Operations Safety Specialist

The Operations Safety team is part of Motional’s Enterprise Safety organization. Our mission is to ensure the safe, reliable, and responsible testing and deployment of Motional’s autonomous vehicle fleet. As the operational safety anchor in the field, Enterprise Safety brings together expertise across safety management systems, vehicle operations, engineering, and field testing to establish rigorous safety standards, investigate operational events, and validate real-world readiness.

Motional’s vision is to make autonomous mobility a safe, reliable, and accessible reality for everyone and robust operational safety across Enterprise Safety and our active test sites is foundational to achieving that vision.

 

Mission Summary:

As the Operations Safety Specialist, you will lead frontline operational safety assurance for Motional’s autonomous vehicle operations in Las Vegas. Reporting to the Senior Operations Safety Manager, this role conducts assigned operational safety investigations, near-miss and safety concern follow-ups, and recurring field audits across driverless and operator-supported missions.

You will partner closely with Operations and Engineering to identify hazards, track corrective actions through to closure, and improve operating procedures, while directly supporting incident response readiness and safety training.

If you are a hands-on safety professional with experience in risk assessment, incident response, and root-cause analysis within safety-critical environments, this role offers an opportunity to directly shape the operational safety of autonomous mobility at scale.

Essential Duties:

• Review and triage incidents, near misses, and safety concerns. Gather missing information and escalate urgent or unresolved risks through established processes.
• Support Incident Leads during response and recovery, and conduct operational safety investigations. Collect operator statements and relevant records, coordinating with Engineering on technical findings and contributing factors.
• Track corrective actions with accountable owners and due dates. Verify completion and evaluate effectiveness before recommending closure.
• Conduct field observations and audits of SOP compliance and reporting practices across driverless and operator-supported missions. Document findings and follow up on improvements.
• Plan and conduct Incident Response Procedure (IRP) drills, tabletop exercises, and role-specific readiness evaluations. Document results and track readiness findings through resolution.
• Support incident reporting and escalation workflow maintenance and testing. Review incident documentation and evidence completeness while following established access controls.
• Develop and improve operator risk assessment tools, adverse condition protocols, and other processes that address operational safety risks.
• Analyze safety reports, recurring concerns, and audit findings. Prepare safety metrics and recommendations for Operations leadership.
• Work with trainers to review safety curriculum, incorporate lessons learned, and improve operator guidance and job aids.
• Support the Senior Operations Safety Manager’s coordination with external safety teams by preparing findings and tracking agreed follow-up actions.
  
  

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• 2+ years of professional experience in operational safety, investigations, auditing, or risk management within safety-critical environments (or 1+ years when paired with a relevant degree). 
• Bachelor’s degree in Safety, Engineering, Aviation, Operations Management, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.
• Practical knowledge of risk assessment frameworks, root cause analysis (RCA), and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) tracking through to closure.
• Understanding of human performance principles (e.g., situational awareness, automation complacency, fatigue, distraction, and cognitive workload).
• Demonstrated ability to interview frontline personnel, separate objective facts from assumptions, and write clear, defensible technical incident reports for cross-functional stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage assigned work independently and collaborate with frontline personnel, Operations leaders, and Engineering.
• Valid U.S. Driver’s License with a clean motor vehicle record (MVR), and comfortable operating test fleet assets and conducting public-road field observations.
• Ability to support occasional non-standard shifts or on-call incident support.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior background working alongside autonomous systems, Mission Control, remote vehicle assistance, or commercial fleet dispatch environments.
• Experience with incident management platforms (e.g., incident.io, ServiceNow) and spreadsheet-based safety metric tracking. 
• Proficiency with Jira and the Atlassian suite for task management, bug tracking, and action-item workflows. 
• Familiarity with Safety Management Systems (SMS) or professional credentials (e.g., ASP, CSP, or certified safety auditor coursework).
  
  

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 essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly exposed to 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.

Motional AD LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and we welcome all qualified applicants.  All applicants will receive impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other legally protected status.  Motional AD LLC is a Drug-free workplace.

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