Sr. Safety Engineer, Investigations & Assurance
Aurora Innovation (View all Jobs)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Interview Process
1. Simplified real-world coding task on Coderpad.io 2. Time-boxed take-home assignment 3. Face-to-face meeting with teammates.
Salary
$152,000 - $227,000
Who We Are
Aurora (Nasdaq: AUR) is delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly to make transportation safer, increasingly accessible, and more reliable and efficient than ever before. The Aurora Driver is a self-driving system designed to operate multiple vehicle types, from freight-hauling trucks to ride-hailing passenger vehicles. It underpins Aurora’s driver-as-a-service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including Continental, FedEx, Hirschbach, PACCAR, Ryder, Schneider, Toyota, Uber, Uber Freight, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Autonomous Solutions, and Werner. For Aurora’s latest news, visit aurora.tech and @aurora_inno on Twitter.
Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We’re searching for a Senior Safety Engineer, Investigations & Assurance.
You will lead and manage technical investigations where a strong foundation in engineering is essential for success. You will leverage your technical knowledge to identify safety risks, conduct in-depth root cause analyses, and develop effective corrective actions. Your engineering expertise will allow you to thoroughly understand complex technical issues, enabling you to propose meaningful improvements that enhance safety practices across the organization. While program management skills will be valuable in coordinating safety projects and cross-functional initiatives, your engineering background will be the foundation for driving impactful, data-driven safety improvements.
In this role, you will
- Lead technical safety investigations, including conducting Safety Risk Assessments, analyzing complex data, performing root cause analyses, and developing comprehensive corrective actions.
- Collaborate across Engineering, Product, and Operations teams to identify and implement safety improvements that align with organizational goals, using engineering insights to inform technical safety solutions.
- Drive safety improvement initiatives by proactively identifying trends from investigation findings and working with stakeholders to address root causes through technical solutions.
- Develop and manage technical safety reports, detailing software, hardware, and operational safety risks, and leverage these findings to influence strategic decisions.
- Provide subject matter expertise to the Safety Management System team, continuously improving safety assurance processes and strategy based on technical insights.
- Support program management aspects of safety projects, including tracking progress, evaluating risks, and coordinating cross-functional communication, using your technical understanding to ensure effective project alignment.
- Optimize Safety Assurance databases and dashboards, ensuring accurate tracking of Safety Concerns, Safety Actions, and Investigations, and use engineering-based insights to enhance data accuracy and utility.
- Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives based on investigation findings to advance Aurora’s safety practices and support a culture of ongoing safety excellence.
- Utilize safety analysis tools (e.g., Medini, Ansys, or similar software) and data visualization techniques to support data-driven decision-making and enhance the interpretation of safety investigation findings.
Required Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience as a safety engineer in a regulated environment (e.g., autonomous systems, robotics, automotive, or a related technical field).
- Strong technical foundation in safety engineering processes, including investigations, root cause analysis, and safety risk assessment models.
- Proficient understanding of safety standards such as ISO 26262, ISO 21488, and UL4600, with experience applying these to safety-critical systems.
- Hands-on experience with functional safety analysis methodologies (e.g., FMEA, FTA, HARA) and the ability to interpret and utilize complex technical data.
- Familiarity with regulatory compliance standards and guidelines from bodies such as the NHTSA or similar agencies.
- Strong communication skills to present safety findings clearly and collaborate across various project teams, with an ability to translate engineering concepts for diverse stakeholders.
- Experience in program management tasks, including planning, milestone tracking, and project reporting, with a focus on leveraging engineering expertise to ensure project success.
- Familiarity with Agile and Waterfall methodologies and exposure to a wide variety of program management techniques.
- Proficiency in the Atlassian product suite (Jira, Confluence).
- Demonstrated commitment to working in a fast-paced, safety-critical environment, with a proactive approach to continuous learning and safety improvement.
Desirable Qualifications
- Certifications in ISO 26262, ISO 21488, and UL4600.
- Experience in operations within a safety-critical field (e.g., aerospace, automotive, nuclear, oil).
- Proficient use of data visualization and business intelligence tools (e.g., Jira, Smartsheet, Holistics, Mode) and ability to create technical safety dashboards.
- Proficient understanding of Safety Management System structure and processes, and strong decision-making skills for evaluating and prioritizing risks.
The base salary range for this position is $152,000 - $227,000 per year. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.
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Working at Aurora
At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks.
We have offices in several locations across the United States, where we encourage team and cross-functional collaboration. Aurora offers competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits, and additional healthcare support including medical transportation reimbursement, fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits. We empower our employees and their families with options to further their unique physical, mental, and financial well-being.
Our Learning and Development offerings include Aurora Academy, where our people learn, develop, and practice the essential skills that drive Aurora’s mission, continually up-leveling our team along the way. Our Careers page provides insight into career opportunities at Aurora, and you can find all the latest news on our Blog.
Safety is central to everything we do. Every employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. We seek candidates who take active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization's long-term success by working safely — no matter what.
We believe that self-driving technology has broad benefits – including increased access to transportation. To realize those benefits, we need a workforce with diverse experiences, insights, and perspectives — a workforce that reflects the communities our technology will serve.
Aurora is committed to providing access to anyone who seeks information from our website. We invite anyone using assistive technologies, such as a screen reader or Braille reader, to email us at careersiteaccommodations@aurora.tech if they experience difficulty using our website. Please describe the accessibility problem and include a URL (if available).
Aurora considers candidates without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, parent or caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran and/or military status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Aurora considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at careersiteaccommodations@aurora.tech.
For California applicants, information collected and processed as part of your application and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Aurora’s California Employment Privacy Policy.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Aurora, every employee is empowered to take an active role in building an inclusive, collaborative, and unified culture that leverages our diverse strengths, perspectives, and backgrounds.
Transforming how the world moves people and goods involves seeking to understand backgrounds, insights, and lived experiences that differ from our own. One way we accomplish that is with our 15 employee-led Aurora Unified Groups, which support diverse voices and drive inclusive collaboration. We believe that teamwork, belonging, and trust motivate and support our employees to do their best work. As our team grows, we strive to attract and retain exceptional talent that adds new perspectives and experiences and continues to drive innovation. Learn more on our Culture Page.
We are committed to helping qualified military community members leverage their talents in service of our mission. To understand how your military experience aligns with career opportunities at Aurora, review your military job classification at MyNextMove.org and consider applying for open positions corresponding to your identified skills and experiences!
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