Principal Safety Engineer

BAE Systems; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor in Portsmouth is seeking a safety engineer to advise on product safety and manage safety practitioners. The role requires a degree in a relevant STEM subject and experience in safety engineering. Competitive salary around £60,000 with extensive benefits, including pension scheme, flexible working, and relocation support for eligible candidates. A welcoming and inclusive culture is emphasized.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Enhanced annual leave

Flexible working

Employee discounts

Cycle2work scheme

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification (or equivalent experience) in a relevant STEM subject.
• Broad knowledge of industry safety standards.
• Demonstrable experience in safety engineering activities.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice on product safety matters.
• Engage with third parties to gather supporting evidence.
• Develop safety arguments and produce safety documentation.
• Line-manage other safety practitioners.

Skills

Safety engineering experience

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Degree in STEM (Engineering/Physics/Maths/Science)

Tools

Def Stan 00-055

Def Stan 00-056

IEC 61508

Job description

Responsibilities

• Providing advice on product safety matters to project and engineering managers delivering the programmes and ensuring the safety considerations are correctly considered and implemented.
• Engaging with third parties to review and gather supporting Design Safety Justification (DSJ) report evidence.
• Developing safety arguments, both physical and functional, using appropriate safety analysis methods, and producing and updating DSJ’s and safety management documentation using relevant regulations and standards.
• Line‑managing other safety practitioners in your team.

Qualifications

• Degree‑level qualification (or equivalent experience) in a relevant STEM subject (Engineering/Physics/Maths/Science).
• Broad knowledge of industry safety standards such as Def Stan 00‑055, Def Stan 00‑056, IEC 61508 or similar.
• Demonstrable experience in safety engineering activities in the defence, maritime or other highly regulated domains.

Desirable Skills

• Good communication skills and the ability to interact and manage stakeholders.

Security & Vetting

Many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must, as a minimum, achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Salary & Benefits

Salary: Circa £60,000 depending on experience. You’ll receive benefits including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance, a company‑contributed Share Incentive Plan, flexible working, an employee assistance programme, Cycle2work, employee discounts and a potential annual incentive.

Team & Culture

The Safety & Environmental team: You will have the opportunity to work within a team of engineers and technical specialists to help us design, develop, integrate, manage, and support complex systems and combat sub‑systems for in‑service and future submarines. We offer relocation support packages across all Submarine roles, subject to meeting eligibility criteria. This is a place where you can make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (e.g., dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder, etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.