Senior/Staff System Safety Engineer, Autonomy

DiDi Labs

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

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or higher degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
  • 3-5 years of experience in systems engineering, safety engineering, or autonomous systems.
  • Strong systems thinking capability for solving complex safety challenges.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and influence stakeholders.
  • Experience in a fast-paced environment with multiple projects and ambiguous requirements.

Responsibilities

  • Own the safety evaluation and release strategy for unmanned autonomous driving operations.
  • Design and implement safety-related systems engineering frameworks.
  • Conduct assessments of operational workflows and emergency protocols.
  • Develop methodologies and metrics for safety evaluation and tracking.
  • Lead technical reviews of safety-related incidents during operations.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support deployment and scaling decisions.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including health and wellness programs.
  • Equity options as part of compensation.
  • Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.
  • Collaborative and mission-driven 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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