Sr. System Safety Engineer

Viasat, Inc.

About The Position

We have a great opportunity for a System Safety Engineer to join our Government team! In this role, you will support the development, integration, and sustainment of complex systems by ensuring safety risks are systematically identified, analyzed, and mitigated throughout the system lifecycle. This role applies system safety engineering principles to evaluate hazards associated with hardware, software, and operational environments and ensures appropriate controls are implemented to reduce risk. This position works closely with systems engineering, design teams, program management, the Viasat Environmental Health and Safety team, suppliers, and external customers to integrate safety into system design and program execution. The System Safety Engineer contributes to the development and improvement of the organization’s system safety program, ensuring alignment with applicable standards such as MIL-STD-882E while supporting efficient product development, testing, and operational deployment. This role requires strong analytical capabilities, clear technical communication, and the ability to influence cross-functional engineering teams to ensure safety considerations are incorporated into system design and operational procedures.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Systems Engineering, Safety Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, a related field) or equivalent years of experience.
10 years of professional experience in system safety engineering, systems engineering, or related technical field
Experience applying system safety engineering principles and hazard analysis methodologies
Familiarity with defense safety standards, including MIL-STD-882E, MIL-STD-1472 and MIL-HDBK-764
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, system architecture, and technical documentation
Strong technical writing and communication skills
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary engineering teams
Strong analytical and organizational skills
Ability to work independently with minimal direction
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
U.S. citizenship required
Ability to travel up to 25% to support program activities

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting DoD or military programs
Knowledge of SAE ARP4761 safety analysis methods including PASA/PSSA, SSA, PRA, ZSA, and CMA
Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and methodologies
Active secret clearance

Responsibilities

Perform hazard identification and risk analysis activities for system hardware, software, and operational environments
Conduct system safety analyses including Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA), System Safety Assessments, O&SHA, and Health Hazard Assessments
Develop and maintain a Hazard Tracking System (HTS) to document hazards, mitigation strategies, and risk acceptance decisions
Evaluate engineering designs, schematics, and system architecture to identify hazards, latent failure modes, and safety compliance issues
Coordinate with systems engineers, design engineers, and program teams to incorporate safety requirements into system development
Support verification and validation activities to ensure safety requirements are correctly implemented
Participate in technical forums such as Integrated Product Teams, System Safety Working Groups, and design reviews
Provide safety input during system testing, operational planning, and maintenance procedure development
Prepare safety analysis reports and technical documentation for internal stakeholders and external customers
Represent system safety engineering during customer reviews and program milestone reviews
Contribute to continuous improvement of system safety processes, analysis methods, and documentation templates