Senior Systems Engineer, Safety and Reliability

Salient Motion; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Healthcare benefits

Autonomy

Job summary

Salient Motion seeks a Senior Systems Engineer to own safety and reliability deliverables across the product lifecycle, from requirements to certification. You will work with the systems engineering lead, DER, and cross-functional teams on FAA Part 25 / EASA CS-25 programs.

You will perform FHA, FTA, FMEA, MTBF modeling, and DO-178C/DO-254 planning, ensuring traceability and certification readiness. This role demands strong communication and hands-on control.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering or related field required; advanced degree a plus.
• 5+ years systems engineering experience with at least 3 years in safety or reliability.
• Proven ownership of FHA, FTA, FMEA/FMES deliverables.
• Strong knowledge of ARP4754B/ARP4761A and related safety frameworks.
• Experience with MTBF modeling and reliability predictions.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety analyses across requirements, architecture, analysis, test and certification.
• Own reliability modeling and MTBF analysis for subsystems and components.
• Coordinate with DER and cross‑functional teams on DO-178C/DO-254 planning.
• Contribute to design reviews and safety cases for FAA/EASA certification.

Skills

Safety analysis

Reliability analysis

MTBF analysis

FMEA/FMES

ARP4754B/ARP4761A

System safety

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

DO-178C

DO-254

DO-160G

IEC 61508

MIL-STD-882

ISO 26262

Job description

We are pioneering modular motion technologies to power the next generation of innovation for Industrial, Aerospace and Defense. If you're excited about disrupting legacy industries and building safety-critical systems that fly, let's chat!

We are at the forefront of innovation, crafting exclusive motion control components that propel the aerospace and defense sectors into the future.

A couple other things:

• We offer a lot of autonomy
• We like to run lean for impact
• We have great benefits
• We are well funded, and already generating revenue
• We just moved into a new large hangar facility in Hawthorne, CA

What you'll do:

We are looking for a Senior Systems Engineer with deep expertise in safety and reliability to own safety and reliability deliverables across the product lifecycle — from requirements and architecture through analysis, test, and certification. You will work directly with our systems engineering lead, DER, and cross-functional leads across hardware, software, and mechanical engineering on a fast-moving FAA Part 25 / EASA CS-25 certification program.

Safety Analysis

• Hazard Analysis & Assessment: Own FHA, PSSA, and SSA activities end-to‑end. Produce certification‑quality deliverables that satisfy SAE ARP4754B and SAE ARP4761A guidelines.
• Fault Analysis: Lead FTA and FMEA/FMES (Failure Modes and Effects Summary) development across system, subsystem, and component levels. Maintain traceability from hazard to design mitigation to verification evidence.
• Requirements Allocation: Define and allocate safety requirements to hardware, software, and mechanical subsystems. Track closure through test and analysis.
• Certification Interface: Serve as the safety engineering point of contact for the FAA DER and airframe customer technical teams. Support development of safety plans, compliance checklists, and design assurance documentation.

Reliability Engineering

• Reliability Modeling: Develop and maintain reliability models and predictions using MIL-HDBK-217, FIDES, or equivalent methods. Own MTBF analysis and reliability requirement allocation to subsystems.
• FMEA/FMES: Drive reliability‑focused FMEA activities that feed both design decisions and safety analysis inputs.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Design Reviews: Participate in PDR and CDR as the safety and reliability subject matter expert. Identify and drive resolution of safety‑relevant design risks.
• Software & Hardware Interface: Support DO-178C and DO-254 planning activities as they interface with system‑level safety requirements.

What you need:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering. Advanced degree a plus.
• Experience: 5+ years of systems engineering experience, with at least 3 years focused on safety and/or reliability analysis. Hands‑on ownership of deliverables — not just familiarity.
• Safety Frameworks: Demonstrated working knowledge of SAE ARP4754B and SAE ARP4761A, or equivalent frameworks (IEC 61508, MIL-STD-882, ISO 26262 considered). Must have owned FHA, FTA, and FMEA/FMES deliverables through a formal review.
• Reliability Methods: Proficiency in MTBF analysis and reliability prediction. Ability to build and maintain reliability models independently.
• Communication: Strong written communication; able to produce certification‑quality documentation that holds up to DER and airframe customer scrutiny.

Nice to have:

• Experience with FAA Part 25 or Part 23 certification programs.
• Familiarity with DO-160G, DO-178C, and/or DO-254 as they intersect with system safety.
• Background in adjacent industries is welcome — defense, medical devices, and automotive functional safety (ISO 26262) develop the same analytical rigor we need.
• Prior experience at a small or scaling aerospace company.

What we have to offer:

We are not just building components. We are reshaping the future of the Aerospace and Defense component industry, which is a $300B+ market! Come join us and help build next generation systems that will make a massive impact at global scale.

• Salary Range: $160,000-$175,000, plus equity and benefits at a well‑funded, fast‑moving startup
• We offer competitive compensation + equity
• Exceptional healthcare benefits, Medical is 100% covered by the company