Agility Robotics is a pioneer. Our robot, Digit, is the first to be sold into workplaces across the globe. Our team is differentiated by its expertise in imagining, engineering, and delivering robots with advanced mobility, dexterity, intelligence, and efficiency -- robots specifically designed to work alongside people, in spaces built for people. Every day, we break through engineering challenges and invent new solutions and capabilities that will one day make robots commonplace and approachable. This work is our passion and our responsibility: our mission is to make businesses more productive and people’s lives more fulfilling.
Location
This position is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Regular travel to our Salem headquarters, typically 1 week per month, will be required.
About the Role
As a Senior Staff Systems Engineer at Agility Robotics, you'll be the technical leader defining and delivering system-level architecture for our humanoid robot platform, with deep specialization in functional safety requirements integration. Working within a high-impact Systems Engineering team, you'll take ownership of complex safety-critical requirements, cross-functional interfaces, and system-level integration—bringing clarity and structure to incredibly complex safety-critical systems.
This role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader with deep functional safety expertise who thrives in ambiguity, takes initiative without waiting for permission, and has a passion for building real safety-critical systems fast. You'll help shape how Systems Engineering and Functional Safety integration is applied in a fast-moving startup, balancing the rigor of safety standards with the agility and pragmatism needed to ship products.
Key Responsibilities
System Architecture & Safety Integration
- Define system and subsystem architectures spanning mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software domains with embedded functional safety considerations
- Drive system-level trade studies and architecture decisions balancing safety, performance, cost, and execution speed
Functional Safety Requirements Management & Integration
- Own the "How" of functional safety implementation: Translate Functional Safety team requirements into detailed, traceable system requirements in Jama
- Bridge safety and systems engineering: Decompose higher-level safety goals across departments and integrate with performance/customer requirements
- Serve as single source of truth: Provide unified requirements that balance safety, performance, and commercial objectives
- Drive system-level verification of safety requirements through integration testing
Requirements Engineering & Cross-Functional Alignment
- Own system-level safety requirements: writing, decomposing, validating, and driving execution in partnership with Functional Safety team
- Collaborate with Hardware, Software, Controls, and Test Engineering to ensure clean mapping to development and verification strategies
- Facilitate cross-functional decisions when safety requirements conflict with performance, cost, or schedule constraints
Interface Definition & Technical Leadership
- Lead technical oversight of external suppliers, from drafting comprehensive SOWs to validating final deliverables against safety and performance standards.
- Lead development and maintenance of Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for safety-critical interfaces
- Actively participate in design reviews, safety assessments, and root cause investigations with functional safety expertise
- Identify technical and safety risks, lead trade studies, and influence decisions from a systems-level viewpoint
- Mentor team members on functional safety principles and requirements management
Qualifications
Experience
- 10+ years of Systems Engineering experience in safety-critical domains: robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or similar multidisciplinary hardware/software systems
- 5+ years deep functional safety experience with hands-on application of safety standards such as ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 26262, IEC 62061, or similar
- Demonstrated experience leading system-level safety integration, architecture, and safety requirement management efforts
- Previous experience in high-growth, fast-paced environments where self-direction and bias for action are essential
- Experience with safety-critical robotics or autonomous systems strongly preferred
Technical Skills & Safety Expertise
- Expert-level functional safety knowledge: Deep understanding of safety lifecycle processes, hazard analysis (HARA, HAZOP, FTA, FMEA), safety integrity levels, and safety architecture principles
- Advanced requirements management expertise: Expert-level skills in authoring safety requirements, managing traceability, and defining cross-functional safety interfaces
- Strong familiarity with the V-model approach to safety-critical systems engineering, including how to adapt it for rapid development environments
- Safety standards mastery: Working knowledge of machinery safety standards (ISO 13849, IEC 62061), general functional safety (IEC 61508), and robotics-specific safety standards (ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA R15.08)
- Experience with safety analysis tools (e.g., ANSYS medini analyze, PTC Windchill FTA, ItemIS) and requirements management tools (Jama, DOORS, Polarion)
- Experience working closely with Test Engineering to drive system-level safety validation and verification strategies
- Proven experience managing complex vendor relationships and engineering contracts, including the definition of SOWs and technical oversight of external development for hardware or software subsystems.
Full-time Employees are eligible for Benefits:
- 401(k) Plan: Includes a 6% company match.
- Equity: Company stock options.
- Insurance Coverage: 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance for employees.
- Benefit Start Date: Eligible for benefits on your first day of employment.
- Well-Being Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- Time Off:
- Exempt Employees: Flexible, unlimited PTO and 10 company holidays, including a winter shutdown.
- Non-Exempt Employees: 10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 10 company holidays, including a winter shutdown, annually.
- On-Site Perks: Catered lunches four times a week and a variety of healthy snacks and refreshments at our Salem and Pittsburgh locations.
- Parental Leave: Generous paid parental leave programs.
- Work Environment: A culture that supports flexible work arrangements.
- Growth Opportunities: Professional development and tuition reimbursement programs.
- Relocation Assistance: Provided for eligible roles.
All of our roles are U.S.-based. Applicants must have current authorization to work in the United States.
Agility Robotics is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, it is the policy of Agility Robotics to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Agility Robotics prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.
Agility Robotics does not accept unsolicited referrals from third-party recruiting agencies. We prioritize direct applicants and encourage all qualified candidates to apply directly through our careers page. If you are represented by a third party, your application may not be considered. To ensure full consideration, please apply directly.
Apply Now: https://grnh.se/b444bbd04us
Top Skills
What We Do
Agility Robotic's legged locomotion expertise is built on a history of academic research and scientific breakthrough. We're here to build robots for good. Robots that help businesses and people thrive.
