Principal AV Behavior Safety Engineering Lead

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Principal AV Behavior Safety Engineering Lead based in United States.

This senior technical leadership role defines how the safety of SAE Level 3-4 automated driving systems is measured, validated, and assured.

You will own the behavior-focused safety strategy and contribute directly to launch decisions for next-generation autonomous driving products.

The role spans the full AV behavior lifecycle, from ADS architecture, ODD and behavior definition through simulation, closed-course testing, and public-road validation.

You will establish validation methodologies, safety targets, performance indicators, and evidence criteria for AI-driven autonomous systems.

Working across software, AI/ML, systems engineering, simulation, validation, and safety metrics teams, you will influence technical direction without relying on direct authority.

The position offers significant end-to-end ownership and the opportunity to shape safety practices for automated driving systems operating at large scale.

This is an ideal opportunity for a proven AV safety leader who combines deep technical expertise with strong judgment, communication, and cross-functional influence.

Accountabilities:

The Principal AV Behavior Safety Engineering Lead will provide hands-on technical leadership for autonomous vehicle behavior safety, establishing rigorous strategies and assurance processes that demonstrate system readiness for deployment.

• Define and lead the strategy for safe development, validation, and deployment of autonomous driving systems.
• Interpret and apply relevant standards and best practices, including ISO 21448 (SOTIF), ISO 5083, and AVSC guidance.
• Own the behavior-focused portion of the ADS Safety Case, including key claims, sufficiency criteria, and recommended evidence for behavior safety performance.
• Define end-to-end AV behavior validation methodologies for AI-driven autonomous systems.
• Establish systematic approaches for breaking down Operational Design Domains (ODDs) and validating performance at both individual-behavior and aggregate levels.
• Collaborate with Software Validation, Embodied AI, Simulation, and Safety Metrics teams to align safety evaluation strategies.
• Help define evaluation metrics, human benchmarks, safety launch targets, and safety performance indicators for autonomous vehicle behaviors.
• Assess AV performance across safety and reliability dimensions using simulation, closed-course testing, and public-road data.
• Provide clear, prioritized, and actionable feedback to engineering teams based on validation results and safety assessments.
• Define and execute assurance processes to verify that safety targets and sufficiency criteria have been met for launch readiness.
• Own the safety strategy for next-generation ADS architectures and influence technical decisions across the autonomous driving development lifecycle.
• Communicate complex safety findings and technical tradeoffs to engineering teams, executives, and other stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement of autonomous driving safety methodologies, evidence frameworks, and validation practices.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate brings extensive autonomous vehicle or robotics experience combined with deep expertise in machine learning, engineering, data science, and safety assurance. You should be capable of operating at both strategic and technical levels, translating complex AV performance data into clear safety decisions and influencing multidisciplinary teams.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in machine learning, engineering, data science, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in autonomous vehicle, robotics development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience working on production-intent autonomous vehicle programs.
• Proven technical safety leadership experience in AV development, including safety strategy, risk assessment, validation methodology, or safety case development.
• Deep understanding of AV behavior development, including ODD definition, behavior definition, evaluation criteria, and analysis of simulation, closed-course, and public-road testing data.
• Experience generating prioritized, actionable recommendations for autonomous vehicle developers based on performance and safety analysis.
• Experience applying AV safety standards and best practices such as ISO 5083, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), and AVSC practices.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to explain complex technical tradeoffs to executive and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams across Software, AI/ML, Systems Engineering, Product, Program Management, and Operations without direct authority.
• Strong problem-solving skills, comfort working with ambiguity, and a proactive approach to learning and continuous improvement.
• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field preferred.
• Experience with Python, R, Java, PySpark, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn, LangChain, or SQL is a plus.
• Knowledge of machine learning and AI technologies such as LLMs, Generative AI, RAG, deep learning, reinforcement learning, NLP, SVM, XGBoost, Random Forest, Decision Trees, or clustering is desirable.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure, including Data Lake, Machine Learning, or Databricks, is preferred; AWS or Google Cloud Platform experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with MLflow, model monitoring and versioning, Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub, and Jira is beneficial.
• Experience with data analysis and visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Pandas, or NumPy is a plus.

Benefits:

• Remote work arrangement within the United States.
• Full-time position with remote or hybrid flexibility depending on location and business needs.
• Base salary range of $250,600-$384,600 annually.
• Eligibility for an incentive compensation program based on organizational performance, role level, and individual performance.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Retirement savings plan.
• Sickness and accident benefits.
• Life insurance.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Tuition assistance programs.
• Employee assistance program.
• Company vehicle evaluation program, subject to successful motor vehicle record review and program requirements.
• Opportunity to directly influence the development and safety assurance of next-generation automated driving systems.
• Less than 25% travel expected for the role.