{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"654e77c0bf41f1869945a17d","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/654e77c0bf41f1869945a17d","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/654e77c0bf41f1869945a17d","title":"Lead Validation Engineer","description":"About us\n\nAIM builds autonomy for the real world - robots that move mountains. Our systems integrate software, electronics, mechanical systems, perception, and mission-critical infrastructure into rugged, safety-critical machines operating on construction and mining sites globally.\n\nOur machines operate in dynamic, unpredictable environments where performance, reliability, and safety must hold under real-world conditions - not just in simulation. Delivering autonomy at scale requires not only building systems, but proving they work consistently, safely, and reliably in the field.\n\nValidation is how we make that real.\n\nAbout You\n\nYou are a systems-oriented engineer who cares deeply about whether things actually work - not just whether they were designed to work.\n\nYou:\n\nThink in terms of system behavior , not isolated components\n\nBuild mechanisms that scale , not manual processes\n\nUse data and real-world evidence to drive decisions\n\nHave strong judgment in ambiguous situations with incomplete information\n\nHold a high bar for reliability, performance, and safety\n\nYou are equally comfortable:\n\nDesigning validation strategies and frameworks\n\nBuilding infrastructure and tooling\n\nDebugging failures across hardware, software, and AI systems\n\nWorking in the field to understand real-world conditions\n\nYou take ownership of outcomes - ensuring validation directly improves system performance, safety, and reliability.\n\nAbout Us Together\n\nWe’re building autonomous systems that must perform under real-world conditions - and we validate them by:\n\nEnsuring end-to-end system behavior across electrical, mechanical, software, and AI subsystems\n\nValidating performance under harsh environments: dust, vibration, temperature extremes, and dynamic terrain\n\nEnsuring reliability across long-duration operation in real jobsites\n\nTesting complex interactions across autonomy, controls, perception, and hardware systems\n\nCapturing real-world edge cases and converting them into repeatable validation scenarios\n\nWe move fast, test rigorously, and build validation systems that scale with the fleet.\n\nWhy this role exists\n\nAutonomous systems fail at system boundaries - in the interactions between perception, planning, controls, hardware, and real-world environments.\n\nWhile engineering teams validate their own components, the Lead Validation Engineer ensures that the integrated system actually works in reality.\n\nThis role exists to:\n\nClose the gap between engineering intent and real-world behavior\n\nBuild the validation system that scales with the company\n\nProvide an independent signal of system readiness\n\nThis is not a QA role. This role builds the system that makes quality measurable, enforceable, and scalable across AIM.\n\nWhat You Will Own\n\nAs the Lead Validation Engineer, you will own the system that ensures AIM’s autonomous machines work reliably, safely, and predictably in the real world. You are accountable not just for validation activities, but for making validation scalable, measurable, and deeply integrated into how we build and deploy systems.\n\nValidation System Ownership\n\nOwn how validation is performed across AIM.\n\nDefine the end-to-end validation strategy across:\n\nsimulation\n\nsoftware-in-the-loop (SIL)\n\nhardware-in-the-loop (HIL)\n\nproving ground (PG)\n\nfield deployments\n\nEstablish the test pyramid , shifting validation earlier in development\n\nDefine validation coverage across:\n\nsystem behaviors\n\nenvironmental conditions\n\nOperational Design Domain (ODD)\n\nEnsure validation scales through automation, replay systems, and data-driven testing\n\nValidation Infrastructure & Tooling\n\nBuild systems that enable engineers to validate their own work.\n\nDevelop:\n\nautomated test frameworks\n\nsimulation and replay systems\n\ndata capture and labeling pipelines\n\nvalidation dashboards and reporting systems\n\nIntegrate validation into CI/CD and development workflows\n\nEnable self-service validation across AI, software, and hardware teams\n\nSystem-Level Validation\n\nEnsure the integrated system behaves correctly across domains.\n\nValidate interactions across:\n\nperception\n\nplanning\n\ncontrols\n\nhardware systems\n\noperator interfaces\n\nIdentify emergent failure modes not visible at the component level\n\nDesign validation scenarios that reflect real-world complexity\n\nReal-World Validation & Field Feedback\n\nEnsure validation reflects actual operating conditions.\n\nDefine validation strategies for PG and field deployments\n\nBuild systems to:\n\ncapture real-world data\n\nreproduce field failures\n\nconvert issues into repeatable tests\n\nEnsure field learnings feed back into validation systems\n\nRelease Gating & Readiness\n\nDefine and enforce system readiness.\n\nDefine validation gates for:\n\nfeature releases\n\nsystem releases\n\ncustomer deployments\n\nProvide validation input into ORRs and release decisions\n\nEnsure systems meet performance, reliability, and safety thresholds\n\nActs as an independent signal of readiness , not a bottleneck.\n\nMetrics, Observability & Coverage\n\nMake validation measurable.\n\nDefine metrics including:\n\ncoverage across ODD conditions\n\nfailure and escape rates\n\nMTBI (Mean Time Between Interventions)\n\nvalidation effectiveness\n\nBuild dashboards and reporting systems\n\nIdentify and close validation gaps\n\nIncident Analysis & Continuous Improvement\n\nEnsure failures improve the system.