Senior/Staff Systems Engineer, Perception System Verification and Validation

Zoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous mobility solution for cities and safely deploy such a robotaxi solution. Zoox's System Design and Mission Assurance (SDMA) team is responsible for constructing the safety case and validating that our vehicles are safe enough to be deployed for autonomous driving. We play a foundational role for the success of the company.

We are seeking an experienced systems verification and validation engineer to lead the creation of cutting edge V&V methodologies for measuring the system level performance of the Perception stack and its impact on downstream components. You will be leading a small team of engineers, executing tried and true perception verification methods while also pushing the envelope on novel ML and simulation based test approaches. Zoox will invent new methods as we scale to new environmental conditions and leverage sensor hardware improvements.

You will be part of an organization with strong leadership and a transparent, respectful culture that enables you to reach your full potential. This highly visible position offers opportunities for career growth through demonstrated achievement.

In this role, you will:

• Measure the safety performance of the driving software perception algorithms, and their impact on the resulting behavior across nominal conditions, adverse weather conditions, and corner case scenarios.
• Leverage fleet data, structured test track evaluations, log replay simulations, and novel synthetic simulations to produce an argument for the Zoox Safety Case.
• Develop new methodologies to improve test coverage, robustness, and scale
• Manage a small team of systems verification engineers
• Collaborate cross-functionally with hardware, perception, simulation, compute infrastructure, and operations teams to execute test campaigns, develop new processes, and troubleshoot mission critical findings
• Perform test data analysis and report test results. Maintain traceability between requirements, test cases, and results. Define and develop automated data extraction tools to streamline analysis and reporting.

Qualifications

• B.S. or higher degree in Automotive Engineering, Aerospace, Robotics, Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a relevant field
• Experience managing small teams of direct reports
• 7+ years of industry experience working on complex systems (hardware and software) that feature perceptive components (cameras, radar, LIDAR, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience with integration and verification testing of ML components (classifiers, detectors, regression models, encoder/decoders, etc.)
• Proficiency in basic statistics and probability
• Experience with test scripting and data analysis languages (Python and SQL preferred)
• Ability to manage ambiguity and drive progress independently
• Strong communication skills and ability to work well with cross-functional teams

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with Linux Systems
• Experience in the Autonomous Vehicle Domain
• Experience with applying machine learning techniques or other novel approaches to test campaigns to augment the scale and coverage of more traditional test methodologies.
• Experience working on the assurance of safety-critical systems

CompensationThere are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. The salary range for this position is $189,000 to $273,000. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position. Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.

About ZooxZoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.
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AccommodationsIf you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to accommodations@zoox.com or your assigned recruiter.
A Final Note:You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.