Safety Engineer

Civil Aviation Authority; Gatwick; Hybrid; GBP 62,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Civil Aviation Authority in Gatwick, United Kingdom, seeks a Safety Engineer to join the Engineering, Safety and Environment team. The role focuses on reviewing operator safety demonstrations for space activities, ensuring risks are managed effectively, and supporting licensing from launch through orbital operations.

You will assess safety dossiers, participate in site inspections, and help develop safety frameworks while engaging with international standards and policy experts.

Qualifications

• Degree-level knowledge in an engineering, scientific or mathematical discipline or equivalent experience.
• Experience in safety-related disciplines within high-hazard engineering sectors.
• Strong technical background in design, development, review, manufacture or testing of safety-critical systems.
• Proven ability to manage complex engineering requirements and verification/validation.
• Experience across multiple phases of complex project lifecycles.
• Excellent verbal and written communication to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Assess licence applications, including safety cases and evidence for launch, spaceport, range and orbital activities.
• Support monitoring licensees with on-site inspections and document reviews.
• Prepare technical safety recommendations and identify licence conditions.
• Develop assessment frameworks for safety to ensure consistent reviews.
• Coordinate safety assessment reviews during licence processes and monitoring.
• Develop safety guidance material for the space industry and engage with stakeholders.
• Undertake R&D on space activity hazard and risk management topics.
• Translate complex engineering concepts for policy and regulatory audiences.
• Maintain knowledge of international space regulations, standards and good practice.
• Participate in technical meetings with academic, government, international and industry partners.

Skills

Safety engineering

Risk assessment

Regulatory compliance

Systems engineering

Stakeholder communication

Project lifecycle

Education

Degree-level engineering or science

Job description

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Safety Engineer

Date: 5 Oct 2026

Location: Gatwick, GB

Salary: £62,000 up to £71,957 dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time

Security Level: SC

Location: Aviation House – Gatwick – min 2 days in the office per week or 8 days across a month.

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship

Closing Date: 19th October 2026

Interview Date: w/c 2nd November 2026

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field,enabling a safe and sustainable commercial space sector in the UK.

The Role

This role is for a Safety Engineer within the Engineering, Safety, and Environment team. The team provides engineering, safety, and environmental expertise to support the UK’s space regulatory functions, working closely with regulatory and policy specialists.

You will join a team of technical and safety experts supporting both launch and orbital activities. This role’s focus is on the review and evaluation of operator safety demonstrations to understand the risks of proposed space activities and to determine that operators are managing risks effectively.

What you’ll be doing

• Assess licence applications, including safety cases and supporting evidence for launch, spaceport, range, and orbital activities.
• Support monitoring licensees throughout the lifecycle of their activities, including carrying out on-site inspections, reviewing and analysing documents and other evidence.
• Prepare technical assessment safety recommendations and advice to identify potential licence conditions.
• Assist in the development of assessment frameworks for safety, to ensure consistency in the review of the technical evidence provided by applicants and licensees.
• Help coordinate safety assessment reviews to support licence application processes or ongoing licensee monitoring activities.
• Support the development of safety guidance material for the space industry, including engagement with the sector on safety matters.
• Undertake research and development activities on topics related to space activity hazard and risk management.
• Work closely with policy and regulatory specialists translating complex engineering and safety concepts into clear and actionable advice.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of international space regulations, standards, and industry good practice.
• Participate in, and contribute to, technical meetings with academic collaborators, cross-government, international, industry, and regulatory stakeholders, both internally and externally.

About You

• Degree-level knowledge in an engineering, scientific or mathematical discipline, or equivalent science-based/engineering experience.
• Experience in a safety-related discipline within a high-hazard engineering sector, such as aerospace, nuclear, oil and gas, chemicals, defence, maritime, or offshore industries.
• Strong technical background with experience in the design, development, review, manufacture, or testing of complex and/or safety-critical systems, subsystems, or components.
• Proven experience in developing, managing, and trading off complex engineering requirements, with expertise in design verification and validation.
• Experience across multiple phases of complex project lifecycles, with a clear understanding of project milestones and deliverables.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex engineering or scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences across industry, academia, government, and international partners.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively, independently, and effectively as part of a team.

The team is made of individuals with complementary skills and there is no expectation to have expertise across all the areas listed below. Experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous:

• Developing or reviewing safety cases/reports, or complex risk assessments, including evaluating the suitability and effectiveness of risk controls and mitigations.
• Applying risk assessment techniques, including Bow-Tie Analysis, Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Event Tree Analysis (ETA), Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA), and/or consequence modelling.
• Using or developing space hardware qualification and acceptance processes, including model philosophy, testing, and Assembly, Integration and Verification (AIV) activities for launch vehicles, satellites, and associated subsystems.
• Supporting launch campaigns from either the launch vehicle or payload perspective, with knowledge of mission analysis, mission design, trajectory optimisation, high-speed aerodynamics, stage impact and dispersion analysis, and launch vehicle performance.
• Supporting large-scale space hardware test campaigns, including acceptance and environmental testing of components, subsystems, launch vehicles, or integrated satellites.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.

To be vetted we will usually expect a reasonable period of residency in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken.For this role t his will need to be 5 years.

If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations.

We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers.

We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office, before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028

Inclusive Recruitment

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be guaranteed an interview. Find out more about the Disability Confident Scheme . If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Use of Artificial Intelligenceby candidates in the CAA recruitment process

We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factuallyaccurateand taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has beenidentified(presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.

Working With Us

Explore What We Offer section on our careers website to find out about our benefits and how we support work-life balance.

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – For more information please Click Here

Closing Date: 19th October 2026

Interview Date: w/c 2nd November 2026