Software Safety Engineer

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About The Role

Forterra is seeking an experienced Safety Software Engineer to join our team and drive efforts in the development of autonomous systems. This role will oversee and spearhead the development of safety critical software applications, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.

What You'll Do

• Lead the implementation and application of safety-critical software standards, ensuring adherence to safety requirements throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Prepare comprehensive documentation to support regulatory submissions and customer requirements related to software safety.
• Develop and refine safety concepts for software systems, including architectural design, safety mechanisms, and verification activities, to ensure robust safety performance.
• Conduct safety analyses such as Software FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis), DFA (Dependent Failure Analysis) and other safety focused analysis techniques.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop verification and validation plans for safety-critical software components.
• Lead or participate in testing activities to ensure safety requirements are met.
• Provide technical guidance, training, and mentorship to software engineers and cross-functional teams on safety engineering principles and best practices for software development.
• Stay informed about industry trends and advancements in functional safety standards. Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance software safety practices within the organization.

Qualifications

• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with ability to motivate and guide a team of developers and engineers.
• Proven experience in software development, with a focus on safety-critical systems.
• Fluency in a text-based computer language usable for safety critical software development, such as C, C++, or Ada.
• Experience with software development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum and Waterfall.

Preferred Qualifications

• Functional Safety Expert Certification (automotive or other)
• Strong Safety Engineering fundamentals and knowledge of modern safety engineering techniques, tools and processes.
• Good understanding of high-performance computing related software infrastructures
• Direct experience in the design and development of autonomous vehicles or advanced ADAS applications.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of work experience as a FuSa engineer or related role focused on safety critical software
• Specific experience with ISO 26262-6 or similar functional safety standard (e.g., IEC 61508, IEC 62304, MIL-STD-882E)
• Specific experience with Software Development Processes such as ASPICE and coding standards (MISRA)
• Experience with safety analysis techniques such as Software Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA).
• Experience with managing requirements (Jama, Doors, Polarion) and issue tracking (JIRA)
• Familiar with the technical principles behind autonomous vehicles perception, prediction, path planning, and control.
• Strong analytical skills in linear algebra, geometry, and probability.
• Experience analyzing C/C++ software or other software based tools (e.g., SCADE, Simulink) developed for complex ecosystems such as RTOS, Complex Microprocessors, Hypervisors, etc.
• Experience supporting and guiding teams through Unit Testing, SW Integration Testing, and Embedded SW Testing
• Flexible, adaptable mindset, open-minded: we try to solve a problem that has never been solved before.

US Salary Range

$140,000—$200,000 annually

Benefits

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.

The Pay Range For This Role Is

140,000 - 200,000 USD per year (ARC)