Principal/Staff Systems Engineer – Safety & Architecture

Kodama Systems

. Develop and maintain system requirements, fault behavior, and performance requirements across hardware and software boundaries .

Posted 9/19/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesLeadWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in developing and maintaining system requirements for safety-critical control systems, applying relevant safety standards, and leading cross-disciplinary technical decisions. Proficient in system safety analysis, verification strategies, and hands-on debugging in complex electromechanical environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

System Safety AnalysisSafety-Critical Control SystemsFunctional Safety StandardsCross-Disciplinary Technical LeadershipHands-On Debugging

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

System Requirements DevelopmentFault Behavior AnalysisFMEAsFault TreesEmbedded SystemsSafety ControllersPLCsCAN/J1939Hardware-In-The-Loop TestingRobotics Perception

Soft Skills

Technical Resource CommunicationCross-Functional Collaboration

Tools & Technologies

TeleoperationDistributed RoboticsSafety-Critical NetworkingMachine Testing

Certifications & Qualifications

TÜV CertificationUL Certification

Industry Keywords

Autonomous VehiclesMobile RoboticsHeavy EquipmentAerospaceDefenseCyber-Physical SystemsISO 17757ISO 13849IEC 61508IEC 62061

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and maintain system requirements, fault behavior, and performance requirements across hardware and software boundaries
Own system safety analysis, including hazard analyses, safety requirements, FMEAs, fault trees, and analysis of failures or degraded system behavior
Lead next-generation architecture and requirements for safety-critical control systems, including safety controllers and E-stops
Translate system and safety requirements into verification strategies and evidence that new capabilities are ready for field deployment
Ensure architecture and engineering practices appropriately apply relevant safety standards, including BS EN 17067:2018, BS EN 62745:2017, and ISO 17757:2019
Serve as a technical resource to customers, OEM partners, and other external stakeholders on system architecture and safety
Work across hardware, software, networking, controls, autonomy, and field operations
Report to the CTO
Travel to customer sites, with more concentrated travel during the first few months

Requirements

What you’ll need

BS or advanced degree in electrical, mechanical, systems, or a related engineering field, or equivalent practical experience
Significant experience designing or integrating complex, safety-critical electromechanical systems
Ability to reason across hardware, software, networking, controls, and physical-machine behavior
Experience developing system requirements and interfaces
Experience applying system or functional safety methods through design, integration, and verification
Ability to lead cross-disciplinary technical decisions
Willingness to get hands-on with debugging, data, and machine testing when needed
Experience in autonomous vehicles, mobile robotics, heavy equipment, aerospace, defense, or other safety-critical cyber-physical systems is particularly valuable
Experience with functional safety standards such as ISO 17757, ISO 13849, IEC 61508, IEC 62061, ISO 26262, or related frameworks is particularly valuable
Hands-on certification or third-party safety assessment work with organizations such as TÜV or UL is particularly valuable
Experience with teleoperation, distributed robotics, or safety-critical networking and communications is particularly valuable
Experience with embedded systems, safety controllers, PLCs, CAN/J1939, hardware-in-the-loop testing, or fault injection is particularly valuable
Experience with robotics perception, localization, planning, control, or autonomy safety is particularly valuable
Experience in off-road or unstructured operating environments is particularly valuable

Benefits

Comp & perks

Approximately 10–20% travel to customer sites
Remote work within the United States