Functional Safety Engineer, Tesla AI

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Functional Safety Engineer, Tesla AI

| Job Category | Tesla AI | | Location | Palo Alto, California | | Req. ID | 276755 | | Job Type | Full-time |

What to Expect

The AI Platform Integration team is seeking a Functional Safety Engineer to design and develop cutting-edge safety-critical systems for seamless integration of AI-driven technologies into AI platforms. We are looking for experienced candidates passionate about ensuring safety and reliability in innovative AI applications.

The AI Platform Integration team focuses on embedding AI solutions into safety-critical vehicle functions, such as autonomous driving, predictive control systems, and real-time decision-making. You will help design and build software and integration frameworks that meet stringent safety and reliability standards. Your role will involve determining optimal system design paradigms, communication protocols, and monitoring strategies while collaborating with a team of functional safety engineers, software developers and hardware engineers to establish robust processes, tools, and frameworks that set or exceed industry benchmarks.

This is a high-visibility role with significant responsibility. You will work cross-functionally with AI development, hardware, and systems engineering teams to achieve integration goals and meet safety requirements you help define. Additionally, you will contribute directly to software solutions across the full vertical stack to address these requirements. Join a diverse team of experts across multiple domains to pioneer industry-first integrations of AI into vehicle safety systems.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with cross-functional engineering teams to define integration strategies, evaluate architectural trade-offs, and ensure AI platform designs meet functional safety objectives across compute, sensing, and actuation layers
• Lead functional safety activities such as Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessments (HARAs), Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEAs), and Safety Requirements definition using internal and industry-standard tools to ensure high system reliability and performance
• Leverage simulation, SIL/HIL testing, and fleet data to validate safety assumptions and monitor real-world performance of AI-driven systems
• Implement safety-critical software as needed to meet requirements in system architecture, with a focus on monitoring, fault detection for AI platforms
• Ensure follow-through on design and integration aspects across various teams, establishing milestones from concept to deployment (e.g., simulation testing, engineering validation, and production readiness)
• Shape the safety concept validation plan to ensure high-quality test cases for AI systems, both in-vehicle and in simulation environments

What You’ll Bring

• Experience designing safety-critical systems, preferably in AI or autonomous systems contexts
• First-hand experience with automotive safety standards (such as ISO 26262) and relevant tools, including Hazard and Risk Assessment (HARA) and/or Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and/or Fault Tree Analysis
• Deep technical expertise in any of the following: AI system integration, embedded systems, real-time software development, or vehicle control systems
• Experience with testing and validating safety-critical software, particularly in AI or machine learning applications to support robust Safety Cases
• Experience of designing systems with stringent availability and safety requirements
• Proficiency in software development leveraging agentic workflows is preferred (e.g., machine learning frameworks or real-time processing)
• Experience in C++, Python, or similar programming is preferred

Compensation and Benefits

Benefits

• Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction

• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits

• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution

• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA

• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits

• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D

• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)

• Employee Assistance Program

• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays

• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources

• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance

• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs

• Tesla Babies program

• Commuter benefits

• Employee discounts and perks program

• Expected Compensation

• $140,000 - $390,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

Tesla is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran status and disability status, protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

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