Principal Safety Engineer

We are looking for a Principal Safety Engineer / Architect to join our Autonomous Driving team in Europe. You will serve as the primary technical authority for safety integrity across our SAE Level 4 Automated Driving System (ADS), owning the end-to-end safety argument—from hazard identification and system architecture through to regulatory approval and commercial robotaxi deployment.

About Bolt Bolt is shaping a future where cities are built for people, not cars. What started as an ambitious project of a 19-year-old in 2013 has grown into a global mobility platform used by more than 200 million customers and 4.5 million driver and courier partners across 50 countries.

From ride-hailing and food delivery to scooters, e-bikes, and car-sharing, Bolt helps people move through cities every day. Small, autonomous teams drive this work, combining the speed and ownership of a startup with the scale of a global technology company backed by more than €1bn in funding.

And we're just getting started.

Why join Bolt?

• Build the future of mobility and help transform how people live and move in cities.
• Tackle challenges at scale that span technology, operations, regulation, and growth.
• Take real ownership early. Small, lean teams mean your decisions matter from day one, and you'll learn fast alongside some of the best people in the industry.
• Join one of Europe's leading technology companies, backed by world-class investors including Sequoia.

About The Role As a Principal Safety Engineer, you will be the guardian of safety integrity across our SAE Level 4 Autonomous Product and the broader robotaxi ecosystem. You will own the complete, end-to-end L4 safety case—from hazard analysis (HARA) and operational design domain (ODD) definition through to system design, verification, and regulatory approval. Crucially, you will ensure that L4 product safety requirements and rigor extend throughout the entire lifecycle of robotaxi operations, guaranteeing seamless safety continuity from initial product development to live, on-road fleet service.

This is not a compliance checkbox role; you will carry accountability that matters. You will shape how safety is embedded across the organisation and the robotaxi ecosystem, influencing fail-operational system architecture, operational workflows, engineering practices, and decision-making at every level. You will work closely with engineering, product, fleet operations, and regulatory stakeholders to define what "safe enough" means for autonomous urban mobility—and ensure it is rigorously achieved, defended, and maintained across ongoing fleet operations.

Main Tasks And Responsibilities

• Own, structure, and maintain the system-level GSN/CAE safety case for the L4 ADS across the entire robotaxi operational lifecycle, ensuring full compliance and alignment with key L4 standards and regulations, including Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426, UN Regulation No. 185 (ADS), ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), ISO/SAE 21434, and UN R155/R156 SUMS.
• Lead hazard analysis (HARA), ODD definition, and safety architecture across different products.
• Define and drive verification and validation strategies for different deployments.
• Define and drive verification and validation strategies for different deployments, establishing lifecycle safety metrics and monitoring to ensure continued operational safety across active robotaxi fleets.
• Drive L4 homologation pathways and compliance validation against regulatory frameworks (including Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426, UN Regulation No. 185, UN WP.29, EU AV legislation, and national frameworks) to secure type approval readiness for commercial L4 robotaxi deployments.
• Collaborate across teams to embed safety principles into system design, development, and deployment.

About You

• Extensive experience (10-12+ years) in automotive, robotics, or aerospace systems engineering, with proven technical leadership in safety-critical L4 autonomous driving domains.
• Strong expertise in functional safety (ISO 26262), SOTIF (ISO 21448), and automotive cybersecurity (ISO/SAE 21434).
• Proven track record delivering auditable safety cases (using GSN or CAE) and supporting L4 homologation, certification, or type approval for complex automated driving systems.
• Deep understanding of autonomous driving system architecture (perception, sensor fusion, planning, control).
• Deep expertise in fail-operational system architectures (redundant steering, braking, power), minimum risk maneuvers (MRM), and safety conformity for ML-based perception (e.g. ISO/PAS 8800).
• Familiarity with tools such as DOORS, Polarion, Codebeamer, or similar requirements and safety tooling.

Experience is great, but what we really look for is drive, intelligence, and integrity. So even if you don't tick every box, please consider applying if you feel you're the kind of person described above!

Why you'll love it here

• Accelerate your professional growth with unique career opportunities.
• Enjoy a rewarding salary and stock options, knowing that as Bolt succeeds, so do you.
• Take care of your physical and mental health with our wellness perks.
• Celebrate 5 years at Bolt with a 1-month paid sabbatical to recharge.
• Connect with colleagues at annual company events and smaller team gatherings.
• Balance flexibility and in-person collaboration with our hybrid model, including at least 12 monthly in-office days.

Some perks may differ depending on your location and role.

At Bolt, using AI daily is a baseline expectation for everyone. If there's a faster, smarter way to do your work, we expect you to find it. You're still responsible for the output, so the standard stays high when using AI tools.

Experience is great, but what we really look for is drive, intelligence, and integrity. So even if you don't tick every box, please consider applying!

Everyone is welcome Bolt is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, nationality, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are happy to make reasonable accommodations throughout our hiring process. If you require any adjustments, please let us know.