International Expat: Manager, Operational Safety

Supernal•International Falls, MN

2h•Onsite

About The Position

Supernal is an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company that’s developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle and the ground-to-air ecosystem to support the emerging industry. By creating a sustainable, integrated, and human-centered ecosystem, we are committed to taking a thoughtful and responsible approach to entering the AAM market with a product that meets the high level of safety and reliability in today’s air transportation system. The future of mobility starts with people. We believe in creative thinking and collaboration to help build a better mobility experience for everyone, improving people’s ability to move – whether for work or play. Join our dynamic team as we strive to be a part of something greater where potential powers tomorrow! Supernal provides an inviting open-space workplace designed to foster collaboration, which aligns with one of our core values. This position is required to work on-site 5 days a week. Job Purpose/Summary: The Manager, Operational Safety (Safety Process Integration & Liaison) serves as the technical and operational anchor for the development and oversight of the Safety Management System (SMS). This role monitors safety-critical milestones in real time and ensures alignment of Supernal’s Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management (SRM), and Safety Assurance (SA) activities with FAA Part 5 expectations and Supernal’s safety objectives. In this role, you will provide technical guidance on FAA-aligned safety standards, hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk acceptance structures across product development activities. You will ensure that key safety processes—including hazard analysis, mitigation tracking, safety performance monitoring, and Emergency Response Planning—are executed with regulatory rigor and aligned with Supernal’s evolving SMS governance framework. Acting as a coordination and internalization bridge, you will capture and institutionalize safety methodologies and governance mechanisms within Supernal. Your mission is to harmonize safety governance and risk management practices, establishing a scalable, compliant, and high-integrity safety foundation to support Supernal’s future AAM development and operational readiness. Job Level: The role is posted at a Level 4; however, the role will be compensated commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems Engineering or other related field required
Minimum of five (5) years of experience in aviation safety, Safety Management Systems (SMS), or regulated aerospace development environments.
Strong knowledge of FAA 14 CFR Part 5 and familiarity with SMS implementation within certified aviation organizations.
Experience supporting Safety Risk Management (SRM) processes, including hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation tracking.
Experience supporting Safety Assurance activities, including safety performance monitoring, internal evaluations, and corrective action processes.
Familiarity with safety reporting systems and safety data governance within regulated environments.
Experience contributing to Emergency Response Planning (ERP) or crisis management frameworks.
Demonstrated experience supporting SMS governance, regulatory audits, or safety oversight activities.
Ability to assess SMS effectiveness across Safety Policy, SRM, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion components.
Capability to evaluate hazard analyses, risk classifications, and risk acceptance structures.
Ability to integrate operational safety considerations into engineering processes.
Understanding of safety performance monitoring and corrective action tracking mechanisms.
Ability to identify systemic safety risks and governance gaps impacting regulatory compliance.
Sound technical judgment in evaluating safety impacts of design or program changes.
Ability to coordinate cross-functional inputs across engineering, test, and certification teams.
Structured communication skills for safety-related regulatory and executive discussions.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Systems Engineering Program Management or related field preferred

Responsibilities

Review and assess the Safety Management System (SMS), including Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management (SRM), Safety Assurance (SA), and Safety Promotion activities, to ensure alignment with FAA Part 5 requirements and Supernal safety objectives.
Lead the structured transfer and internalization of hazard identification, safety risk assessment, and risk acceptance processes into Supernal’s SMS framework.
Monitor implementation of formal SRM activities, including hazard analysis, risk classification, mitigation tracking, and safety risk acceptance authority alignment.
Ensure Safety Assurance processes support continuous monitoring, internal evaluation, corrective action tracking, and Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) oversight.
Oversee safety reporting systems and ensure protection, integrity, and proper handling of safety data in accordance with SMS governance principles.
Support development and maintenance of Emergency Response Plans (ERP) and crisis management procedures consistent with FAA SMS expectations.
Provide technical safety inputs to engineering and product development teams to ensure safety objectives and operational risk considerations are integrated throughout the lifecycle.
Support safety promotion activities, including training, communication, and safety awareness programs aligned with SMS responsibilities.
Monitor safety audits, change management safety assessments, and milestone readiness reviews to ensure safety risks are systematically evaluated and controlled.
Identify safety governance gaps, systemic risk trends, and resource shortfalls impacting SMS effectiveness and require mitigation within delegated authority.
Escalate material safety concerns, risk acceptance conflicts, or SMS non-compliance issues impacting regulatory commitments or operational readiness.
Other duties as assigned.
Ability to travel up to 25% domestically and internationally.