Senior Systems & Safety Engineer – Drive-by-WireSanta Clara, CAAbout the role The Drive-by-Wire (DbW) system is the critical execution boundary where software decisions meet physical vehicle dynamics. As the Senior Systems & Safety Engineer for Drive-by-Wire, you will be responsible for the safety design, hazard mitigation, and functional safety integration of steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, throttle, shift-by-wire, and auxiliary chassis actuation on Gatik's autonomous trucks. You will work closely with vehicle OEMs, DbW suppliers, and internal controls engineers to guarantee fail-operational motion control and ASIL D safety guarantees. This role is onsite 5 days a week at our Santa Clara, CA office!
Key Responsibilities:
DbW Safety Architecture: Define the functional safety architecture for redundant steering, braking, and propulsion control systems integrated into Gatik's vehicle platforms.
OEM & Actuation Integration: Collaborate with commercial vehicle OEMs and Tier-1 DbW providers to evaluate DbW interfaces, safety manuals, and functional safety compliance (ISO 26262).Fault Reaction & Degraded Modes: Establish actuation fault management strategies, including fallback transition times, emergency stop execution, dynamic authority limits, and minimum risk maneuvers (MRM).System Analysis & Diagnostics: Perform detailed HARA, FMEA, and FTA analyses on physical actuation channels and interface protocols.
Safety Requirements Traceability: Author top-level vehicle safety requirements for motion control interfaces and trace them to DbW controller firmware, CAN signals, and safety monitors.
On-Vehicle Validation Support: Partner with testing teams to design physical fault-injection campaigns on test tracks to confirm actuation fallbacks under high-speed and heavy-payload conditions.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or Automotive Engineering.
Experience:
6+ years in vehicle chassis systems, drive-by-wire actuation, or automotive vehicle safety, with extensive ASIL D development experience. Domain Mastery: Proficient in vehicle dynamic modeling, brake/steering topologies (e.g., dual-motor steering, primary/secondary electronic brake boosters).In-depth understanding of automotive communication protocols: CAN, CAN-FD, FlexRay, and Automotive Ethernet. Direct mastery of ISO 26262 ASIL D safety standards and FMVSS regulations. Tooling: Proficient with CAN analysis tools (Vector CANoe, CANalyzer), MATLAB/Simulink, and signal analysis software.
Preferred Qualifications:
Hands-on experience developing or integrating redundant DbW systems on commercial trucks. Experience with functional safety certification of chassis hardware/software according to ISO 26262.Expertise in vehicle stability control (ESC), ABS, and automated emergency braking (AEB) functional integration.
Salary Range: $160,000- $240,000
