Senior System Safety Engineer

About the role

Solidus is seeking a highly skilled Senior System Safety Engineer to lead the development, implementation, and management of comprehensive system safety programs for complex defense and aerospace technologies. In this role, you will ensure total compliance with MIL-STD-882E standards across the entire product lifecycle from program initialization through production, demilitarization, and final disposal. The ideal candidate serves as a critical technical bridge, translating complex hazard analyses into actionable design constraints for cross-functional engineering teams, while interfacing directly with government approval authorities and customer safety representatives.

This position requires onsite work in Tucson, AZ and an active Secret security clearance. Candidates who do not hold this clearance are not eligible for hire.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain MIL-STD-882E compliant system safety programs, authoring foundational documents such as the System Safety Program Plan (SSPP).
• Perform MIL-STD-882E System Safety Program tasks and analyses across all phases:
  • Program planning, tracking, and risk acceptance tracking
  • Conducting Functional Hazard Analyses (FHA), System Hazard Analyses (SHA), and Operating & Support Hazard Analyses (O&SHA)
  • Quantifying environmental, health, and safety risks using standard mishap probability and severity matrices
  • Defining safety test requirements and verifying that implemented controls effectively eliminate or mitigate hazards
• Work collaboratively across all integrated product teams (IPTs) to ensure safety architectures are appropriately allocated to software, firmware, electrical, and hardware systems.
• Establish, manage, and chair System Safety Working Groups (SSWGs) to drive alignment between internal engineers and external military/customer safety boards.
• Prepare internal and customer-facing reports detailing safety analyses, and brief program safety postures at formal technical milestones (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR).
• Collaborate with Program Management and government approval authorities from program startup through production to demilitarization and disposal.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or technical discipline with 5+ years of professional system safety experience, OR Master's degree in an engineering or technical discipline with 3+ years of professional system safety experience.
• Active Secret clearance is required.
• Direct, hands-on experience applying MIL-STD-882E guidelines and tasks within a defense or aerospace environment.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret system requirements and customer specifications, interfacing smoothly with Systems, Software, Firmware, and Hardware Engineering teams.
• Strong technical writing capabilities and experience briefing military customer safety representatives or government approval authorities.
• Experience with software safety criteria (e.g., MIL-STD-882E Software Safety Assessment, DO-178C, or Joint Software System Safety Committee Handbook).
• Active participation in leadership of formal military System Safety Working Groups (SSWGs).
• Experience utilizing requirement management tools like DOORS to maintain safety requirement traceability.

Benefits

Solidus offers outstanding benefits, generous PTO, and much more.