Job Summary
The AD&D System Safety Engineer defines and leads system safety strategy for early‑phase aircraft and system concepts and is responsible for ensuring the safety and reliability of designs being developed by the Advanced Design & Development team. This role will focus on the initial phases of aircraft development—ideation, hypothesis generation, stakeholder engagement, technology maturation, and conceptual design. This role will develop safety‑driven architectures, allocate safety and reliability requirements, and establish re‑usable safety cases and analysis patterns that can be carried forward into detailed design and certification programs. This position involves acting as a safety architect and technical leader and collaborating with cross-functional teams, including aero, airframe, systems, software, and certification engineers as well as flight test, flight operations, and IT, to ensure that novel technologies and operating concepts can be matured into certifiable, operationally viable products.
This role will work with small, agile teams to explore new user value propositions, challenge the status quo, and evolve ideas into developed systems with validated architectures and requirements ready for detailed design and certification planning.
Duties and Responsibilities/Essential Functions
- Define AD&D safety engineering strategy, processes, and methods aligned with core Product Development’s System Safety and Systems Engineering practices.
- Conduct system safety analyses to support early development design decisions such as system architectures, availability, integrity, monitoring, and other safety requirements.
- Conduct and document Functional Decompositions.
- Conduct and document aircraft and system level safety analyses – specifically Aircraft Functional Hazard Assessments, Preliminary Aircraft Safety Assessments, System Functional Hazard Assessments, Preliminary System Safety Assessments, Particular Risk Assessments, Common Cause Assessments, and Particular Risk Assessments.
- Develop and review system schematics.
- Develop and validate reliability, maintenance, and safety requirements.
- Participate in trade studies and design reviews.
- Perform reliability and safety trade studies for alternative architectures and design concepts.
- Establish and maintain safety cases, including explicit documentation of assumptions, open issues, and certification risks for transition into development programs.
- Mentor and coach AD&D and Systems Engineers in safety driven design practices, including early phase use of ARP4754B/4761A and runtime assurance.
- Perform reliability analysis of electrical and/or mechanical assemblies using RIAC NPRD-2011, NSWC-11, RIAC Reliability Toolkit, and/or equivalent.
- Perform reliability analysis of electrical assemblies using MIL-HDBK-217-F2, RIAC NPRD-2011, RIAC Reliability Toolkit, and/or equivalent .
- Perform Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) of electrical and/or mechanical assemblies per MIL-STD-1629A, SAE ARP4761, RIAC FMD-2013, RIAC Reliability Toolkit, and/or equivalent.
- Support safety of flight determination for first flights.
- Identify Failure Modes and Effects Test (FMET) cases and support simulation and flight FMET
- Review vendors’ reliability analysis and FMEA submittals for completeness and accuracy.
- Perform Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and common cause analyses (CCAs) of electrical and/or mechanical systems per SAE ARP4761.
- Development of tasks and procedures for flight crew and periodic maintenance requirements necessary for ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements.
- Coordinate closely with and support the work of system and software architects, systems development assurance, systems engineering, electrical and mechanical systems design, flight deck designers, human factors engineers, and flight test.
- Travel up to 25% may be required.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or relevant technical discipline.
- 8+ years of experience with Systems Safety Analyses – specifically AFHA, PASA, SFHA, PSSA, CCA, and FMEAs
- Must have a strong understanding of ARP 4761 and ARP 4754A
- Must be able to conduct quick assessments and provide feedback on designs or architectures with only verbal direction or minimal documentation (whiteboard sketches, preliminary schematics, etc.)
- Must be able to work effectively in early product development phases, before full requirements or system descriptions are documented.
- Must be able to work with highly iterative or frequently changing designs
- Must be able to demonstrate the ability to read, write and speak the English language
- Ability to communicate technical knowledge in a clear and understandable manner
- Intrinsic motivation to drive progress - to explore, challenge, and innovate – and to minimize administrative overhead
- Must be innovation minded and willing to try new and different methods or approaches
- Must be comfortable operating under tight deadlines with minimal direction and in a shop or lab environment
- Must be proficient in reading and creating engineering design definition - 3D models, 2D drawings, sketches, schematics, BOMs.
- Ability to work both independently and across a variety of functional disciplines
- Ability to efficiently learn new skills and manage multiple tasks
- Proficient with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Visio)
- Must demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous aircraft development program experience, from early concepts to entry into service
- Private pilot certificate or personal aviation experience
- Familiarity with ARP 4761A and ARP 4754B
- Familiarity with advanced software functions and run time assurance methods
- Working understanding of the FAA’s Safety Continuum concepts
- Knowledgeable of or experienced with STPA (Systems Theoretic Process Analysis)
- Broad technical skillset related to aircraft, with strong understanding of systems engineering and system safety
- Master’s degree in related discipline
- Previous experience with Model Based Systems Engineering
- Previous experience with CAFTA
- Previous experience with JAMA
- Familiarity with PTC products (e.g. CREO, Windchill)
- Familiarity with Mathworks products (e.g. Matlab, Simulink)
- Familiarity with Atlassian products (e.g. Jira, Confluence)
- Proficient in at least one coding language
- Experience with FAA certification processes and standards (e.g. Part 23, Part 27, Advisory Circulars, Industry Consensus Standards)
- Familiarity with foreign validation activities for other Civil Aviation Authorities
- Participation in the development and publishing of Industry Consensus Standards
- Experience in cross-disciplinary system integration and trade studies
- Demonstrated ability to communicate, negotiate, and collaborate effectively across all levels of an organization, from the shop floor to the C-suite
- Bonus points if your weekends involve flying, plane spotting, or building RC aircraft
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
- Product-level thinking
- Open minded
- Creative problem solving
- Nimble learning
- Collaborates extremely well
- Action oriented
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Work beyond 40 hours per week may be required.
Cirrus is dedicated to a drug free work environment promoting equal employment opportunity. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, national origin, color, age, disability, religion, pregnancy, veteran status, marital and family status, sexual orientation, receipt of public assistance, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Our Benefits
- 401(k) Plan: Dollar-for-dollar match up to 5% after 90 days, with 100% vesting after one year of employment.
- Employer-Paid Coverages: Group term life, short- and long-term disability insurance.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, vision, dental, with additional dependent coverage options.
- Free Health Tracking: With rewards for meeting health goals.
- Generous PTO: 120+ hours accrued within the first year.
- Employee Referral Bonus: For referring talented candidates.
- Career Development: Tuition reimbursement and professional growth opportunities.
- Exclusive Discounts: Access to partner and marketplace discounts.
- Community & Engagement: Company and employee clubs at various locations.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
