Lead Safety Engineer, Robotics

Details

The Robotics team focuses on general-purpose robotics and AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. The team works across the model stack, integrating hardware and software across a broad range of robotic form factors.

The Lead Robotics Safety Engineer will define and lead the product safety strategy for the robotics program. This role works with leadership, engineering, research, legal, and policy teams to integrate safety into products from early development through deployment. The position combines product safety, regulatory strategy, systems engineering, and risk management, while shaping product architecture, development decisions, and long-term safety strategy.

This role is based in San Francisco, California, and requires working in the office four days per week.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the product safety strategy for robotic systems across the development lifecycle.
• Monitor and influence emerging regulatory frameworks, industry standards, and policy developments relevant to robotics and autonomous systems.
• Partner with engineering teams to translate safety requirements into product architecture, design decisions, and engineering requirements.
• Develop and maintain system-level hazard analyses, risk assessments, and safety cases for robotic products.
• Establish safety requirements, verification strategies, and evidence-generation plans to support product development and future certification activities.
• Collaborate with legal, policy, and leadership teams to assess regulatory risks and inform long-term product strategy.
• Partner with hardware, software, controls, and research teams to identify hazards and develop mitigations throughout the development process.
• Lead system-level hazard analyses, HARA activities, FMEAs, and other structured risk assessment processes to identify hazards, evaluate risks, and drive mitigation strategies.
• Represent the company in discussions with standards bodies, industry groups, regulators, and external safety experts when appropriate.
• Help build and scale the safety engineering function as the robotics organization grows.

Requirements

• Deep expertise in product safety, functional safety, systems safety, robotics safety, or related disciplines.
• Experience working with safety and regulatory frameworks such as ISO 10218, ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 12100, ANSI/RIA standards, or comparable safety standards.
• Experience developing hazard analyses, risk assessments, safety cases, or certification strategies for complex electromechanical systems.
• Familiarity with robotics, autonomous systems, industrial equipment, consumer products, medical devices, automotive systems, aerospace systems, or other safety-critical technologies.
• Experience working with regulators, standards organizations, certification bodies, or industry working groups.
• Ability to apply first-principles thinking to complex safety and risk-management challenges.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity where regulations, standards, and technology are evolving simultaneously.
• Ability to balance technical, regulatory, operational, and business considerations when making recommendations.
• Ability to work across disciplines and influence engineering decisions without direct authority.
• Passion for building innovative products that are demonstrably safe.

Benefits

• Base salary range of $342,000–$468,000 per year.
• Equity, performance-related bonuses for eligible employees, and other benefits.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts.
• Pre-tax accounts for health, dependent care, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental, medical, and caregiver leave.
• Paid time off, paid company holidays, office closures, and paid sick or safe time as required by law.
• Mental health and wellness support.
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Daily office meals and eligible meal delivery credits.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.
• Additional benefits may include charitable donation matching and wellness stipends.

OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.