Senior System Safety Engineer (IEC 62304)

Role summary

This position within the Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) organization at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) provides for design compliance insight/oversight of the Space Launch System (SLS) Avionics subsystem (flight hardware) and associated test equipment and facilities throughout the Design, Development, Test, and Evaluation (DDT&E) lifecycle. The position supports independent assessment of system safety analysis products developed by the Prime Contractor and determining the technical risk posture for avionics hardware and associated support equipment and facilities, including (but not limited to) avionics emulators, simulators, Systems Integration Labs (SIL), and System Integration Test Facilities (SITF). The selected candidate, in concert with subject matter experts from Software Assurance/Software Safety, Engineering, and Facilities, will be responsible for the development and maintenance of System Safety Analysis Reports (SSARs) for test equipment and associated facilities.

Responsibilities

• Independently evaluate Prime Contractor-provided avionics hazard analyses and associated safety products (e.g., hazard reports, SSAR content, FMEA/FFA/FTA artifacts, CIL impacts, safety data packages), ensuring technical rigor and traceability to requirements.
• Verify hazards, failure modes, severities, and likelihood characterizations are consistent with applicable SLS risk frameworks and program expectations (e.g., risk matrix alignment).
• Assess mitigation strategies and control effectiveness, including evidence of verification/validation, test data, and operational constraints; ensure findings are captured in the appropriate hazard analysis/hazard tracking repositories and elevated through SMA channels as needed.
• Use authoritative sources (requirements, design documentation, drawings, test plans/procedures, operational products) to understand avionics architectures and interfaces prior to assessment.
• Periodically review hazard control verification data for adequacy and completeness.
• Lead/author and document hazard analysis for avionics support equipment and facilities, including
• Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and avionics testbeds.
• Emulators/simulators and ground support software/hardware used for integration and checkout.
• SIL/SITF operations, test configurations, and facility procedures.
• Identify credible hazardous scenarios involving electrical energy, RF, software-commanded operations, stored energy, mechanical hazards, human factors, and interface hazards (flight-to-ground, facility-to-flight hardware).
• Define and verify controls (design, procedural, operational, and administrative), ensuring controls are implementable for both routine test operations and off-nominal conditions.
• Review ECRs, deviations, waivers, test configuration changes, and procedure updates impacting avionics safety requirements, hazard controls, risk posture, or certification basis; document concurrence positions and required actions.
• Participate in program/element milestone reviews, safety reviews (including tabletop and test readiness contexts), and engineering task teams; submit formal comments/RIDs as appropriate with focus on integration and risk significance.
• Provide SME support to boards as needed (e.g., configuration control, problem/material review, discipline boards).
• Evaluate verification plans and compliance evidence to ensure safety requirements are explicitly included and demonstrated through objective data.
• Periodically review hazard control verification closure data for adequacy, completeness, and traceability.
• Deliver real-time safety assessments during launches, countdowns, and operations at the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC).
• Support flight readiness posture by providing risk-informed input and recommendations consistent with SMA leadership expectations (including pre-CoFR issue discussions and real-time support when required).
• This position requires US Citizenship due to the sensitivity of customer related information.
• Must have a bachelor's degree in engineering (electrical, computer, aerospace, systems, or related).
• Must have 10+ years of recent and related work experience in system safety engineering.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience developing/reviewing: FTA, FMEA/FFA, hazard analyses/hazard reports, SSAR content, and safety data packages.
• Avionics domain depth (typical examples): flight computers, data buses, power distribution, sensors, command/telemetry, redundancy management, GNC interfaces, timing/synchronization, and avionics software-commanded operations in integrated test environments.
• Proficiency in system safety methods and tools (e.g., CAFTA/SAPHIRE or equivalent), and hazard analysis techniques (FTA/FMEA/HAZOP or equivalent).
• Ability to identify, evaluate, and mitigate lifecycle risks for complex engineering systems and integrated test facilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for complex issues.
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong work ethic, organization, time management, and flexibility for surge demands.
• Commitment to professional development (e.g., NASA SATERN courses and STEP Level training).
• Systems-thinking ability to assess complex interdependencies and interactions.
• Experience with integrated avionics test environments (SIL/SITF), including facility safety integration, procedure/test constraint development, and operational readiness.
• Familiarity with NASA-STD-8739.8 for software assurance.
• Expertise in additional safety methods beyond core requirements.
• Ability to facilitate collaboration across disciplines.
• Experience with aerospace/ complex systems direct experience supporting NASA programs/ projects strongly preferred.
• 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.

All the organization employees must be able to pass a national agency check and some positions require clearance and will require an extensive background verification/check process.

Requirements

• Must have experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and TEAMS.
• All of the organization's employees must be team players with strong work ethics and must be culture oriented.
• Able to communicate effectively, verbally and in written form, with internal and external customers.
• Able to follow company programs, processes, procedures, practices, requirements, goals, and objectives.
• Must be organized with good time management skills and must be able to work outside normal schedule and adjust schedule to meet peak periods and surge requirements.
• Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on the task.
• Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of the time) and may require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of the time).
• Regular attendance in accordance with an established work schedule is critical.