Senior/Staff Systems Engineer, Fail Operational (San Mateo)

Foster City, CASystem Design and Mission Assurance – Platform Safety Engineering and Analysis /Full-time /HybridZoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous mobility solution for cities and safely deploy such a robotaxi solution. The System Design and Mission Assurance (SDMA) team plays a foundational role in the company's success, responsible for constructing the safety case and fail-operational design for our autonomous driving robots before public road deployment. You will be part of an organization with strong leadership and a transparent, respectful culture that enables you to reach your full potential.We are looking for a Senior Systems Engineer to drive the technical evolution of the Fail Operations metrics, frameworks, and processes. In this role, you will lead the refinement of how Zoox categorizes, estimates, and tracks autonomous driving performance events, working closely with cross-functional partners across Data Science, SDMA, Software and Operations. You will serve as a key technical partner to SDMA’s metrics leadership, shaping the methodology that underpins Zoox’s assessment of readiness to scale.In this role, you will:Own and evolve the core Fail Operational metric framework for quantifying, severity-ranking, and systematically driving down autonomous-mission stoppage and degradation events, including category definitions, classification methodology, and triage criteria used to identify and assess mission-critical events across all driving behavior domainsLead Fail Operational metric target-setting for new and existing milestones, authoring supporting documentation and consolidating inputs across metric categories to assess overall readiness for milestone closureDrive the evolution of the Fail Operational metric architecture, ensuring alignment with current priorities and operational needsDevelop process for reviewing observed events, mapping to seen failure modes or confirming as new, and integrating those observations into estimations to drive business priorities. Partner cross-functionally with Software, Hardware, and Operations teams to escalate issues, identify mitigations, evaluate emerging risks from testing pipelines, and support delivery of features that improve performance metricsCommunicate complex metric concepts, data analyses, and actionable insights to diverse stakeholders and executives, translating technical findings into clear recommendations that inform decision-makingQualificationsB.S. or higher degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related field5+ years of relevant professional experience in systems engineering, data analysis, performance tracking, risk quantification, or fault management for complex and safety-critical systemsDemonstrated experience defining, implementing, and managing quantitative metrics and data-driven frameworks, with proficiency in probability, statistics, and Python for large-scale data analysisStrong understanding of fault detection, categorization, and severity assessment methodologies, with experience developing technical frameworks, taxonomies, or classification systemsExcellent technical communication and documentation abilities, with a collaborative approach to influencing, driving consensus, and leading cross-functional initiativesBonus QualificationsM.S. or Ph.D. in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related fieldSystems engineering or system safety experience with autonomous driving, robotics, or fleet-scale vehicle operationsExperience with fail-operational design, fault tolerance, or fault management in safety-critical domains, including familiarity with hazard analysis methods such as STPA, FTA, FMEA, or FHAMetrics ownership experience and knowledge of industry safety standards such as ISO 26262, ISO 21448, MIL-STD-882Experience building processes from conception to implementation at scale$185,000 - $291,000 a yearBase Salary RangeThere 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.About ZooxZoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.Follow us on LinkedInAccommodationsIf you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [email protected] or your assigned recruiter.A Final Note:You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. 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.