Functional Safety Engineer

Job description

Lead and execute independent Functional Safety Assessments and Confirmation Reviews for high-criticality features and platform architectures (ASIL C/D). Evaluate key safety work products, including Hazard Analyses and Risk Assessments (HARA), Functional and Technical Safety Concepts, Safety Analysis Reports, and Safety Cases. Review supplier safety deliverables and interface agreements to ensure smooth, compliant integration of third-party software and hardware.

Audit safety requirements traceability and verification activities across systems engineering databases, ensuring readiness ahead of key vehicle milestones. Present findings and recommendations to technical governance boards and program leadership, driving alignment and continuous improvement across the safety lifecycle. Apply Python and automation to enhance safety metric reporting, analysis, and assessment tracking.

Responsibilities

Functional Safety Assessments & Confirmation Reviews

Lead and execute formal Functional Safety Assessments (FFSD10) and Confirmation Reviews for high-criticality features and platform architectures (ASIL C and D). Evaluate safety compliance for key work products including Item Definitions (FFSD01.10), Impact Analyses (FFSD01.2), HARAs (FFSD02), FSCs (FFSD03), SRSs (FFSD04), Safety Analysis Reports (FFSD06), and Supplier Safety Assessment Reports (FFSD07). Maintain strict assessor independence as defined in ISO 26262 Part 2.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Governance

Collaborate extensively across cross-functional teams including Application FuSA Engineers (AFSE), Core FuSA Engineers, Feature Systems Engineers, Platform Architecture Teams, D&R Engineers, SW/HW Teams, and Validation Engineers. Present assessment findings, non-conformances, and safety recommendations to the Functional Safety Technical Governance Board and program leadership to drive program alignment.

Safety Analysis & Technical Review

Perform rigorous technical audits and reviews of safety analyses (FMEA, FMEDA, FTA) and MBSE safety models (MagicDraw). Evaluate safety goal derivations, ASIL allocations, safe state strategies, fault tolerant time intervals (FTTI), and freedom-from-interference arguments across logical and physical architectures.

Supplier Safety & Interface Management

Assess supplier safety deliverables and Development Interface Agreements (DIAs) to ensure seamless integration of third-party software and hardware components. Review Supplier Safety Assessment Reports (FFSD07) and verify alignment with Ford’s Functional Safety Statement-of-Work (FS-SOW) requirements.

Requirements

Traceability & Verification: Evaluate safety requirement cascading and traceability across feature, system, and component levels within systems engineering databases (Jama, VSEM). Audit safety Verification & Validation (V&V) plans and test result reports (FFSD08) to ensure all functional safety requirements are robustly verified prior to vehicle milestones and GPDS chief sign-offs.

Continuous Improvement & Workflow Automation

Identify process gaps in safety lifecycle workflows and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Leverage automation tools and scripting (e.g., Python) to streamline safety metric reporting, FMEDA analysis, data extraction, and assessment tracking across global vehicle platforms.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience. 3+ years of experience applying ISO 26262 in automotive functional safety, including development or assessment of HARA, Functional/Technical Safety Concepts, and Safety Cases for ASIL B/C/D systems. 3+ years of experience with automotive E/E architecture, vehicle networking (CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, Ethernet), and embedded software/hardware systems.

Proven experience collaborating across technical teams, facilitating reviews, and communicating safety requirements clearly to diverse stakeholders. 2+ years conducting or evaluating safety analyses such as FMEA, FMEDA, FTA, HAZOP, or Dependent Failures Analysis. 2+ years managing project timelines, tracking deliverables against program milestones, and reporting to governance boards. 1+ year of experience with Python or similar scripting/programming languages for automation and data analysis.

Even better, you may have A Master's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Software Engineering. A Functional Safety certification (CFSP, CFSE, TÜV, or equivalent ISO 26262 assessor credential). Experience with MBSE tools (MagicDraw/Cameo), requirements management systems (Jama, DOORS), or lifecycle repositories. Familiarity with automotive quality standards (APQP, PPAP, DFMEA) or cybersecurity standards (ISO 21434).

Knowledge of AI/ML fundamentals applied to safety analysis and compliance automation. #LI-DR1