Staff Software Safety Engineer - Defense

Position Overview

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement, focused on protecting front-line soldiers and supporting civilian workers in critical industrial environments. We are among the earliest innovators in driverless technology and the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense.

In this role as a Safety Software Engineer, you will support the development of safety-critical software for defense and autonomous vehicle systems. You will spearhead the application of structured safety processes to ensure that unmanned and autonomous ground platforms comply with rigorous defense and automotive safety standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of safety-critical software standards across defense and autonomous vehicle programs.
• Develop and refine safety concepts for ground vehicle systems, including architecture, redundancy mechanisms, fault management, and verification activities.
• Conduct comprehensive safety analyses such as FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FHA, FTA, and DFA.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on validation and verification plans for unmanned and autonomous ground vehicles.
• Support software integration and qualification testing to ensure all safety requirements are met, and mentor engineers on best practices.
• Continuously monitor evolving defense and autonomy standards to drive process improvements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (Master's preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in safety-critical software development for defense or autonomous vehicle systems.
• Experience with safety standards such as DO-178C, MIL-STD-882E, IEC 61508, or ISO 26262.
• Familiarity with coding standards like MISRA or SPARK Ada.
• Proven expertise in safety analysis techniques (FMEA, FHA, FTA) and using requirements management tools (DOORS, Polarion, Jama) along with issue tracking systems (JIRA).
• Strong analytical skills in reliability, probability, and system safety modeling.
• Experience with software verification and validation for autonomous platforms, real-time operating systems, or secure embedded systems.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Fluency in safety-relevant programming languages (C, C++, Ada) and familiarity with structured development methods (Agile, V-Model, MIL-STD/DoD processes).

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications such as CSP, CRE, or Functional Safety Expert (FuSa/ISO 26262).
• Knowledge of autonomous vehicle perception, prediction, and control safety challenges.
• Understanding of secure-by-design principles and cyber-safety in defense and ground vehicle systems.
• Direct experience in unmanned or autonomous ground vehicles for defense applications.

Benefits & Perks

• Compensation: $175,000 - $210,000 USD per year
• Premium Healthcare Benefits with multiple plan options and Forterra covering 80% of the premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D and short/long-term disability insurance plans fully covered by Forterra, with an option to purchase additional coverage.
• A generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) with 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• An annual $9k tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators to keep you refreshed.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match up to 4%, including traditional, Roth, and after-tax deferral options.