Senior Air Safety Engineer

AtkinsRéalis UK Limited; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible holidays

Professional development

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is seeking an experienced aviation safety engineer to lead airworthiness, certification and safety-management work across defence projects, guiding teams and shaping approaches for complex military aviation decisions.

You will translate regulatory and operational requirements into proportionate strategies, develop evidence for certification, and provide clear advice to delivery teams and stakeholders within our Safety & Environmental Assurance community.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering safety engineering or safety assurance in defence aviation.
• Experience leading safety cases, hazard-management activities or complex work packages.
• Knowledge of systems engineering with the ability to develop proportionate, defensible solutions.
• Strong client-facing communication and high-quality technical deliverables.
• A relevant degree, aviation qualification or demonstrable equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety and airworthiness work packages for aircraft, mission systems, equipment integration, upgrades and in-service change.
• Develop Air System Safety Cases and related assessments (Type Airworthiness Safety Assessments, Safety Assessment Reports, Safety Management Plans).
• Shape proportionate approaches to Equipment Contribution to Risk to Life and safety analyses.
• Provide clear, pragmatic advice to delivery teams and stakeholders.
• Support independent evaluation and audits as required.
• Review and assure technical outputs and guide multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Aviation safety

Airworthiness

Safety engineering

Stakeholder management

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Relevant degree

Aviation qualification

Tools

Air Engineer’s Toolkit

ASPIRE

Job description

Job Description Overview

Are you an experienced aviation safety engineer ready to lead technically demanding airworthiness, certification and safety‑management work? Do you want to shape approaches, guide teams and influence complex military aviation decisions? We’re expanding our defence air safety capability. Join us to lead projects across aircraft, mission systems, equipment integration, upgrades and in‑service change, while helping strengthen our wider safety and assurance offering.

AtkinsRéalis is a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organisation delivering complex and critical programmes across defence, aerospace, nuclear and other highly regulated sectors. Join our established Safety & Environmental Assurance community; knowledge sharing and collaboration are at the heart of what we do.

You’ll benefit from

• Formal technical assurance, peer review and access to experienced air safety and airworthiness specialists.
• Domain Communities of Interest and professional networks.
• Regular team meetings, knowledge‑sharing events and informal mentoring.
• Career development support aligned wherever possible to your experience, interests and goals.

We aim to align assignments with your skills, interests and career goals while balancing client and business needs. We welcome experienced aviation practitioners from industry, MOD and the Armed Forces, including those returning after a career break.

Assignments could include:

• Leading safety and airworthiness strategies for military aircraft, mission systems and platform upgrades.
• Assuring Safety Assessment Reports, accident and risk models and evidence for certification or continued operation.
• Advising design organisations, delivery teams, operators and senior stakeholders on proportionate safety solutions.
• Developing digital, model‑based and data‑led approaches to aviation safety assurance.

Your role

Providing technical leadership across military aviation safety, certification and airworthiness assignments, you’ll translate regulatory, design and operational requirements into proportionate strategies and credible evidence, helping senior stakeholders make robust decisions about certification, modification, release to service and continued operation.

• Lead safety and airworthiness work packages for aircraft, mission systems, equipment integration, upgrades and in‑service change, balancing quality, schedule and cost.
• Lead the development and assurance of Air System Safety Cases, Type Airworthiness Safety Assessments, Safety Assessment Reports, Safety Management Plans and supporting hazard information.
• Shape proportionate approaches to Equipment Contribution to Risk to Life and direct safety analysis using recognised Air Engineer’s Toolkit and ASPIRE processes.
• Develop evidence strategies that connect equipment and system assessments with the overall Air System Safety Case, Type Airworthiness Safety Management System and certification evidence.
• Provide clear, pragmatic advice to Delivery Teams, Type Airworthiness Authorities, design organisations, operators, engineering leaders and assurance stakeholders.
• Support appropriate independent evaluation and audit, including engagement with Independent Technical Evaluators and Independent Safety Auditors where required.
• Review and assure technical outputs, guide multidisciplinary teams and promote consistent air safety and airworthiness practice.
• Help develop future work by understanding emerging client needs, strengthening relationships and supporting follow‑on activity where appropriate.

About you

Essential experience and attributes

• Substantial experience delivering safety engineering or safety assurance in a defence aviation environment.
• Strong experience in aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, engineering or operations.
• Experience leading safety cases, safety assessments, hazard‑management activities or technically complex work packages.
• Sound knowledge of systems engineering, with the technical judgement to develop proportionate, defensible solutions where information is incomplete or evolving.
• Confident client‑facing communication, stakeholder management and production of high‑quality technical deliverables.
• A relevant degree, aviation qualification or demonstrable equivalent professional experience.

Desirable experience

• Strong understanding and application of the Military Aviation Authority Regulatory Publications, ASPIRE or the Air Engineer’s Toolkit.
• Experience leading or assuring Air System Safety Cases, Type Airworthiness Safety Assessments, Safety Assessment Reports, Equipment Contribution to Risk to Life assessments, Type Airworthiness Strategies or Safety Management Plans.
• Experience helping to shape future requirements or activities, for example by identifying emerging needs, developing options, supporting continuation or follow‑on work, or contributing to proposals or bids.
• Professional registration, or active progress towards IEng or CEng, and membership of a relevant institution such as the IET, SaRS, IMechE, IExpE or RAeS.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

About AtkinsRéalis

We’re AtkinsRéalis, a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We’re committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people. Find out more.

Additional information

Security clearance

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.

We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong – a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees.

As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to all applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria. If you would like to be considered under this commitment, please let us know at the application stage.

Job details

Worker Type: Employee
Job Type: Regular
At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.

Created by the integration of long‑standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world‑class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end‑to‑end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital.

News and information are available at Atkinsrealis or follow us on LinkedIn.