Systems Safety Engineer

Job Title: Systems Safety Engineer

Job Description

This hands-on Systems Safety Engineer role focuses on driving functional safety for complex robotic construction systems from concept through certification. You will own system-level safety activities, including hazard analysis, functional safety requirements, safety feature development, risk documentation, and certification readiness, while working closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, robotics, computer vision, and software teams in a fast-paced, startup-style environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead functional and system safety activities for complex robotic, electromechanical, and construction-related equipment.
• Develop and maintain hazard analyses, risk assessments, and system safety documentation from the ground up.
• Translate identified hazards into clear system, subsystem, and component-level safety requirements.
• Support the transition from initial hazard analysis into the development and implementation of specific safety features.
• Collaborate with controls, robotics, mechanical, electrical, computer vision, and software teams to integrate safety into product design.
• Develop safety functions that use sensors, controls, machine awareness, or computer vision to detect people and environmental hazards.
• Define and implement appropriate machine responses, including controlled stops, reduced-speed operation, interlocks, and other risk-reduction measures.
• Apply functional safety standards such as ISO standards and relevant transferable standards, including IEC standards.
• Support OSHA compliance and other applicable machinery and workplace safety requirements.
• Partner with external certification consultants to advance products toward NRTL, UL, and other applicable certifications.
• Review mechanical and electrical drawings and provide practical recommendations for safety-related design changes.
• Oversee the implementation and verification of safety improvements, not just documentation or flagging potential concerns.
• Communicate safety risks, requirements, and recommended solutions clearly across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Take ownership of safety initiatives and independently drive work forward in a fast-paced product-development environment.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Controls Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• At least three years of experience in functional safety, machine safety, system safety, or product safety engineering.
• Hands-on experience implementing safety requirements or safety features within complex machinery, robotics, automation, or electromechanical products.
• Experience developing hazard analyses and risk-assessment documentation from scratch.
• Working knowledge of ISO functional safety standards or comparable standards such as IEC functional safety standards.
• Experience supporting OSHA safety compliance and applying applicable machinery-safety requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to move from hazard identification through solution development, implementation, and verification.
• Ability to understand mechanical and electrical systems and interpret engineering drawings.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams, including mechanical, electrical, controls, software, and robotics engineers.
• Strong initiative, accountability, and the ability to independently identify and close knowledge gaps.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Safety, hazard analysis, engineering, machine safety, machine guards, and safety controls.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Controls, robotics, or automation engineering with strong familiarity with mechanical systems.
• Experience supporting NRTL or UL product certification processes.
• Experience working directly with certification laboratories or third-party certification consultants.
• Experience developing safety functions involving sensors, controls, machine perception, or computer vision.
• Familiarity with safety-rated controls, interlocks, emergency stops, guarding systems, presence detection, and controlled machine-stop functions.
• Experience with complex mobile, autonomous, industrial, or construction-related robotic equipment.
• Familiarity with SolidWorks, AutoCAD Electrical, or SolidWorks Electrical.
• Experience working in a startup, rapid product-development, or similarly fast-moving engineering environment.

Work Environment

This is an onsite role with a standard schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with flexibility to work overtime as needed to support product development and safety initiatives. You will work in a collaborative, fun startup environment with a strong engineering culture and close interaction across robotics, controls, mechanical, electrical, software, and computer vision teams. The company offers a supportive and growth-oriented culture where you can contribute in the earlier phases of a growing organization. Paid time off includes a winter shutdown week from December 26 to December 31, supported by billable PTO, along with 10 paid holidays throughout the year, including New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Election Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and the winter break period.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Austin, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $69.23/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Austin, TX.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 16, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Austin,TX.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.