What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Systems Engineer, Fault Management- Kelly Smith position at kodiak?

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Systems and Safety Engineering team at Kodiak is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to own the design and execution of Kodiak’s next-generation Autonomy Fault Management System. This individual will lead the effort end-to-end: from product and system requirement definition, through architecture and implementation, to verification and validation, and safety case integration. This leader will ensure that the Kodiak Driver handles onboard system faults with the desired, correct, safe response. This role is central to progressing towards achieving a scalable driverless deployment and will work closely with autonomy hardware, software, and system safety teams.

This role directly shapes Kodiak’s ability to operate sustainably at commercial scale. Fault management is not only a safety system—it is a primary lever of fleet availability, utilization, and cost per mile. You will own the technical strategies that determine when the system can continue operating safely, when it must degrade, and when it must exit service

In this role, you will:

Contribute to the end-to-end development of the next generation of Autonomy Fault Management System, leading the collaborative effort across hardware, software, system safety, and operations teams.
Execute systems and safety engineering execution for fault management across the full V-model lifecycle.
Develop and maintain systems engineering artifacts, including requirements, traceability, V&V plans, V&V evidence.
Support the definition of fault management architecture and concept of operations (detection, isolation, response, safe-state behavior).
Contribute to generating evidence supporting the Fault Management System within the Driverless Safety Case.
Perform analyses to support detection thresholds, hazard prioritization, and risk evaluation.
Support system trade studies related to fault coverage, safety, and operational performance.
Assist in defining strategies for degraded operation and system availability.
Collaborate cross-functionally to align implementation with system requirements.

What you’ll bring:

B.S., M.S., or PhD in engineering or related technical field.
2 years experience within real-time safety-critical applications, preferably in highly automated or autonomous systems (autonomous vehicles, aerospace, nuclear, medical, etc).
Experience with fault management, diagnostics, and safe-state behaviors
Experience collaborating with cross-functional engineering teams.
Ability to read C/C code.
Experienced in Systems Engineering V-model and application within product life cycle.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to collaborate effectively with technical stakeholders spanning multiple technical disciplines.

What we offer:

Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses
Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance
Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies
Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA
Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation)
Fidelity 401(k)
Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)

The pay range listed below reflects the base salary in our SF/Silicon Valley location, across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package

California Pay Range

$150,000 - $200,000 USD

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.

We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process, we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team, and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1, 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed [here](https://endorsed.com/local-law-144). By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application, please contact careers@kodiak.ai with "Separate Review Request" in the email subject line.

Salary : $150,000

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