Senior Systems Engineer, Autonomy Verification and Validation (Safety & Fail Operational)

Zoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous mobility solution for cities and deploy such a robotaxi solution safely. As a Senior Systems Engineer, Autonomy Verification & Validation at Zoox, you will have the opportunity to work closely with cross-functional teams to analyze and measure our system's performance and safety.

You will lead the creation of cutting-edge V&V methodologies, develop processes, write comprehensive validation plans, and execute tests and simulations to ensure the safety of the autonomous driving software. Your real-world and virtual tests will capture the full end-to-end performance, from advanced AI systems through the custom vehicle platform.

In this role, you will:

• Define strategies and methodologies to verify and validate the software stack and fail-operational architectures with robust test coverage.
• Work cross-functionally to develop detailed simulation and structured test plans and procedures to validate autonomous features and safety requirements, ensuring the system can handle nominal and edge-case "fail-operational" scenarios.
• Contribute to the evolution of the Zoox safety case by providing technical evidence and validation data ahead of every major development milestone.
• Lead the technical and logistical planning of tests.
• Design test programs to achieve high coverage of requirements and scenarios, drawing on simulation and analysis where possible.
• Maintain rigorous end-to-end traceability between requirements, test cases, and results to produce a closed-loop safety case.
• Perform sophisticated test data analysis and define automated data extraction tools to streamline reporting and ensure high-fidelity performance metrics.

Qualifications

• B.S. or higher degree in Automotive Engineering, Aerospace, Robotics, Electrical, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering.
• 7+ years of system test engineering experience in the autonomous vehicle, robotics, or aerospace industry.
• Strong analytical skills with hands-on experience in complex hardware-software integration.
• Experience with requirement and test traceability tools such as Polarion, Jama, DOORS, or TestRails.
• Deep understanding of the V-model and the application of verification and validation to safety-critical systems.
• Ability to grapple with ambiguity and lead cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with probability, statistics, and risk assessment methodology.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience developing integration and test plans for fail-operational architectures or safety-critical robotic systems.
• Hands-on experience with industry safety standards such as ISO 26262 or ISO 21448 (SOTIF).
• Experience with test scripting and data analysis languages (Python and SQL preferred).
• Familiarity with programming languages such as C or C++.

$200,000 - $273,000 a year

Base Salary Range

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.