Energetics Safety & Assurance Officer

Destinus; Katwijk; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus seeks a senior Energetics Safety & Assurance Officer to own the safety, quality, and regulatory assurance framework across missile and unmanned aerial system platforms. You will lead risk identification, challenge designs, and ensure safety throughout the lifecycle.

The role partners with engineering, manufacturing, testing, and compliance teams to deliver compliant, safe, and innovative aerospace solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field with defense experience preferred.
• 8+ years in defense systems safety or related engineering in a defense setting.
• Strong knowledge of MIL-STD-882E or equivalent frameworks.
• Experience with hazard analyses, FMEA, fault tree analysis, and safety cases.
• Familiarity with export controls for munitions and dual-use tech.
• Excellent technical documentation and English communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain SSPP per MIL-STD-882E and standards.
• Lead hazard analyses (PHA, SSHA, OSHA) and FMEA/FTA across subsystems.
• Manage hazard tracking, risk assessment, mitigation, and CAPA closure.
• Investigate safety incidents and drive corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with explosives safety, storage, handling, and distance criteria.
• Coordinate with range safety, legal, and compliance teams on exports.

Skills

System Safety

MIL-STD-882E

Hazard analyses

FMEA & FTA

Export control knowledge

English proficiency

Education

BSc in Systems Engineering

MSc in a relevant engineering discipline

Job description

Imagine this. You are the person ensuring that some of the most safety-critical aerospace and defense systems can move from design to production, integration, testing, and ultimately operation with the right level of assurance behind them. As our Energetics Safety & Assurance Offic er, you will take ownership of the safety, quality, and regulatory assurance framework across missile and unmanned aerial system platforms, working closely with engineering, manufacturing, testing, and compliance teams.

This is a highly technical role where your expertise will directly influence how munitions, propulsion systems, warheads, guidance electronics, and other safety-critical systems are designed, handled, tested, and certified. You will have the authority and responsibility to identify risks early, challenge designs where needed, and make sure safety remains embedded throughout the entire product lifecycle.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

About the Role

Imagine this. You are the person ensuring that some of the most safety-critical aerospace and defense systems can move from design to production, integration, testing, and ultimately operation with the right level of assurance behind them. As our Energetics Safety & Assurance Offic er, you will take ownership of the safety, quality, and regulatory assurance framework across missile and unmanned aerial system platforms, working closely with engineering, manufacturing, testing, and compliance teams.

This is a highly technical role where your expertise will directly influence how munitions, propulsion systems, warheads, guidance electronics, and other safety-critical systems are designed, handled, tested, and certified. You will have the authority and responsibility to identify risks early, challenge designs where needed, and make sure safety remains embedded throughout the entire product lifecycle.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You'll Do

• Develop, implement, and maintain the System Safety Program Plan SSPP in line with MIL-STD-882E and relevant regional or customer-specific standards
• Conduct and lead hazard analyses including PHA, SSHA and O&SHA, as well as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis FMEA and fault tree analysis across weapon and aerospace subsystems
• Own and maintain the hazard tracking process, driving identified risks through assessment, mitigation, verification, and closure
• Lead investigations into safety incidents, near misses, test anomalies, and other safety-critical events, defining and following through on corrective and preventive actions CAPA
• Oversee compliance with applicable explosives safety requirements covering siting, storage, handling, transportation, insensitive munitions, and quantity-distance criteria
• Work directly with range safety officers and internal teams to support live-fire and flight test campaigns
• Ensure energetic materials, warheads, propulsion systems, and other safety-critical components meet the necessary certification requirements before integration and testing
• Coordinate export control and end-use compliance documentation with legal and compliance teams in accordance with applicable arms export and dual-use regulations
• Interface with certifying authorities, government representatives, and customer quality teams throughout qualification and acceptance activities
• Maintain configuration control, documentation, and end-to-end traceability for safety-critical components and systems
• Act as the safety authority within Integrated Product Teams IPTs and provide safety input during key design and readiness reviews including PDR, CDR and TRR
• Advise engineering teams on safety-critical design margins, fail-safe and fail-operational architectures, arming and fuzing logic, and risk mitigation strategies
• Train and support production, integration, and test personnel in the safe handling of live and inert ordnance
• Provide senior leadership and relevant government safety boards with clear visibility of safety status, outstanding hazards, mitigations, and overall risk posture

Requirements

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or another relevant technical discipline
• At least 8 years of professional experience in defense systems safety, explosives safety engineering, system safety engineering, or a closely related field within a defense manufacturing environment
• Strong working knowledge of MIL-STD-882E or equivalent system safety frameworks
• Practical knowledge of insensitive munitions requirements such as STANAG 4439-type frameworks and relevant range safety practices
• Hands-on experience conducting hazard analyses, FMEA, fault tree analysis, and developing safety case documentation
• Experience working with safety-critical hardware and complex multidisciplinary engineering systems
• Familiarity with export control regimes applicable to munitions, defense products, and dual-use technologies
• Strong technical documentation skills with the ability to turn complex safety assessments into clear actions and decisions
• Professional working proficiency in English
• A Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline is a plus
• Certified Safety Professional CSP or an equivalent system safety qualification is a plus
• Direct experience with missile propulsion, energetic materials, warhead integration, arming and fuzing systems, or UAS flight test safety is highly valued
• Previous experience working with military airworthiness, range safety, ordnance certification, or other relevant government authorities is a strong advantage

Who You Are

You are rigorous without becoming bureaucratic. You understand that in safety-critical aerospace and defense systems, details matter, but you also know how to keep complex programmes moving. You are comfortable challenging assumptions, asking difficult technical questions, and standing behind your assessments when safety is on the line. You work naturally across engineering, manufacturing, testing, quality, and compliance teams, bringing structure to complex problems and turning risk into clear, actionable decisions. You take ownership, communicate with confidence, and thrive in an environment where technology moves fast and the standards remain exceptionally high.