Senior Operations Safety Manager

Job Description

Motional’s Las Vegas office is located less than 10 miles from the Las Vegas strip at 730 E Pilot Road and is home to one of the largest fleets of self-driving vehicles. The city’s grid system of roads and being one of America’s “smart cities” allows for extensive research and development testing.

Mission Summary:

As Senior Operations Safety Manager, you'll be responsible for developing, implementing and managing safety programs, ensuring the safe operation of our autonomous vehicles across all operational design domains, applications and environments. You'll lead a team and collaborate with cross-functional teams, including software, hardware, test operations, compliance and legal, to drive safety as a bed rock of our culture while ensuring rapid technology development.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead the development and implementation of company-wide operational safety policies, procedures, and standards for autonomous driving operations.
• Own and evolve the operational elements of our company’s Safety Management System (SMS), ensuring compliance with industry best practices and applicable regulatory frameworks.
• Oversee hazard identification, risk analysis, and mitigation strategies related to testing, deployment, and operations of autonomous vehicles.
• Lead investigations into operational incidents, near misses, and safety-critical events. Ensure root cause analysis and corrective actions are implemented effectively.
• Develop and deliver safety training programs for operators, safety drivers, and operational staff  in alignment with AVSC guidelines. Promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Partner with engineering, product, and fleet operations teams to integrate safety considerations into system design, validation, and operational practices.
• Monitor and interpret evolving regulations and standards for autonomous driving technology; ensure company practices meet or exceed compliance requirements.
• Define and track key operational safety performance indicators. Provide regular reporting to executive leadership and external stakeholders as required.
• Benchmark against industry safety standards, identify gaps, and implement initiatives to maintain leadership in safety excellence.

What we're looking for:

• 8+ years industry and 3+ years of experience in safety operations for automotive, aerospace, or robotics systems development
• Strong knowledge of Safety Management Systems (SMS), risk assessment methodologies, and incident investigation techniques.
• Experience working with regulatory agencies (e.g., NHTSA, DOT, OSHA, FAA, or equivalent).
• Experience with AVSC (Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium), UL-4600 and other Autonomous System best practices
• Demonstrated ability to develop safety policies, training, and reporting frameworks in complex operational environments.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; adept at making data-driven safety decisions.
• Familiarity with autonomous vehicle technologies, including perception, planning, and control systems, testing protocols, and deployment challenges is highly desirable.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Safety Management, Engineering, Computer Science, Transportation, or a related field 

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and at times for long periods; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly exposed to the office environment, outside weather conditions, road conditions, and pedestrian traffic.  The team member is regularly exposed to mechanical and computer parts. The team member is occasionally exposed to fumes and airborne particles.  The noise level in the environment is low to moderate. When traveling, the team member will be exposed to airports, airplanes, hotels and public transportation environments.

This role is based in our Las Vegas office and requires in-office days each week.