Ring Inc
Director of Safety Engineering, Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Ring Inc, Irvine, California, United States, 92713
Field AI builds autonomous robotic systems designed to operate in
complex, unstructured, and safety‑critical real‑world environments . Our robots work alongside humans in outdoor settings where uncertainty, scale, and operational risk are fundamental challenges. Safety is a core product capability at Field AI. As our systems transition from advanced R&D into scaled field deployment, we are seeking a
Director of Robotics Product Safety
to define and lead the company’s product safety vision, strategy, and execution.
As
Director of Robotics Product Safety , you will own Field AI’s end‑to‑end product safety function. You will set the safety strategy for autonomous robotic systems, establish scalable safety processes, and serve as the executive‑level authority on product safety across the organization. This role combines
deep technical judgment, systems safety leadership, and cross‑functional influence . You will work closely with executive leadership, engineering, operations, and external stakeholders to ensure Field AI’s robots are safe, deployable, and trusted in the field.
What You'll Get To Do: Safety Strategy & Leadership
Define and own Field AI’s
product safety vision, strategy, and roadmap
Establish company‑wide
safety principles, policies, and governance
for robotic systems
Act as the executive point of contact for product safety decisions and risk acceptance
Balance innovation speed with rigorous, risk‑based safety practices
System, Autonomy & AI Safety Oversight
Provide technical leadership on
system‑level safety
for autonomous robotic platforms
Guide safety approaches for:
Autonomous navigation, perception, and planning
Human–robot interaction in field environments
Fault tolerance, degraded modes, and fail‑safe behaviors
Oversee safety treatment of
AI/ML‑driven components , including uncertainty and edge cases
Review and approve safety architectures, concepts, and safety cases
Cross‑Functional & Executive Collaboration
Partner with leaders across:
Autonomy, perception, software, hardware, and systems engineering
Field operations, deployment, and customer programs
Influence product architecture and roadmap decisions through a safety lens
Provide clear, actionable guidance to executives on safety risks, tradeoffs, and mitigations
Standards, Compliance & External Engagement
Own Field AI’s approach to
safety standards, regulatory alignment, and compliance
Guide interpretation and application of relevant standards (e.g., ISO 12100, IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 10218)
Lead engagements with customers, partners, regulators, and third‑party assessors
Ensure safety arguments are credible, defensible, and scalable across products
Team Building & Organizational Scale
Build, lead, and mentor a
high‑impact product safety team
Define roles, responsibilities, and career growth paths for safety engineers
Establish scalable safety processes that integrate naturally with engineering workflows
Champion a strong
safety culture
without slowing execution
Field Risk & Incident Management
Provide executive oversight for:
Field deployment risk assessments
Incident response, investigations, and corrective actions
Define thresholds for risk acceptance and deployment readiness
Ensure lessons learned from the field are systematically fed back into product design
What You Have:
Bachelor’s degree in
Robotics, Systems Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering , or equivalent experience
10+ years of experience in
robotics, autonomous systems, product safety, or functional safety
Proven experience leading
system‑level safety
for complex electromechanical and software‑driven products
Track record of influencing architecture and product decisions at a senior level
Deep understanding of
real‑world robotics deployment risks
Leadership Attributes
Strategic thinker with strong technical judgment
Able to make and defend difficult safety decisions under uncertainty
Credible with both executives and hands‑on engineers
Pragmatic, risk‑based, and outcome‑focused
Passionate about deploying safe autonomy in the real world
What Will Set You Apart
Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field
Experience with
autonomous mobile robots, outdoor robotics, or defense‑adjacent systems
Functional Safety certification (e.g., TÜV Functional Safety Engineer)
Experience interfacing with regulators, customers, and safety assessors
Background in AI/ML‑enabled systems and autonomy safety
$70,000 - $300,000 a year
Our salary range is generous and we take into consideration an individual's background and experience in determining final salary; base pay offered may vary considerably depending on geographic location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Why Join Field AI? We are solving one of the world’s most complex challenges: deploying robots in unstructured, previously unknown environments. Our Field Foundational Models set a new standard in perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, ensuring our approach is explainable and safe for deployment.
You will have the opportunity to work with a world‑class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. With a decade‑long track record of deploying solutions in the field, winning DARPA challenge segments, and bringing expertise from organizations like DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise Self‑Driving, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, we are set to achieve our ambitious goals.
Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution
To tackle such ambitious challenges, we need a team as unique as our vision — innovators who go beyond conventional methods and are eager to tackle tough, uncharted questions. We’re seeking individuals who challenge the status quo, dive into uncharted territory, and bring interdisciplinary expertise. Our team requires not only top AI talent but also exceptional software developers, engineers, product designers, field deployment experts, and communicators.
We are headquartered in always‑sunny Irvine in Southern California and have US based and global teammates.