\n\nPartner on root cause analysis (CoE)\n\nIdentify validation gaps from incidents and near misses\n\nFeed learnings back into validation frameworks and test coverage\n\nCross-Functional Leadership\n\nDrive validation across engineering teams.\n\nDefine validation expectations across AI, software, and hardware\n\nEnsure teams own validation of their components\n\nDrive alignment on validation practices and standards\n\nValidation Culture & Mechanisms\n\nEstablish validation as a core engineering discipline.\n\nDefine validation standards and best practices\n\nEstablish validation reviews and processes\n\nTrain teams on validation methodologies\n\nEnsure validation is treated as an engineering output\n\nDecision Authority\n\nServe as the technical authority on validation.\n\nProvide independent input on system readiness\n\nGate releases when validation is insufficient\n\nEscalate validation risks to leadership\n\nChallenge assumptions where system behavior is not proven\n\nQualifications\nBasic Qualifications\n\nBachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Systems, Robotics, or related field (or equivalent experience)\n\nExperience in system-level validation, test engineering, or reliability engineering\n\nExperience validating complex systems integrating hardware, software, and autonomy\n\nStrong experience designing validation strategies and frameworks\n\nHands‑on experience debugging system-level failures\n\nPreferred Qualifications\n\nExperience in robotics, autonomy, or safety‑critical systems\n\nExperience building validation infrastructure, simulation, or replay systems\n\nExperience with functional safety validation\n\nExperience scaling validation from prototype to production\n\nExperience with real‑world field deployments\n\nHow You’ll Stand Out\n\nYou build validation systems that scale, not manual processes\n\nYou identify failure modes before they reach the field\n\nYou translate real‑world behavior into testable systems\n\nYou balance rigor with speed in ambiguous environments\n\nYou turn validation into a competitive advantage\n\nYou drive teams to confront reality and improve system performance\n\n#J-18808-Ljbffr","company":"Aim","rawCompany":"aim","city":"Seattle","state":"WA","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-06-17T03:44:21.819Z","occupations":[{"code":"17-2112.02","title":"Validation Engineers","slug":"validation-engineers"},{"code":"17-2199.08","title":"Robotics Engineers","slug":"robotics-engineers"},{"code":"11-9041.00","title":"Architectural and Engineering Managers","slug":"architectural-and-engineering-managers"}],"industries":[{"code":"541330","title":"Engineering Services","slug":"engineering-services"},{"code":"333248","title":"All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing","slug":"all-other-industrial-machinery-manufacturing"},{"code":"541690","title":"Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services","slug":"other-scientific-and-technical-consulting-services"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Lead Validation Engineer","description":"About us\n\nAIM builds autonomy for the real world - robots that move mountains. Our systems integrate software, electronics, mechanical systems, perception, and mission-critical infrastructure into rugged, safety-critical machines operating on construction and mining sites globally.\n\nOur machines operate in dynamic, unpredictable environments where performance, reliability, and safety must hold under real-world conditions - not just in simulation. Delivering autonomy at scale requires not only building systems, but proving they work consistently, safely, and reliably in the field.\n\nValidation is how we make that real.\n\nAbout You\n\nYou are a systems-oriented engineer who cares deeply about whether things actually work - not just whether they were designed to work.\n\nYou:\n\nThink in terms of system behavior , not isolated components\n\nBuild mechanisms that scale , not manual processes\n\nUse data and real-world evidence to drive decisions\n\nHave strong judgment in ambiguous situations with incomplete information\n\nHold a high bar for reliability, performance, and safety\n\nYou are equally comfortable:\n\nDesigning validation strategies and frameworks\n\nBuilding infrastructure and tooling\n\nDebugging failures across hardware, software, and AI systems\n\nWorking in the field to understand real-world conditions\n\nYou take ownership of outcomes - ensuring validation directly improves system performance, safety, and reliability.\n\nAbout Us Together\n\nWe’re building autonomous systems that must perform under real-world conditions - and we validate them by:\n\nEnsuring end-to-end system behavior across electrical, mechanical, software, and AI subsystems\n\nValidating performance under harsh environments: dust, vibration, temperature extremes, and dynamic terrain\n\nEnsuring reliability across long-duration operation in real jobsites\n\nTesting complex interactions across autonomy, controls, perception, and hardware systems\n\nCapturing real-world edge cases and converting them into repeatable validation scenarios\n\nWe move fast, test rigorously, and build validation systems that scale with the fleet.\n\nWhy this role exists\n\nAutonomous systems fail at system boundaries - in the interactions between perception, planning, controls, hardware, and real-world environments.\n\nWhile engineering teams validate their own components, the Lead Validation Engineer ensures that the integrated system actually works in reality.