Staff Software Safety Engineer — Defense

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the Role

Forterra is seeking an experienced Safety Software Engineer to join our team and support the development of safety-critical software for defense and autonomous vehicle systems. This role will spearhead efforts in ensuring that software for unmanned and autonomous ground platforms meets rigorous defense and automotive safety standards.

You will play a key role in applying structured safety processes to software-intensive systems, ensuring compliance with both military and autonomy-related standards.

What You'll Do

• Lead the implementation of safety-critical software standards across defense and autonomous vehicle programs
• Develop and refine safety concepts for ground vehicle systems, including architecture, redundancy mechanisms, fault management, and verification activities
• Conduct safety analyses such as FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FHA (Functional Hazard Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis), and DFA (Dependent Failure Analysis)
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on validation and verification plans for unmanned and autonomous ground vehicles
• Support and participate in software integration and qualification testing to demonstrate safety requirements are met
• Mentor engineers on safety software principles, tools, and best practices drawn from both defense and autonomous vehicle domains
• Stay informed about evolving standards in defense and autonomy to continuously improve practices

Minimum Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

US Salary Range

$175,000—$210,000

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including :

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances :  click here.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

To see Forterra’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit Forterra Legal | Job Applicant Privacy Notice.

The pay range for this role is :

175,000 - 210,000 USD per year(AVA)

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