Join us, shape the future, and be part of a fun, close‑knit team on an exciting journey!
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
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complex, unstructured, and safety‑critical real‑world environments . Our robots work alongside humans in outdoor settings where uncertainty, scale, and operational risk are fundamental challenges. Safety is a core product capability at Field AI. As our systems transition from advanced R&D into scaled field deployment, we are seeking a
Director of Robotics Product Safety
to define and lead the company’s product safety vision, strategy, and execution.
As
Director of Robotics Product Safety , you will own Field AI’s end‑to‑end product safety function. You will set the safety strategy for autonomous robotic systems, establish scalable safety processes, and serve as the executive‑level authority on product safety across the organization. This role combines
deep technical judgment, systems safety leadership, and cross‑functional influence . You will work closely with executive leadership, engineering, operations, and external stakeholders to ensure Field AI’s robots are safe, deployable, and trusted in the field.
What You'll Get To Do: Safety Strategy & Leadership
Define and own Field AI’s
product safety vision, strategy, and roadmap
Establish company‑wide
safety principles, policies, and governance
for robotic systems
Act as the executive point of contact for product safety decisions and risk acceptance
Balance innovation speed with rigorous, risk‑based safety practices
System, Autonomy & AI Safety Oversight
Provide technical leadership on
system‑level safety
for autonomous robotic platforms
Guide safety approaches for:
Autonomous navigation, perception, and planning
Human–robot interaction in field environments
Fault tolerance, degraded modes, and fail‑safe behaviors
Oversee safety treatment of
AI/ML‑driven components , including uncertainty and edge cases
Review and approve safety architectures, concepts, and safety cases
Cross‑Functional & Executive Collaboration
Partner with leaders across:
Autonomy, perception, software, hardware, and systems engineering
Field operations, deployment, and customer programs
Influence product architecture and roadmap decisions through a safety lens
Provide clear, actionable guidance to executives on safety risks, tradeoffs, and mitigations
Standards, Compliance & External Engagement
Own Field AI’s approach to
safety standards, regulatory alignment, and compliance
Guide interpretation and application of relevant standards (e.g., ISO 12100, IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 10218)
Lead engagements with customers, partners, regulators, and third‑party assessors
Ensure safety arguments are credible, defensible, and scalable across products
Team Building & Organizational Scale
Build, lead, and mentor a
high‑impact product safety team
Define roles, responsibilities, and career growth paths for safety engineers
Establish scalable safety processes that integrate naturally with engineering workflows
Champion a strong
safety culture
without slowing execution
Field Risk & Incident Management
Provide executive oversight for:
Field deployment risk assessments
Incident response, investigations, and corrective actions
Define thresholds for risk acceptance and deployment readiness
Ensure lessons learned from the field are systematically fed back into product design
What You Have:
Bachelor’s degree in
Robotics, Systems Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering , or equivalent experience
10+ years of experience in
robotics, autonomous systems, product safety, or functional safety
Proven experience leading
system‑level safety
for complex electromechanical and software‑driven products
Track record of influencing architecture and product decisions at a senior level
Deep understanding of
real‑world robotics deployment risks
Leadership Attributes
Strategic thinker with strong technical judgment
Able to make and defend difficult safety decisions under uncertainty
Credible with both executives and hands‑on engineers
Pragmatic, risk‑based, and outcome‑focused
Passionate about deploying safe autonomy in the real world
What Will Set You Apart
Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field
Experience with
autonomous mobile robots, outdoor robotics, or defense‑adjacent systems
Functional Safety certification (e.g., TÜV Functional Safety Engineer)
Experience interfacing with regulators, customers, and safety assessors
Background in AI/ML‑enabled systems and autonomy safety
$70,000 - $300,000 a year
Our salary range is generous and we take into consideration an individual's background and experience in determining final salary; base pay offered may vary considerably depending on geographic location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Why Join Field AI? We are solving one of the world’s most complex challenges: deploying robots in unstructured, previously unknown environments. Our Field Foundational Models set a new standard in perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, ensuring our approach is explainable and safe for deployment.
You will have the opportunity to work with a world‑class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. With a decade‑long track record of deploying solutions in the field, winning DARPA challenge segments, and bringing expertise from organizations like DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise Self‑Driving, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, we are set to achieve our ambitious goals.
Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution
To tackle such ambitious challenges, we need a team as unique as our vision — innovators who go beyond conventional methods and are eager to tackle tough, uncharted questions. We’re seeking individuals who challenge the status quo, dive into uncharted territory, and bring interdisciplinary expertise. Our team requires not only top AI talent but also exceptional software developers, engineers, product designers, field deployment experts, and communicators.
We are headquartered in always‑sunny Irvine in Southern California and have US based and global teammates.
Join us, shape the future, and be part of a fun, close‑knit team on an exciting journey!
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
#J-18808-Ljbffr