safety assessments and certification-related activities where applicable.
Drive Safety Through Product Development
Participate in engineering design reviews and evaluate safety implications of technical decisions.
Investigate safety-related defects, incidents, and unexpected system behavior.
Work with engineering teams to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
Evaluate release readiness and escalate or block deployments when critical safety requirements are not satisfied.
Establish Engineering Safety Practices
Help establish scalable safety engineering processes as AIM expands its hardware platforms and deployments.
Improve safety documentation, verification practices, and engineering review processes.
Mentor engineers on functional safety principles and practical risk mitigation.
Promote a culture where safety considerations are integrated into engineering decisions from the beginning.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, Systems Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
5+ years of professional experience in embedded systems, functional safety, or safety-critical product development, including demonstrated senior-level technical ownership.
Direct experience contributing to the development and release of a safety-critical product involving both hardware and software.
Hands-on experience applying functional safety standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 61508, or comparable industry standards.
Experience performing hazard analysis, risk assessments, and failure mode analysis.
Experience defining safety requirements and developing verification strategies for safety-critical systems.
Strong understanding of embedded hardware and software interactions.
Demonstrated ability to make independent engineering decisions and work across multidisciplinary teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience developing safety-critical systems for autonomous vehicles, robotics, aerospace, or heavy equipment.
Experience establishing safety processes or strategies for new products or emerging technologies.
Familiarity with safety cases, certification processes, and safety evidence management.
Experience with safety mechanisms involving sensors, actuators, controllers, or machine interfaces.
Experience working in environments with evolving requirements and limited established standards.
Experience supporting safety-critical products through field deployment and operation.
How you'll stand out
You've personally helped ship a safety-critical product and can explain the technical decisions you made to ensure its safety.
You can describe specific safety standards you've applied and how they influenced product architecture and testing.
You've designed or improved safety mechanisms rather than only managing compliance documentation.
You're comfortable making high-impact decisions with incomplete information.
You have the technical conviction to challenge a release when safety requirements aren't met.
You can establish safety direction without relying on an existing playbook.
What we offer
Opportunity to define the safety foundation for autonomous heavy machinery operating in the real world.
High-impact ownership of safety strategy across AIM's next-generation platforms.
Collaboration with engineers across firmware, robotics, electrical, systems, and field operations.
Competitive compensation, equity, medical/dental/vision, 401(k), and life insurance.
Travel opportunities to real-world jobsites across the U.S. and globally.
Base salary of $170k to $190k plus equity