\n\nThis role exists to:\n\nClose the gap between engineering intent and real-world behavior\n\nBuild the validation system that scales with the company\n\nProvide an independent signal of system readiness\n\nThis is not a QA role. This role builds the system that makes quality measurable, enforceable, and scalable across AIM.\n\nWhat You Will Own\n\nAs the Lead Validation Engineer, you will own the system that ensures AIM’s autonomous machines work reliably, safely, and predictably in the real world. You are accountable not just for validation activities, but for making validation scalable, measurable, and deeply integrated into how we build and deploy systems.\n\nValidation System Ownership\n\nOwn how validation is performed across AIM.\n\nDefine the end-to-end validation strategy across:\n\nsimulation\n\nsoftware-in-the-loop (SIL)\n\nhardware-in-the-loop (HIL)\n\nproving ground (PG)\n\nfield deployments\n\nEstablish the test pyramid , shifting validation earlier in development\n\nDefine validation coverage across:\n\nsystem behaviors\n\nenvironmental conditions\n\nOperational Design Domain (ODD)\n\nEnsure validation scales through automation, replay systems, and data-driven testing\n\nValidation Infrastructure & Tooling\n\nBuild systems that enable engineers to validate their own work.\n\nDevelop:\n\nautomated test frameworks\n\nsimulation and replay systems\n\ndata capture and labeling pipelines\n\nvalidation dashboards and reporting systems\n\nIntegrate validation into CI/CD and development workflows\n\nEnable self-service validation across AI, software, and hardware teams\n\nSystem-Level Validation\n\nEnsure the integrated system behaves correctly across domains.\n\nValidate interactions across:\n\nperception\n\nplanning\n\ncontrols\n\nhardware systems\n\noperator interfaces\n\nIdentify emergent failure modes not visible at the component level\n\nDesign validation scenarios that reflect real-world complexity\n\nReal-World Validation & Field Feedback\n\nEnsure validation reflects actual operating conditions.\n\nDefine validation strategies for PG and field deployments\n\nBuild systems to:\n\ncapture real-world data\n\nreproduce field failures\n\nconvert issues into repeatable tests\n\nEnsure field learnings feed back into validation systems\n\nRelease Gating & Readiness\n\nDefine and enforce system readiness.\n\nDefine validation gates for:\n\nfeature releases\n\nsystem releases\n\ncustomer deployments\n\nProvide validation input into ORRs and release decisions\n\nEnsure systems meet performance, reliability, and safety thresholds\n\nActs as an independent signal of readiness , not a bottleneck.\n\nMetrics, Observability & Coverage\n\nMake validation measurable.\n\nDefine metrics including:\n\ncoverage across ODD conditions\n\nfailure and escape rates\n\nMTBI (Mean Time Between Interventions)\n\nvalidation effectiveness\n\nBuild dashboards and reporting systems\n\nIdentify and close validation gaps\n\nIncident Analysis & Continuous Improvement\n\nEnsure failures improve the system.\n\nPartner on root cause analysis (CoE)\n\nIdentify validation gaps from incidents and near misses\n\nFeed learnings back into validation frameworks and test coverage\n\nCross-Functional Leadership\n\nDrive validation across engineering teams.\n\nDefine validation expectations across AI, software, and hardware\n\nEnsure teams own validation of their components\n\nDrive alignment on validation practices and standards\n\nValidation Culture & Mechanisms\n\nEstablish validation as a core engineering discipline.\n\nDefine validation standards and best practices\n\nEstablish validation reviews and processes\n\nTrain teams on validation methodologies\n\nEnsure validation is treated as an engineering output\n\nDecision Authority\n\nServe as the technical authority on validation.\n\nProvide independent input on system readiness\n\nGate releases when validation is insufficient\n\nEscalate validation risks to leadership\n\nChallenge assumptions where system behavior is not proven\n\nQualifications\nBasic Qualifications\n\nBachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Systems, Robotics, or related field (or equivalent experience)\n\nExperience in system-level validation, test engineering, or reliability engineering\n\nExperience validating complex systems integrating hardware, software, and autonomy\n\nStrong experience designing validation strategies and frameworks\n\nHands‑on experience debugging system-level failures\n\nPreferred Qualifications\n\nExperience in robotics, autonomy, or safety‑critical systems\n\nExperience building validation infrastructure, simulation, or replay systems\n\nExperience with functional safety validation\n\nExperience scaling validation from prototype to production\n\nExperience with real‑world field deployments\n\nHow You’ll Stand Out\n\nYou build validation systems that scale, not manual processes\n\nYou identify failure modes before they reach the field\n\nYou translate real‑world behavior into testable systems\n\nYou balance rigor with speed in ambiguous environments\n\nYou turn validation into a competitive advantage\n\nYou drive teams to confront reality and improve system performance\n\n#J-18808-Ljbffr","datePosted":"2026-06-17T03:44:21.819Z","dateModified":"2026-06-17T03:44:21.819Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Aim","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Seattle","addressRegion":"WA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"654e77c0bf41f1869945a17d"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/654e77c0bf41f1869945a17d"}}