Principal Functional Safety Engineer

ABOUT SLATE

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Vehicle Engineering group at Slate is looking for a technically rigorous, collaborative, and safety-obsessed Principal Functional Safety Engineer to join our growing team. This role is the technical authority for functional safety across our advanced vehicle platforms—covering E/E architecture, ADAS/AD, powertrain, chassis, body controls, and connected features. You will lead safety-by-design initiatives from concept through SOP and field lifecycle, ensuring compliance with ISO 26262 and alignment with SOTIF (ISO 21448), ASPICE, and adjacent standards.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO

Strategy & Governance

• Serve as the enterprise FuSa technical authority, defining the safety strategy for vehicle programs and establishing frameworks, policies, templates, and best practices for ISO 26262 across the V-model.

• Own the Functional Safety Management Plan and safety governance cadence (reviews, audits, safety gates), including escalation paths and executive reporting.

• Drive safety culture: mentor engineers, run communities of practice, and embed safety goals into roadmaps, KPIs, and program charters.

Program & Technical Leadership

• Lead end-to-end Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment (HARA) to derive Safety Goals, ASIL targets, and technical safety concepts for systems (e.g., ADAS, braking, steering, propulsion, battery management).

• Architect and review system, hardware, and software safety mechanisms (fault detection, diagnostics, monitoring, graceful degradation, FTTI, fail-safe/fail-operational strategies).

• Author and maintain Safety Cases (goal-based, GSN or equivalent), ensuring clear evidence links across requirements, design, implementation, verification, and validation.

• Direct DFMEA/PFMEA, FMEDA, and quantitative safety analyses (FIT rates, SPFM/LFM), and ensure robust independence/SEooC where applicable.

• Align safety requirements with E/E architecture (AUTOSAR Classic/Adaptive, middleware, communication stacks, safety partitioning).

• Champion SOTIF activities for perception/decision systems and complex functions (sensor fusion, ML-based ADAS), including scenario-based testing and performance bounds.

• Guide fault injection, safety verification & validation (HiL/SiL/MiL, proving ground tests, over-the-air updates), ensuring coverage sufficiency and traceability.

Cross-Functional & Supplier Engagement

• Collaborate with Systems, Software, Hardware, Test, Manufacturing, Quality, Reliability, Cybersecurity (ISO 21434), and Regulatory teams to ensure integrated safety.

• Evaluate and approve supplier Safety Plans, Safety Manuals, and SEooC deliverables; drive APQP and PPAP alignment for safety-critical components.

• Interface with standards bodies, assessors, and regulatory stakeholders; support audits and certifications when required.

Lifecycle & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure safety compliance through SOP and in-service operations (field monitoring, incident analysis, change control, OTA updates, service procedures).

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for safety incidents and pre-SOP findings (8D, problem-solving methodologies).

• Continuously improve processes based on lessons learned, metrics, and benchmarking; contribute to technology roadmaps for safety features and diagnostics.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field.

• 10+ years of experience in automotive functional safety with a track record of delivering ISO 26262-compliant systems to production.

• Expert-level knowledge of ISO 26262 (Parts 1–12), including HARA, Safety Goal derivation, TSC/HSR/SSR, and Safety Case development.

• Hands-on experience with DFMEA/PFMEA, FMEDA, quantitative metrics (SPFM/LFM), failure modes and diagnostic strategies, and reliability data interpretation (FIT).

• Proven leadership of cross-functional teams and suppliers; ability to influence at the director/VP level and mentor senior engineers.

• Strong systems engineering background (requirements management, architecture, interfaces, traceability tools such as DOORS/Jama/Polarion).

• Proficiency with verification & validation methods: MiL/SiL/HiL, fault injection, test coverage analysis, and scenario-based V&V for ADAS/AD.

• Excellent communication skills (technical and executive-ready) and the ability to defend decisions with evidence-based reasoning.

Preferred

• Master’s or Ph.D. in engineering or applied sciences.

• Certifications: FS Engineer (TÜV), ISO 26262 Functional Safety Professional, ASPICE Provisional/Competent Assessor.

• Experience with AUTOSAR (Classic/Adaptive), safety partitioning, and real-time OS safety concepts.

• Prior work on SOTIF (ISO 21448) for perception systems, ML/AI safety assurance, and scenario-based testing frameworks.

• Knowledge of ISO 21434 (Cybersecurity) and safety–security co-engineering practices; familiarity with IEC 61508.

• Experience in semiconductor safety (PMIC, MCU, SoC safety islands), ASIL decomposition, SEooC integration, and tool/software qualification.

• Background in ADAS/AD sensing (camera, radar, lidar, ultrasonic), sensor fusion, functional performance bounds, and redundancy strategies.

• Familiarity with manufacturing quality systems (APQP, PPAP), warranty analytics, and field reliability monitoring.

WHY JOIN TEAM SLATE?

At Slate, we’re fueled by grit, determination, and attention to detail. The start-up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward. Team Slate fosters a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect, and is motivated by shared principles.

• Safety First

• Delight Customers

• One Team

• Relentless Improvement

• Fast, Frugal, and Scrappy

• Respectful Collaboration

• Positive Legacy

WE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.

Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at

slate-talent_acquisition@slate.auto.