Your mission
You will be the systems safety lead for a next-generation Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), driving a safety-by-design approach across the entire product lifecycle. This includes ensuring all mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems meet stringent safety requirements. As a Principal / Senior Systems Engineer, you will define the safety-critical architecture and interfaces, manage safety integration and verification activities, and drive system safety validation through rigorous testing, hazard analysis, and compliance reporting.
Responsibilities
* Serve as the system safety lead for UAS product development and upgrades, owning overall platform safety and coherency from concept through delivery.
* Work day-to-day within multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, electrical, avionics, software, test) across the full lifecycle of UAS design, integration, test and fielding.
* Conceptualise and capture system architecture for new platforms and enhancements, producing technical trade studies, safety‑critical sizing, and system performance assessments.
* Establish and execute the system safety program, including the development of Preliminary Hazard Analyses (PHA) and System/Subsystem Hazard Assessments (SHA/SSHA).
* Lead and coordinate Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) activities across multidisciplinary teams.
* Produce layout and system design plans, define Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and enforce interface control processes for mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems.
* Establish and maintain requirements baselines, including safety requirements, and traceability using industry tools (e.g., IBM DOORS) and MBSE approaches.
* Implement robust change control processes to manage and assess the impact of all design changes on system safety and compliance.
* Act as the technical interface between internal teams, suppliers and customers to coordinate payload integration, unique/custom hardware or software interfaces, and ensure on‑time capability delivery.
* Manage tactical engineering tasks during development sprints and test campaigns, resolving cross‑discipline issues and maintaining configuration control.
Qualifications
* Degree (or equivalent) in Systems, Aerospace, Electrical or a closely related Engineering discipline.
* Significant industry experience with demonstrable systems engineering and system safety responsibility on UAV/aerospace or equivalent complex, safety‑critical platforms.
* Strong practical experience integrating complex systems: power systems, RF/EMC, EO sensors, networking, flight controllers and payload interfaces.
* Proven track record in requirements capture, compliance analysis, and verification/validation activities; proficient with requirements management tools (IBM DOORS or similar).
* Demonstrable experience leading and executing safety analyses, including Hazard Assessments (PHA/SHA/SSHA) and FMEA/DFMEA.
* Familiarity with safety standards (e.g., ARP4754A, ARP4761, DO-178C, DO-254) and the principles of requirements and change control in a regulated environment.
* Familiarity with MBSE principles, interface control processes and configuration management in regulated environments.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills; highly organised and detail‑oriented.
* Ability to operate effectively in fast‑moving, ambiguous environments and to travel within the UK/Europe for testing and integration.
* A genuine passion for system development, integration and testing and a collaborative, inclusive team approach.
* Security‑cleared or eligible to obtain UK defence clearance.
Desirable
* Prior experience leading Systems Engineering and authoring safety assurance documentation and risk management artefacts.
* Experience integrating complex/custom payloads for partner or customer use (hardware, electrical and software interfaces).
* Background in start‑up or scale‑up environments where rapid prototyping, iterative testing and pragmatic engineering decisions are typical.
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