Description

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About The Role

The Director of Safety-Critical Software will own the strategy, architecture, and execution of all safety-critical software development across the autonomous driving platform. This leader will ensure compliance with industry safety standards, build and scale a high-performing engineering team, and work closely with executives and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver safe, reliable, and certifiable software systems.

What You'll Do

• Lead design and development of safety-critical software complying with applicable standards and focus on software architectures that are robust, reliable and fault-tolerant
• Build, mentor, and lead a team of safety-critical software engineers, fostering a culture of rigor, accountability, and innovation
• Lead software development activities such as sprint planning, task delegation, roadmap refinement and identifying markers of success
• Collaborate with engineers from other cross-functional groups such as systems, safety and test to ensure product and program level needs are met
• Manage software development throughout the development cycle, from collecting feature requests to their final delivery via thorough testing and verification activities
• Ensure development of safety-critical embedded software in C/C++ and model-based safety-certifiable tools, establishing best practices and reviewing critical implementations when needed
• Lead the development of software safety artifacts and required documentation to provide evidence of rigor in accordance with relevant standards
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for software requirements, architecture and design decisions to ensure compliance with safety software development processes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Define and execute the safety-critical software strategy, ensuring compliance with all relevant standards.
• Establish and enforce rigorous development processes, from requirements definition through verification and certification
• Partner with systems, safety, hardware, and test teams to ensure seamless integration and system-level safety.
• Serve as the primary interface with external auditors, assessors, and regulatory bodies
• Oversee the delivery of safety-critical software artifacts, documentation, and traceability to demonstrate rigor and compliance
• Proven leadership experience building and managing software teams in safety-critical domains
• Strong technical credibility in embedded and real-time systems, able to review designs and guide architectural decisions
• Deep knowledge of safety standards such as ISO-26262, IEC-61508, DO-178, or MIL-STD-882, with experience driving certification efforts
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence executives and inspire engineers
• Track record of delivering complex, certified software systems in automotive, aerospace, medical, or similar industries

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on familiarity with embedded C/C++ in real-time operating systems (QNX, VxWorks, etc.)
• Experience with MISRA C/C++ standards
• Knowledge of communication protocols such as CAN, CAN/FD, Ethernet, and FlexRay
• Background in model-based development tools (ANSYS SCADE, Simulink, or similar)
• Understanding of robotics software domains (perception, navigation, motion planning, control)
• Strong problem-solving and analytical mindset, with the ability to anticipate and mitigate risks

US Salary Range
$180,000$250,000

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra's overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.

PI279127001