Senior/Staff System Safety Engineer, Autonomy

DiDi Labs

$148K — $296K *
Transportation
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
  • 3-5 years of experience in systems engineering or safety engineering in autonomous systems.
  • Strong systems thinking and problem-solving skills in complex safety scenarios.
  • Proven ability to collaborate and influence across diverse teams.
  • Experience thriving in fast-paced environments with ambiguous requirements.

Responsibilities

  • Own safety evaluation and release strategy for unmanned autonomous driving operations.
  • Design and implement safety-related engineering frameworks, including V&V plans.
  • Conduct assessments of operational workflows and emergency protocols for safety.
  • Develop safety evaluation methodologies and metrics frameworks for continuous tracking.
  • Lead safety-related incident reviews and drive improvements in system design.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to assist in deployment and scaling decisions.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and their families.
  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous technologies.
  • Flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
  • Professional development opportunities and career advancement.
  • Collaborative and innovative work environment.
Full Job Description
About The Role

We are seeking an experienced and mission-driven Senior/Staff System Safety Engineer, Autonomy to lead the safety strategy and deployment readiness of our fully autonomous driving systems. In this role, you will define and implement the safety frameworks, release policies, and system-level engineering processes that enable safe and scalable unmanned operations. You will act as a technical leader in system safety, ensuring that our vehicles meet rigorous safety standards while advancing toward large-scale commercial deployment.

Responsibilities
  • Own the safety evaluation and release strategy for unmanned autonomous driving operations, defining clear criteria for system release, degradation, and fallback under varying operating conditions.
  • Design, implement, and champion the safety-related systems engineering framework, including safety requirements, system architecture, and Verification & Validation (V&V) plans.
  • Conduct systematic assessments of unmanned operational workflows, emergency protocols, and supporting tools/platforms to ensure safety and operational completeness.
  • Develop and institutionalize safety evaluation methodologies and metrics frameworks, translating safety goals into quantifiable, verifiable, and continuously tracked indicators.
  • Serve as the technical lead for safety-related incident review and analysis during unmanned operations, driving continuous improvements in system design, test coverage, and operational procedures.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Software, Product, Operations, and Safety teams to support leadership decisions regarding unmanned deployment, city expansion, and operational scaling.


Qualifications
  • Bachelor's or higher degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
  • 3-5 years of industry experience in systems engineering, safety engineering, autonomous systems, or a directly related field.
  • Strong systems thinking with the ability to decompose complex safety challenges and drive practical, scalable solutions.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams, influence stakeholders, and take ownership of safety outcomes.
  • Experience working in a fast-paced environment with multiple parallel projects and ambiguous requirements.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Professional experience in safety-critical autonomous vehicle deployment or large-scale robotic systems operations.
  • Background in functional safety (ISO 26262, SOTIF) or safety assurance of unmanned systems.
  • Hands-on experience with safety validation tools, simulation-based V&V, or operational safety monitoring platforms.
  • Proven track record of defining release policies or safety readiness criteria for real-world autonomous systems.


The base salary range for this full-time position is $148,594-247,038 (Senior Engineer) and $178,286-296,400 (Staff Engineer) annually in addition to bonus, equity and benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

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