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Functional Safety Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Work with cross functional teams and hardware design engineers to implement hardware safety requirements. * Work with various functional safety analysis methods (FTA, FMEDA) supporting hardware ...

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Staff Functional Safety Engineer

Carson, CA · On-site

$171.10 - $232.50/hr

Role Summary As a Hardware Functional Safety Engineer working in the Electric Power Conversion group, you will be responsible for performing functional safety development of internally designed power ...

Staff Functional Safety Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$171.10 - $232.50/hr

Role Summary As a Hardware Functional Safety Engineer working in the Electric Power Conversion group, you will be responsible for performing functional safety development of internally designed power ...

Role Summary As a Hardware Functional Safety Engineer working in the Electric Power Conversion group, you will be responsible for performing functional safety development of internally designed power ...

Role Summary As a Hardware Functional Safety Engineer working in the Electric Power Conversion group, you will be responsible for performing functional safety development of internally designed power ...

Role Summary As a Hardware Functional Safety Engineer working in the Electric Power Conversion group, you will be responsible for performing functional safety development of internally designed power ...

Role Summary As a Software Functional Safety Engineer, you will be responsible for performing functional safety and low-level drivers, base and application software safety development for power ...

Role Summary As a Software Functional Safety Engineer, you will be responsible for performing functional safety and low-level drivers, base and application software safety development for power ...

Responsibilities 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 ...

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Functional Safety Engineer information

See California salary details

$71.5K

$115.5K

$190K

How much do functional safety engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for functional safety engineer in California is $115,530.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $98,412.00 and $130,237.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a functional safety engineer?

A Functional Safety Engineer is responsible for ensuring that products and systems comply with safety standards to prevent hazards, particularly in industries like automotive, aerospace, and industrial automation. They analyze risks, define safety requirements, and oversee implementation to meet functional safety standards such as ISO 26262 or IEC 61508. Their role includes performing hazard analysis, failure mode analysis, and verification of safety mechanisms. They often collaborate with design, software, and testing teams to ensure compliance.

What does a functional safety engineer do?

A typical day for a Functional Safety Engineer involves conducting safety analyses, such as FMEA and hazard identification, creating or reviewing safety documentation, and collaborating closely with design, hardware, and software engineering teams to ensure compliance with safety standards. You may participate in project meetings, support verification and validation activities, and interface with customers or regulatory bodies on safety matters. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the role, effective communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders is essential. Balancing technical detail with regulatory guidelines is a common and rewarding challenge you can expect in this position.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a functional safety engineer?

To thrive as a Functional Safety Engineer, you need strong analytical skills in risk assessment, a solid engineering background (typically in electrical, electronic, or automotive engineering), and familiarity with relevant safety standards. Expertise in tools like ISO 26262, FMEA, FMEDA, and industry certifications such as TÜV Functional Safety are commonly required. Excellent problem-solving ability, clear communication, and teamwork skills distinguish top performers in this field. These competencies ensure that critical systems meet safety requirements, regulatory standards, and facilitate effective cross-functional collaboration.

Is a functional safety engineer in high demand?

Yes, functional safety engineers are in high demand across industries such as automotive, manufacturing, and industrial automation due to increasing safety standards and the need for compliance with regulations like ISO 26262 and IEC 61508. Their expertise in risk assessment, safety lifecycle management, and safety-critical system design makes them valuable in ensuring product safety and regulatory adherence.

What are the most commonly searched types of Functional Safety Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Functional Safety Engineer jobs in California are:

What job categories do people searching Functional Safety Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Functional Safety Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Functional Safety Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Functional Safety Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Functional Safety Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,530 per year, or $55.5 per hour.

Sr. Functional Safety Engineer

System Safety

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Other

Medical, Retirement

Posted 2 days ago

New


Job description

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

Join a motivating team of experts developing Electric Vehicle technology through innovative zonal architecture development. As a key contributor, you\'ll play a vital role in designing and implementing Electronic Control Units (ECUs) that balance safety & performance. Your expertise will be instrumental in ensuring the development of robust, fail-safe hardware systems that set new industry standards for reliability and performance.

Responsibilities
  • Design and implementation of technical safety requirements at the hardware level.

  • Work with cross functional teams and hardware design engineers to implement hardware safety requirements.

  • Work with various functional safety analysis methods (FTA, FMEDA) supporting hardware architectural design.

  • Apply essential experience in functional safety to derive Safety requirements, technical safety concepts, FMEDA (Failure Mode Effects & Diagnostic Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis), DFA (Dependent Failure Analysis) and PMHF (Probability Metric for Hardware Failure) to meet functional safety requirements.

  • Support the Reliability organization in deriving FIT rates for hardware components.

  • Develop verification and validation methods to support testing of hardware safety requirements.

  • Write test procedures and support testing of hardware sub-systems.

  • Document all relevant safety requirements, analysis, architecture implementation, verification, and validation events for each sub-system.

Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent engineering degree.

  • Have 3-5+ years of relevant experience with functional safety design in automotive, industrial or aerospace.

  • Develop Systems based on ISO 26262:2018 Part 5 and ISO 26262:2018 Part 11 or IEC 61508 Part 1, 2 & 3.

  • Handling advanced electronics design and analyzing advanced electrical circuits.

  • Use of deductive and inductive failure analysis tools including FTA and FMEDA.

  • Handling advanced electronics design and analyzing advanced electrical circuits.

  • Working within a cross-functional teams- hardware, software, mechanical, manufacturing, and proven record of working on multiple projects involving safety engineering.

  • Applying knowledge of advanced electrical systems and tools to meet functional safety requirements.

  • Driving functional safety design processes across the organization to meet regulatory requirements.

Total Rewards

We build the exceptional — and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.

Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.

In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees — including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs.

External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site. If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies” may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes ("Candidate Personal Data"). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) record keeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment-related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.

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