System Safety Engineer, SME

About the role

The System Safety Engineer, SME - Space Nuclear Propulsion supports the space program at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. This role contributes to NASA's Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP) Office, advancing technologies for deep-space missions.

Responsibilities

• Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment & Presentation: Identify, analyze, classify (severity & likelihood), and formally present hazards and risks to Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) leadership and risk-accepting authorities during milestone reviews, Table-Top Safety Reviews (TTSRs), and flight readiness/certification forums.
• Safety Requirements Compliance & Documentation Review: Prepare and/or assess System Safety Program Plans; review Project/Contractor documentation (PWS, SRD, CEI, DRDs, verification procedures, etc.); assess proposed changes, Non-compliance Reports, and Waiver/Deviation requests to ensure full compliance with NASA Agency, Center, and Program safety requirements.
• Trade Studies & Design/Operations Safety Input: Actively participate in trade studies for design, development, operations, and mission events on both in-house and contracted projects to ensure safety requirements are met, risks are identified/characterized, and appropriate mitigations are implemented.
• Hazard Control Verification & Closure: Develop/assess verification plans and Detailed Verification Objectives (DVOs); generate or evaluate safety verification compliance data; track implementation and validation of hazard controls; confirm successful closure of verifications; and develop/present operational hazard control verification evidence to the Safety Verification Board.
• Procedure & Operational Safety Review: Review test, checkout, and operating procedures for compliance with approved safety controls and verification requirements.
• Tracking, Reporting & Deliverables: Track SSAR review comments and TTSR action items/agreements to closure; prepare and present safety status during COFR, SORR, FRR, and other program reviews; provide required SMASS contract deliverables (weekly/monthly activity reports, MSR/PEB inputs, DRDs, etc.).
• Perform additional system safety engineering tasks as assigned in support of the SLS Vehicle Integration Branch and overall program safety posture.

Requirements

• This position requires US Citizenship status due to the sensitivity of customer-related information.
• Must have a bachelor's degree in the field of engineering, or a related field.
• Must have 20+ years of recent and related work experience.
• Must possess demonstrable experience in the performance of system safety hazard analyses and documenting results (e.g., development of System Safety Analysis Reports (SSARs) including hazard reports defining hazard causes, controls, and methods of verification/validation).
• Extensive experience in the performance of Fault Tree Analysis, Functional Failure Analysis (FFA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, and/or similar types of system safety engineering analysis.

Desired

• Prior experience supporting NASA, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, commercial nuclear, or national laboratory programs involving nuclear systems, radiological systems, reactor Technologies, or nuclear safety.
• Experience with nuclear propulsion, space nuclear power, radioisotope power systems, nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear electric propulsion, or advanced reactor development.
• Familiarity with nuclear safety basis development, probabilistic risk assessment, fault tree analysis, failure modes and effects analysis, hazard reports, safety assessment reports, radiation protection principles, shielding considerations, ALARA principles, nuclear material controls, and applicable nuclear or radiological safety standards.
• Experience interfacing with design engineers, program management, safety review panels, regulatory authorities, or independent review boards.

Work Location

This position is located onsite and offers a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off; some travel may be required. Schedules are subject to change based on the requirements of the position and/or customer needs.

Bastion Benefits

• Medical, prescription, dental, vision, AD&D, disability benefits
• Life insurance
• Retail 401k
• Vacation, sick pay, holidays
• Flexible work schedules (when available)
• Many other options

About Bastion

Bastion offers a wide range of benefits for their full-time employees; medical, prescription, dental, vision, AD&D, disability benefits, life insurance, retirement 401k, vacation, sick pay, holidays, flexible work schedules (when available), along with many other options. We also support career advancement through professional training and development.

Workplace Excellence

We are passionate about our people and our safety culture. Individual thoughts, opinions, and perspectives bring value and help us develop solutions for challenging problems, they make us more inventive, and more resilient. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status. Bastion participates in e-Verify.