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Functional Safety Assessor Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Functional Safety Manager

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

Plus is looking for a functional safety manager specializing in vehicle embedded control software ... Conduct Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment (HARA) reviews of autonomous systems/features. * Conduct ...

Plus is looking for a functional safety manager specializing in vehicle embedded control software ... Conduct Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment (HARA) reviews of autonomous systems/features. * Conduct ...

The Defense Functional Safety Senior Engineer will assess controls and software and provide various monitors and barriers that ensure functionally safe operation of the platform. Essential Duties and ...

Collaborate with Hardware, System, and Software teams on safety analyses, including risk assessment ... Define functional safety requirements for robotic systems, subsystems, and components, specifying ...

Collaborate with Hardware, System, and Software teams on safety analyses, including risk assessment ... Define functional safety requirements for robotic systems, subsystems, and components, specifying ...

Lead end-to-end Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment (HARA) to derive Safety Goals, ASIL targets, and ... Cross-Functional & Supplier Engagement * Collaborate with Systems, Software, Hardware, Test ...

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Functional Safety Assessor information

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How much do functional safety assessor jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for functional safety assessor in the United States is $30.54, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.71 and $32.45 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Functional Safety Assessor?

A Functional Safety Assessor is a professional responsible for evaluating and verifying that safety-related systems in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing meet relevant safety standards and regulations. Their main role is to conduct independent assessments of processes, designs, and documentation to ensure compliance with functional safety standards like ISO 26262 or IEC 61508. Functional Safety Assessors help identify potential safety risks and recommend improvements to ensure that systems operate safely under all intended conditions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Functional Safety Assessor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Functional Safety Assessor, you need deep knowledge of safety standards (such as ISO 26262 or IEC 61508), risk assessment, and engineering principles, usually supported by an engineering degree and relevant experience. Familiarity with safety analysis tools (like FMEA, FTA), safety lifecycle management software, and certifications such as TÜV Functional Safety Engineer are typically required. Analytical thinking, attention to detail, and strong communication skills help assess risks thoroughly and collaborate with cross-functional teams. These competencies ensure accurate safety evaluations and regulatory compliance, ultimately protecting users and businesses from critical failures.

What are the typical challenges a Functional Safety Assessor faces when working with cross-functional engineering teams?

A Functional Safety Assessor often encounters challenges related to aligning safety requirements across diverse engineering disciplines, such as hardware, software, and systems engineering. Ensuring consistent interpretation and implementation of safety standards (like ISO 26262) can be complex, especially in large or international teams. Effective communication is crucial for resolving discrepancies and ensuring that all stakeholders understand the rationale behind safety assessments. Collaborating with teams to achieve compliance while balancing project timelines and technical constraints is a key part of the role.

What is the difference between Functional Safety Assessor vs Safety Engineer?

AspectFunctional Safety AssessorSafety Engineer
CertificationsISO 26262, IEC 61508, TÜV certificationsISO 26262, IEC 61508, OSHA certifications
Work EnvironmentAuditing, compliance assessments, safety reviewsDesign, risk analysis, safety system development
Industry UsageAutomotive, industrial, machinery sectorsAutomotive, manufacturing, process industries

While both roles focus on safety, the Functional Safety Assessor primarily evaluates and certifies safety compliance, whereas the Safety Engineer designs and implements safety systems. The assessor reviews safety processes and ensures standards are met, while the engineer develops safety solutions. Both roles require similar certifications and often work within the same industries, but their core responsibilities differ in focus and activities.

Infographic showing various Functional Safety Assessor job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Nights. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $63,513 per year, or $30.5 per hour.
Staff Functional Safety Engineer

Staff Functional Safety Engineer

Ford Motor Company

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

$146K - $276K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, PTO

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we're all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?


Ford's Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company's vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You'll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.

In this position...
As a Staff Functional Safety Engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring the safety of complex electronic control features. You will lead the end-to-end safety lifecycle from initial concept through production, ensuring full compliance with ISO 26262. This role requires a unique blend of deep hardware-level analytical rigor, system-level architectural thinking, and the leadership presence to drive a robust safety culture across cross-functional engineering teams. You will be responsible for defining the safety architecture, steering technical design decisions, and ensuring program readiness through rigorous quantitative risk assessment and the implementation of advanced fail-operational strategies.

You'll have...

Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physical Sciences, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

Minimum of 4+ years of functional safety engineering experience in safety-critical systems within the automotive, aerospace, or industrial sectors.
Deep expertise in the application and assessment of ISO 26262:2018 and familiarity with ISO 21448 (SOTIF).
Extensive experience leading and performing complex safety analyses (HARA, FMEA, FTA, DFA, STPA) for autonomous or highly complex E/E systems.
Strong understanding of failure mode analysis for complex electrical designs, ASICs, and advanced electrical circuits.
Demonstrated technical project management skills with the ability to manage multiple parallel, cross-functional safety-critical projects.
Deep understanding of embedded control system development, embedded software, and verification and validation (V&V) processes.
Background in data science and statistics with a focus on analyzing performance for quantitative risk reduction and safety assessment.
Proven leadership experience working with external partners, suppliers, and regulatory bodies or auditors.
Excellent communication skills with a track record of leading technical meetings with leadership teams and providing mentorship to engineering peers.
 


You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder...or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
Tuition assistance
Established and active employee resource groups
Paid time off for individual and team community service
A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day
Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.


This position is a leadership level 6 and ranges from $146,520-276,600.


For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6 

Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid #LI-BB1 #UEV

What you'll do...

Lead and execute end-to-end functional safety analyses, including HARA, FMEA, and FTA, to identify potential hazards and quantitatively assess safety risks across the autonomous system.
Define and manage the comprehensive set of functional safety requirements and safety concepts that govern system architecture and design choices.
Lead the development and assessment of full safety cases for ASIL A- D products, managing the lifecycle from initial concept to production.
Collaborate with system and hardware design engineers to develop and document hardware-level functional safety requirements and decompose module-level requirements into ECU-level requirements.
Derive and verify technical safety concepts and hardware metrics, including PMHF (Probability Metric for Hardware Failure), SPFM, and LFM, to meet ISO 26262 Part 5 and Part 11 requirements.
Oversee and optimize the program safety readiness process and metrics.
Serve as a core safety expert in cross-functional design reviews and technical discussions, ensuring safety goals are met effectively throughout the development lifecycle.
Champion and promote a robust safety culture and the continuous improvement of the safety program across the engineering organization.
Identify and provide training, coaching, and mentoring to peers and junior engineers to establish technical best practices.


Ford logo

About Ford

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Ford Motor Company, we believe freedom of movement drives human progress. With our incredible plans for the future of mobility, we have a wide variety of opportunities for you to accelerate your career and help us define tomorrow's transportation.

Industry

Civil engineering construction

Company size

51 - 200 Employees

Headquarters location

Doral, FL, US

Year founded

1982