Staff Safety Engineer

At Serve Robotics, we’re reimagining how things move in cities. Our personable sidewalk robot is our vision for the future. It’s designed to take deliveries away from congested streets, make deliveries available to more people, and benefit local businesses. The Serve fleet has been delighting merchants, customers, and pedestrians along the way in Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago while doing commercial deliveries. We’re looking for talented individuals who will grow robotic deliveries from surprising novelty to efficient ubiquity. Who We Are We are tech industry veterans in software, hardware, and design who are pooling our skills to build the future we want to live in. We are solving real-world problems leveraging robotics, machine learning and computer vision, among other disciplines, with a mindful eye towards the end-to-end user experience. Our team is agile, diverse, and driven. We believe that the best way to solve complicated dynamic problems is collaboratively and respectfully. JOB OVERVIEW The Staff Safety Engineer is responsible for supporting Serve’s safety program and the functions of our Safety Management System (SMS). This role will work cross functionally to support implementation and continuous improvement of our emergency response processes, safety reporting, safety risk management, and safety assurance. This role also plays a critical part in promoting a strong safety culture by driving clear communication, reinforcing safe behaviors, and ensuring that safety principles are consistently understood and applied across the organization. JOB DUTIES Support the evolution of Serve’s Safety Management System (SMS), ensuring alignment across SRM, SA, Safety Promotion, and Safety Policy. Drive hazard identification and risk assessments, ensuring safety risks are systematically identified, controlled, and accepted in accordance with defined thresholds. Continuously improve emergency response processes, including table top exercises, real-world event management, and post-incident learnings. Lead cross-functional incident investigations and root cause analyses (RCA), ensuring timely identification of causal factors and implementation of effective corrective actions. Support and monitor safety performance metrics, including leading indicators, to proactively identify risk trends and inform operational and engineering decisions. Support safety assurance activities, including validation, verification, and auditing of safety-critical systems and processes. Support safety promotion initiatives, including communication, training, and engagement efforts that reinforce safe behaviors and strengthen a positive safety culture. Contribute to continuous improvement of safety processes and documentation, ensuring scalability, clarity, and alignment with industry best practices. EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, & SKILLS Required Experience, Qualifications, and Skills Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) degree in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, safety, or related discipline) 12+ years experience in engineering and/or safety management 5+ years experience in transportation or mobility sector 3+ years experience in a safety leadership or program ownership role 3+ years experience with autonomous vehicles Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional safety initiatives and drive outcomes Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex topics to diverse audiences High level of emotional intelligence, with the ability to influence and collaborate across teams Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills Proven ability to lead effectively during emergency situations and make sound, timely decisions under pressure Preferred Experience, Qualifications, and Skills Experience at high-growth, fast-paced startup environments Passion for building, scaling, and documenting safety processes and systems Experience operating within regulated industries or engaging with regulatory bodies Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems using a first principles approach Additional Information Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as part of on-call rotation