Staff System Safety Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

System Safety Engineer

About Electra:

At Electra, we're pioneering sustainable aviation by developing hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft designed to transform regional air mobility, by making air travel more efficient, quieter, and environmentally friendly. Able to operate from soccer field-sized spaces, our Ultra Short unlocks a new era of aviation through what we call Direct Aviation - the next level of connectivity bringing air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, with additional locations in Switzerland, we're building a diverse team of global professionals passionate about redefining the future of aviation.

Position Overview:

Electra is seeking a System Safety Engineer to ensure safety and reliability of aircraft systems throughout their lifecycle, from design to operation, for Electra's EL9 Ultra Short aircraft. This role will focus on conducting safety analysis and risk assessments, defining safety-critical requirements, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and developing system safety documentation. This is an incredible opportunity to make a direct impact on a cutting-edge development program.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions:

• Conduct safety analyses such as failure hazard assessments (FHA), system safety assessments (SSA), fault tree analysis (FTA), and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). Evaluate the severity and likelihood of hazards, assess risks, and define risk mitigation measures.

• Define safety-critical requirements for aircraft systems, working closely with design engineers to ensure safety considerations are incorporated into the system design.

• Support development of company and program-level safety documentation, including system safety program plans, safety assessment reports, safety analysis reports, and hazard logs.

• Provide clear safety analysis reports to stakeholders (including regulatory bodies) to support certification and operational approval.

• Ensure compliance with national and international aviation safety standards, including Safety of Aircraft Systems (DO-178C, DO-254) and ARP 4754A (Guidelines for the development of civil aircraft and systems).

• Participate in design reviews to evaluate safety-critical aspects of the aircraft systems and provide recommendations for design improvements, ensuring that safety issues identified during the design phase are addressed and tracked through implementation.

• Identify potential failure modes for aircraft systems and their impacts on overall safety, working with the appropriate engineering disciplines to define and implement mitigation strategies (e.g., redundancy, fault tolerance).

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams consisting of engineering, operations, program leadership, suppliers and certification leads, to ensure safety considerations are integrated into all aspects of aircraft design and operations.

• Provide safety-related training to engineering teams, ensuring they understand system safety principles and practices.

• Promote a safety culture within the engineering organization.

• Stay up to date with changes in aviation safety regulations, standards, and best practices.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in an Engineering discipline with at least 5 years of relevant experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience)

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience with aircraft systems engineering, with a specific focus on safety-related roles.

• Experience in performing safety analyses such as Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), System Safety Assessments (SSA), and/or other safety-related techniques.

• Exposure to reliability engineering and risk management principles.

• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, team-oriented environment.

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience with safety certification processes on a FAA Part 23 aircraft certification program.

• Exposure to full life-cycle development of aircraft systems, from initial design and analysis to testing, certification, and operational monitoring.

• Practical experience with safety-critical systems in both development and operational settings.

• Private pilot certificate.

• Fundamental understanding of system safety processes, procedures, and analytical methods.

Location:

Headquarters in Manassas, VA.  To encourage close collaboration, this position is strongly preferred to be on-site.

Travel : <25%

Compensation and Benefits

In addition to offering an exciting work environment and the opportunity to be part of the team making Ultra Short flight a reality, at Electra, we offer an unparalleled total rewards package. Electra offers employees a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, and life insurance, generous PTO and sick leave, company holidays, paid winter break, and a 401(k) plan with immediate vesting. Life at Electra includes a variety of perks, such as free catered lunches, amazing coffee, snacks, drinks, fruit, free parking, and opportunities for much more.

Working Conditions

Work is typically performed in a warehouse/aviation and office environment, which requires proper safety precautions. Work may require some physical effort in handling light materials, boxes, power tools, prototypes, and different materials or equipment. Due to the nature of our business and projects, some fieldwork may be required, working in both indoor and outdoor conditions. You may need to lift up to 50 lbs.

Background & Drug Screening

Successful completion of a background check and/or drug screening prior to starting work may be required for this position.

Commitment

We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those from marginalized or underrepresented groups in the tech industry and aerospace, to apply for our job openings. We firmly believe that a diverse range of perspectives can profoundly influence both our product and our company culture.

Electra is committed to a work environment that is inclusive to all and free of discrimination. It is our policy to be an equal opportunity employer without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic predisposition or carrier status, veteran status, citizenship status, or any other factors prohibited by law. Electra will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals.

Electra is an E-Verify employer.