Senior Safety Engineer - Weapons

I'm working with a leading engineering consultancy to find a Senior Weapons Safety Engineer to join their team! This is a brilliant opportunity to join their welcoming team and benefit from the great company culture, while working on interesting safety-critical projects in aerospace, defence, and space, and benefiting from flexible working.

Job Title: Senior Safety Engineer
Domain: Weapons Systems
Location: Bristol (Mostly Remote)
Salary: 65,000 (Plus Bonus)
Company Overview:
My client is a leading engineering consultancy specialising in Systems and Safety Engineering for safety-critical industries, including Aerospace, Defence, and Space. The consultancy works closely with high-profile defence contractors, delivering advanced defence solutions to ensure the safety and effectiveness of weapons systems in demanding operational environments.
They are seeking a Senior Safety Engineer to provide critical support on WOME projects for a key defence client. This role will be integral to ensuring the safety and compliance of cutting-edge missile and radar systems, working with cross-functional teams across the product lifecycle.

The Role:
The Senior Safety Engineer will play a key role in ensuring safety protocols and standards are met in the development and support of complex weapons systems. You will work on various programmes, from surface-launched missiles to radar system upgrades, and ensure that all engineering efforts comply with stringent safety regulations. This includes involvement in the entire development lifecycle, from concept through to design, verification, validation, and final delivery. You'll also provide in-service support to ensure the safe and effective operation of systems already in use.
Key areas of focus will include safety assessments, hazard analysis, and the preparation of safety case reports for certification purposes. You will be liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure systems are developed safely and according to project requirements and timelines.

Responsibilities:

• Safety Case Development: Prepare safety case reports, ensuring that all aspects of safety have been considered and documented. This includes Hazard Analysis (HAZAN), Functional Failure Analysis (FFA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA).
• Systems Safety Engineering: Collaborate with systems engineers to ensure that safety is integrated into the development and design of weapons systems from the earliest stages of the project lifecycle. Ensure all design and operational risks are identified, mitigated, and controlled.
• Compliance: Ensure systems comply with relevant safety standards, including IEC 61508 (Functional Safety) and, where applicable, ARP 4754/61 for aerospace systems.
• Customer Liaison: Work closely with engineering teams and clients to ensure their safety requirements are understood and met. You will act as the key point of contact for safety matters on the projects you lead.
• Support WOME Projects: Deliver safety assurance activities on Weapon Ordnance, Munitions, and Explosives projects, ensuring compliance with safety standards and procedures.
• In-Service Support: Provide ongoing safety support for systems in service, including hazard and safety assessments to ensure the continued safe operation of deployed systems.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Safety Engineering, particularly within a defence, aerospace, or other safety-critical industries.
• Experience with WOME Projects: Prior experience with weapons systems or ordnance projects is highly desirable.
• Safety Case and Hazard Analysis Expertise: Proven ability to deliver safety case reports and perform key safety analysis techniques, such as Hazard Analysis (HAZAN), Functional Failure Analysis (FFA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and FMECA.
• Knowledge of Safety Standards: Strong knowledge of IEC 61508 for Functional Safety is a must. Familiarity with ARP 4754/61 (for civil aerospace) is a bonus but not essential.
• Complex Systems Knowledge: Good understanding of complex electronic and mechanical systems, along with the safety and reliability challenges associated with their development and operation.
• SC Clearance Eligibility: Must be eligible for Security Clearance (SC), with the ability to obtain clearance if not already held.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience with Radar Systems: Familiarity with safety engineering for radar or other advanced sensor technologies used in defence applications.
• In-Service Safety Management: Experience in supporting safety for systems already deployed in service, identifying potential hazards, and ensuring continued compliance with safety standards.
• System Reliability Prediction: Expertise in reliability prediction methodologies, ensuring that both hardware and software systems meet the required safety and operational reliability targets.