Senior SOTIF Engineer

About the role

Torc Robotics operates at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology, concentrating development efforts exclusively on automated trucks to transform the movement of freight. The company believes this technology will fundamentally change how we travel, move freight, and conduct business through long-term partnerships with experienced industry leaders. As a part of Daimler, the focus is sharpened on delivering robust software solutions for the autonomous trucking domain. This role represents a critical position within the SW Systems and Safety

Behaviors & Autonomy Team, where safety frameworks like FuSa, SOTIF, and AI-Safety are rigorously applied. The Senior SOTIF Engineer will own the evaluation and enhancement of safety and reliability for autonomous trucking systems, ensuring they perform as intended in real-world conditions. You will be responsible for leading safety-critical initiatives that directly shape the future of how freight is automated across long-haul routes. Success in this position requires a deep passion for safety-critical software systems and a commitment to risk assessment and verification strategies. The hire will work in close collaboration with AI-ML and software development teams to eliminate behavioral insufficiencies and guarantee a robust platform.

Key facts

What you'll do

Evaluate SOTIF targets in collaboration with functional safety and system engineers to ensure autonomous vehicle development meets stringent safety standards.

Lead SOTIF evaluations and guide engineers to meet acceptance criteria for autonomous trucking systems under diverse operating conditions.

Interact with AI-ML engineers and SW Developers to assess the safety of Torc solutions and identify potential failure modes.

Identify functional insufficiencies and triggering conditions, providing detailed risk assessment through HIRE analysis and proposing safety improvements.

Define areas for design improvement and collaborate with design teams to refine system specifications for autonomous trucks.

Evaluate the completeness of design specifications to ensure they meet SOTIF maturity standards and regulatory expectations.

Derive acceptance criteria for SOT>0 and C>0 analysis and lead discussions on necessary functional modifications to achieve safety goals.

Develop verification and validation targets for known and unknown safety scenarios to ensure comprehensive testing coverage.

Support SOTIF-related operational strategies, ensuring the safe deployment and operation of autonomous vehicles in the field.

Communicate SOTIF achievement metrics and risk assessments to management and key stakeholders to maintain transparency.

Collaborate with systems design and architecture teams to integrate SOTIF considerations into autonomous trucking specifications early in development.

Analyze operational design domain data to refine safety requirements and ensure system behavior remains within validated limits.

Participate in the development of safety cases and assurance arguments, such as UL 4600, to provide evidence of system safety.

Contribute to the continuous improvement of safety processes, tools, and methodologies to enhance the reliability of autonomous functions.

Requirements

Demonstrates competences and technical proficiencies typically acquired through a Master's degree in a relevant technical field or equivalent practical experience.

Possesses a strong knowledge of Functional Safety standards, specifically ISO 26262, and how they apply to autonomous vehicle software.

Has an in-depth understanding of SOTIF principles as defined by ISO 21448 for the identification and mitigation of safety risks.

Shows familiarity with AI Safety standards and concepts, including ISO-PAS 8800, and their relevance to autonomous system behavior.

Has experience with AV Safety Case development and frameworks, such as UL 4600, to structure safety arguments and evidence.

Demonstrates the ability to analyze complex system behaviors and identify potential hazards that could lead to safety concerns.

Shows capability in performing HIRE analysis to determine the severity and relevance of identified functional insufficiencies.

Possesses strong communication skills to interact effectively with cross-functional teams, including AI, software, and systems engineering.

Requires the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote environment while managing multiple safety-critical priorities.

Must be comfortable working with abstract concepts and translating high-level safety requirements into concrete technical specifications.