Lead, Safety Assurance
Job Summary
May Mobility is seeking a Lead, Safety Assurance to serve as the company's primary authority on autonomous vehicle safety compliance. Reporting to the Legal team and supporting the engineering safety team, this senior subject matter expert role operates independently from the engineering Safety organization to provide an objective, compliance-anchored perspective on May Mobility's safety posture. This person will lead regulatory engagement on safety matters end-to-end—from monitoring emerging federal and state requirements to leading NHTSA correspondence, reviewing SGO incident narratives, and maintaining the compliance documentation that underpins May Mobility's ability to operate and expand.
This role requires someone who combines deep regulatory expertise with firsthand knowledge of how federal safety frameworks apply in practice—and who can translate that knowledge into durable internal processes appropriate in an agile startup environment, credible external submissions, and sound counsel to Safety and Legal leadership.
Essential Responsibilities
NHTSA & SGO Leadership
Review, quality-assure, and approve SGO incident narratives prior to submission, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and appropriate framing
Monitor NHTSA and state enforcement trends, proposed rulemakings, safety guidance, and regulatory developments at the state and federal levels; proactively surface implications to Safety and Legal leadership
Support responses to NHTSA investigations or enforcement actions, coordinating with outside counsel and internal stakeholders as needed
Regulatory Compliance & Gap Analysis
Monitor federal and state AV regulatory requirements and assess alignment with May Mobility’s internal safety policies, identifying gaps where internal standards fall short of the regulatory floor
Support development of internal safety benchmarks, including review of the company SMS calibrated against applicable federal standards, including FMVSS, NHTSA frameworks, SAE standards, and other industry best practices
Participate in enterprise risk management activities with a regulatory consequence lens, assessing whether identified operational risks carry regulatory implications
Track emerging ADS-related guidance, enforcement trends, and state-level rulemakings; maintain a current regulatory landscape view for leadership
Compliance Documentation & Submissions
Create and maintain a comprehensive library of compliance documentation, including regulatory context summaries, gap analyses, submission records, and background materials
Prepare and review safety-relevant regulatory submissions and correspondence, ensuring accuracy of safety content and appropriate routing through Legal prior to submission
Prepare supporting documentation for regulatory engagements where safety posture is relevant, including materials for meetings with state DOTs, federal agencies, and other stakeholders
Safety Assurance & Cross-Functional Advisory
Advise on passenger and public safety best practices informed by federal standards, NTSB findings, and industry precedent; support their operationalization within May Mobility’s safety programs
Provide regulatory compliance perspective to Safety leadership on safety case development, incident response, and operational risk decisions
Coordinate with outside counsel on regulatory strategy, submission review, and government engagement as needed
Brief executive and Legal leadership on regulatory developments, compliance status, and recommended response actions
Skills and Abilities
Success in this role typically requires the following competencies:
Exceptional written communication skills; able to translate complex technical safety content into accurate, defensible regulatory language
Ability to operate independently and exercise sound judgment across ambiguous, high-stakes situations
Qualifications and Experience
Candidates most successful in this role typically hold the following qualifications or comparable knowledge or experience:
7+ years of experience in AV safety regulation, incident management, or safety compliance within NHTSA, a federal agency, or an AV/automotive company
Deep familiarity with NHTSA’s Standing General Order (SGO) reporting requirements and crash investigation processes
Hands-on experience with FMVSS, NHTSA exemption frameworks, and SAE ADS taxonomy
Proven ability to prepare and manage regulatory submissions, safety correspondence, and compliance documentation
Experience working closely with or alongside legal counsel on regulatory matters and strategy
Preferred
Prior experience at NHTSA’s Office of Automation Safety, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, or equivalent federal safety office
Background in crash reconstruction, forensic engineering, or ADS safety case evaluation
Experience briefing senior leadership or executive teams on incident trends and regulatory strategy
Graduate degree in mechanical engineering, safety engineering, or a related technical field
Experience working within cross-functional teams to manage safety critical issues
Physical Requirements
Standard office working conditions which includes but not limited to:
Prolonged sitting
Prolonged standing
Prolonged computer use
Travel Required? Minimal: 1%-10%
Benefits and Perks
Comprehensive healthcare suite including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability plans. Domestic partners who have been residing together at least one year are also eligible to participate.
Health Savings and Flexible Spending Healthcare and Dependent Care Accounts available.
Rich retirement benefits, including an immediately vested employer safe harbor match.
Generous paid parental leave as well as a phased return to work.
Flexible vacation policy in addition to paid company holidays.
Total Wellness Program providing numerous resources for overall wellbeing
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and/or people of color are less likely to apply to a job unless they meet every qualification. At May Mobility, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workforce, so if you’re excited about this role but your previous experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway! You may be the perfect candidate for this or another role at May.
Want to learn more about our culture & benefits? Check out our website!
May Mobility is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetics or any other legally protected basis. Below, you have the opportunity to share your preferred gender pronouns, gender, ethnicity, and veteran status with May Mobility to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring and recruitment processes. Completion of these questions is entirely voluntary. Any information you choose to provide will be kept confidential, and will not impact the hiring decision in any way. If you believe that you will need any type of accommodation, please let us know.
Note to Recruitment Agencies: May Mobility does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Furthermore, May Mobility does not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by any agency other than its approved partners.
Salary Range
$140,000—$200,000 USD