Staff Software Safety Engineer — Defense

Forterra • Arlington, VA

123d

About The Position

Forterra is seeking an experienced Safety Software Engineer to join our team and support the development of safety-critical software for defense and autonomous vehicle systems. This role will spearhead efforts in ensuring that software for unmanned and autonomous ground platforms meets rigorous defense and automotive safety standards.

You will play a key role in applying structured safety processes to software-intensive systems, ensuring compliance with both military and autonomy-related standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 5+ years of experience in safety-critical software for defense or autonomous vehicle systems.
• Experience with standards such as DO-178C, MIL-STD-882E, IEC 61508, or ISO 26262 (for autonomy-related safety)
• Familiarity with coding standards such as MISRA or SPARK Ada
• Experience with safety analysis techniques (FMEA, FHA, FTA)
• Hands-on use of requirements management tools (DOORS, Polarion, Jama) and issue tracking (JIRA)
• Strong analytical skills in reliability, probability, and system safety modeling
• Experience supporting software verification and validation for autonomous ground platforms, real-time operating systems, or secure embedded systems
• Ability to guide testing and certification activities across defense and autonomy projects.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Experience in developing safety-critical software in defense or autonomous ground vehicle systems.
• Fluency in safety-relevant programming languages (C, C++, Ada)
• Familiarity with structured development methods such as Agile, V-Model, or MIL-STD/DoD software processes.

Nice To Haves

• Certifications such as CSP, CRE, or Functional Safety Expert (FuSa/ISO 26262)
• Knowledge of autonomous vehicle perception, prediction, and control safety challenges
• Understanding of secure-by-design principles and cyber-safety in defense and ground vehicle systems
• Direct experience in unmanned or autonomous ground vehicles for defense applications

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of safety-critical software standards across defense and autonomous vehicle programs
• Develop and refine safety concepts for ground vehicle systems, including architecture, redundancy mechanisms, fault management, and verification activities
• Conduct safety analyses such as FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FHA (Functional Hazard Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis), and DFA (Dependent Failure Analysis)
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on validation and verification plans for unmanned and autonomous ground vehicles
• Support and participate in software integration and qualification testing to demonstrate safety requirements are met
• Mentor engineers on safety software principles, tools, and best practices drawn from both defense and autonomous vehicle domains
• Stay informed about evolving standards in defense and autonomy to continuously improve practices

Benefits

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees