Worker Type

Job Description

Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Staff Safety Engineer to lead system safety activities for a family of Unmanned Systems supporting defense and commercial applications. In this role, you will:

• Lead system safety analyses and documentation for complex unmanned aircraft systems, including weaponized configurations, in accordance with MIL-STD-882 and related standards.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, design, integration, test, and program management to ensure safety requirements are properly derived, implemented, and verified and hazards are identified, mitigated, and verified.
• Represent safety in customer, internal, and external design and safety reviews, presenting safety analyses and recommendations.
• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in system safety, mentoring junior engineers and improving safety processes and tools across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the System Safety Program in accordance with MIL-STD-882E (or latest revision), including plans, analyses, tracking, and reporting.
• Plan and perform system safety analyses, including (as applicable):
  • Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA)
  • Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA)
  • System Hazard Analysis (SHA)
  • Subsystem Hazard Analysis (SSHA)
  • Software/System-of-Systems safety assessments as needed
• Perform Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analyses (FMECA) and other reliability/safety-related analyses to support hazard identification and mitigation.
• Derive, allocate, and track safety requirements from top-level system and mission requirements down to subsystems, software, and interfaces.
• Develop and maintain system safety-related documents and deliverables, which may include:
  • System Safety Management Plan (SSMP) or System Safety Program Plan (SSPP)
  • Safety Assessment Report (SAR)
  • Hazard Tracking System / Hazard Log
  • Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP)
• Work closely with design teams to identify and implement design mitigations for identified hazards and verify that mitigations are effective.
• Integrate safety considerations into system architecture, CONOPS, mission threads, and operational procedures.
• Support test planning and execution to validate safety requirements and verify closure of hazard controls, including participation in test readiness reviews and post-test assessments.
• Present safety analyses, findings, and recommendations at technical and program reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, safety boards, and weapon system safety reviews).
• Coordinate and interface with customer safety organizations, weapon system safety boards, fuze/safety boards, and relevant government agencies as required.
• Drive continuous improvement of system safety processes, templates, tools, and training within the engineering organization.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret security clearance.
• 8+ years of relevant safety and/or weapons system safety experience.
• Travel up to 15% to support customer meetings, design reviews, integration, and test events.
• Demonstrated experience applying MIL-STD-882E (or later) in a defense or aerospace environment, including planning and execution of hazard analyses and tracking of mitigations.
• Hands-on experience with:
  • Hazard analyses (e.g., PHA, FHA, SHA, SSHA).
  • FMECA or similar reliability/safety analysis methods.
  • Authoring and maintaining safety documentation such as:
    • System Safety Management/Program Plan (SSMP/SSPP)
    • Safety Assessment Reports (SAR)
    • Hazard Logs / Hazard Tracking System
    • Environmental / Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP) or equivalent.
• Experience presenting system safety content and artifacts at technical and program reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, safety boards).
• Experience working in a collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering environment and effectively communicating safety-related issues, risks, and mitigations to engineering leadership and program stakeholders.
• Ability to perform in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment where small teams share broad responsibilities.
• Strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet program and company objectives.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or related field from an ABET-accredited institution.
• Current, active U.S. DoD Secret clearance or higher.
• Experience with UAVs / UAS and/or weaponized unmanned systems.
• Experience with weapon system safety, including:
  • Participation in weapon system safety boards, fuze boards, and/or rocket motor safety boards.
  • Familiarity with MIL-STD-1316 (Safety Criteria for Fuze Design) and MIL-STD-1901 (Safety Criteria for Fuze- and Initiation-System-Design).
• Experience with software safety, including software hazard analysis and coordination with software engineering teams to implement and verify safety mitigations.
• Familiarity with DO-178C (and related guidance such as ARP4754A/ARP4761), including safety-driven determination of software levels and evidence required to support airworthiness or certification.
• Familiarity with AMCOM 385-17 (System Safety in Army Materiel Acquisition) and its application to Army aviation and weapon system safety programs, including support to Army safety and weapon system safety boards.
• Experience with other safety-related standards and disciplines, such as:
  • Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability (RAM) analyses.
  • Human factors / human-systems integration considerations as they relate to safety.
• Experience with requirements management and MBSE tools (e.g., Jama, Cameo) to ensure traceability between hazards, safety requirements, design mitigations, and verification evidence.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)

• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Clearance Level

The salary range for this role is:

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits:  AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown.  For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit:  http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply.  NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology-we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian-but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters-with speed, scale, and purpose-there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR