Aircraft Systems Safety Engineer

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The VX4, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky.

We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices.

We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals of having the VX4 in service by 2030.

What to expect

As an Aircraft Systems Safety Engineer, you will join a team of passionate individuals whose primary focus is ensuring the safety of our fully electric VX4 aircraft. You'll apply your strong technical background in safety-critical systems in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

A typical day could range from conducting detailed safety assessments, deriving critical safety requirements through analysis, to collaborating with multiple teams to ensure safety is integrated throughout the aircraft design process.

The ability to be curious, proactive, and analytical with close attention to detail will all factor into this role's impact and your success in helping develop a safe and sustainable aircraft that's accessible to everyone.

What you'll do

• You will undertake a variety of safety activities, including Functional Hazard Assessments, System Safety Assessments, and Aircraft Survivability Analyses for both technology demonstrator and certification aircraft.

• You will derive safety requirements through analysis and cross-team collaboration, covering system interfaces, equipment-level considerations, and installation and maintenance activities.

• You will support the development of the aircraft safety case and contribute to its evolution throughout the design process.

• You will work closely with Design Teams to ensure system safety is a key consideration from the earliest stages of development.

• You will contribute to the development and continuous improvement of the operating framework of the Aircraft Safety Team.

What you'll bring

• Education to degree level or higher in an Engineering discipline (Aerospace, Mechanical or equivalent).

• Background in the design and development of safety-critical systems.

• Experience with aircraft and/or system-level safety assessments.

• Awareness of aircraft certification processes and requirements.

• Knowledge of SAE ARP 4754A / 4761 and their application.

• Familiarity with fault tree analysis tools.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with an ability to explain complex ideas to different audiences.

• Formal training and suitable experience in system safety.

Desired

• Knowledge of air vehicle design.

• Experience working with multiple air vehicle types, including rotorcraft and multi-rotors.

• Experience with 2X.1309 and SC VTOL.2510 and relevant regulations and guidance materials.

• Experience conducting Particular Risk, Zonal Safety, Common Mode and/or Reliability analyses.

• Knowledge of System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) and its application to complex systems.

• Understanding of risk management and safety management systems.

• Exposure to Model-Based Systems Engineering.

• Awareness of the interrelationship between Cyber Security and Safety.

• Basic understanding of aviation software development and system communication protocols.

• Knowledge of RTCA DO-178C and RTCA DO-254.

What can you expect from us?

We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career.

Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal. 

Our benefits

Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.

• 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday

• 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)

• 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership

• Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits

• Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand)

• Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee

• Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it

• Breakfast on us, every day

We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.

Disclaimer Statement

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.