Advanced Systems Safety Engineer

Vertical Aerospace; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering aviation company in the United Kingdom is seeking an Aircraft Safety Engineer. This role involves conducting safety assessments and collaborating with various teams to ensure safety in aircraft development. Ideal candidates should have a degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering and experience with safety-critical systems. The position promises a flexible working environment and a chance to work at the heart of innovative electric aviation technology with competitive benefits.

Benefits

26 days holiday plus bank holiday

5 extra days to buy or sell

Company performance based bonus

Company pension scheme - 5% matching

Breakfast provided daily

Qualifications

• Experience designing or developing safety-critical systems.
• Strong track record in performing aircraft or system-level safety assessments.
• Working knowledge of aircraft certification standards and processes.

Responsibilities

• Carry out safety assessments including Functional Hazard Assessments.
• Perform supporting analyses such as Fault Tree Analysis.
• Collaborate with engineers to raise awareness of safety considerations.

Skills

Safety assessment

Functional Hazard Assessments

Communication skills

Collaborative mindset

Education

Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related field

Tools

Fault Tree Analysis

Reliability analysis

Job description

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, 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 rule out a '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. Valo is targeting airliner‑level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

What to Expect

You’ll be part of our growing Aircraft Safety team, working across both aircraft and systems levels. Reporting to the Principal System Safety Engineer, you’ll be responsible for delivering critical safety assessments and helping to shape our approach to safety throughout the engineering organisation. This is a high‑impact role where you’ll collaborate closely with design, systems, test, and compliance teams to ensure safety is at the core of our aircraft development.

What You’ll Do

• Carry out safety assessments including Functional Hazard Assessments (FHAs), Preliminary System Safety Assessments (PSSAs), and System Safety Assessments (SSAs) for systems such as Flight Controls, Actuation, and Battery Management.

• Perform supporting analyses such as Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Common Mode Analysis (CMA), Particular Risk Assessments (PRA), and Zonal Safety Assessments (ZSA).

• Help develop and substantiate elements of the aircraft safety case in line with certification and operational needs.

• Define safety requirements and ensure they are captured, communicated, and tracked with design and integration teams.

• Collaborate with engineers across disciplines to raise awareness of safety considerations and embed them in our product.

• Contribute to certification planning activities related to safety.

• Continuously improve our safety processes, tools, and documentation.

What You’ll Bring

• A degree or higher qualification in Aerospace, Mechanical, or a related engineering field.

• Experience designing or developing safety‑critical systems.

• Strong track record in performing aircraft or system‑level safety assessments, especially for flight control, actuation, or battery systems.

• Working knowledge of aircraft certification standards and processes.

• Proficiency in safety analysis techniques and tools such as Fault Tree, STPA, or Reliability analysis.

• Practical experience with ARP4754A/B and ARP4761/A.

• Ability to produce safety documentation to support certification.

• Familiarity with regulations like SC VTOL.2510 or 23.1309.

• Great communication skills and a collaborative mindset.

• It’s a bonus if you also bring:

  • Experience working on eVTOL, UAM, or rotorcraft platforms.

  • Understanding of model‑based systems engineering (MBSE), cyber‑safety, or safety management systems.

  • Familiarity with RTCA DO‑178C and 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

• 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 performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance

• 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.