Senior System Safety & Environmental Engineer

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Senior System Safety & Environmental Engineer (IAS)

Known internally as System Safety & Environmental Engineer

Location: based in Belfast, 4.5 days/ week onsite, with travel
Other: permanent, full-time, for eligible candidates, relocation support can be provided

Help shape the safety of next-generation defence technologies, ensuring mission-critical systems are safe, compliant and certifiable throughout their lifecycle.

What the role has to offer

• Lead safety strategy on complex, mission-critical programmes – operate at a principal level, providing technical leadership and influencing the safety assurance approach across some of the UK's most advanced defence systems
• Shape safety across the entire system lifecycle – from concept and architecture through to certification, in-service support and disposal, you'll have a unique opportunity to influence product development end-to-end and leave a lasting impact on system design
• Drive innovation in a rapidly evolving environment – join a growing business delivering next-generation capabilities at pace, where you'll tackle complex safety challenges, mentor others and help define the future of systems safety engineering within Thales

Our Opportunity

As a Senior System Safety & Environmental Engineer, you'll ensure Thales products achieve certification, meet stringent safety standards and perform safely in operational environments. You'll lead hazard analysis, define safety requirements and drive risk reduction activities across complex engineering programmes. From concept and design through to verification, certification and deployment, you'll provide technical leadership on safety-critical hardware and programmable elements, influencing engineering decisions and developing compelling safety cases backed by robust assurance evidence. Your work will directly enable the delivery of safe, compliant and trusted solutions for our customers.

We're seeking candidates with a strong Systems Safety Engineering background, ideally with experience in software safety assurance. While software safety expertise is highly desirable, we are also keen to hear from experienced Safety Engineers from aerospace, defence or other highly regulated industries.

Building a Future, we can all trust.

Integrated Airspace Protection Systems (IAS) - our main purpose is to protect and defend. We provide rapid integrated solutions for detection, coordination, fire control, engagement and support. We cover three sectors: Surface Attack & Air Defence (UK), Air Defence (International) and Air Operations & Services as well as Space.

What we offer you

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package designed to support our employees’ wellbeing and professional growth, which includes:

• Performance-related bonus
• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00
• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)
• 24 hours volunteering paid for
• Private healthcare
• Pension scheme
• Life cover
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Gym membership discounts

Main Responsibilities 

• Lead and deliver all Safety & Environmental Management (S&EM) activities within integrated project teams, ensuring compliance with the IAS Safety Management System and the effective assurance of safety-critical programmable elements
• Conduct hazard identification, hazard analysis and risk assessment activities, defining robust safety and environmental requirements across system performance, design, integration, interfaces and verification activities
• Influence multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders, developing clear, evidence-based safety arguments that ensure S&EM requirements are understood, implemented and maintained throughout the product lifecycle
• Champion compliance with relevant safety and environmental standards, legislation, policies and governance processes, acting as a trusted subject matter expert and promoting best practice across IAS programmes
• Plan and manage S&EM work packages, including estimating engineering effort, producing high-quality hazard analysis reports and safety cases, and generating the assurance evidence required to support certification and customer confidence

About You

At Thales, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

Ideal Experience & Skills

• Proven academic background in Engineering or Science, supported by relevant safety training and professional development; Chartered Engineer status or professional institution membership is highly desirable
• Proven experience leading Safety Engineering activities within complex, highly regulated engineering programmes, delivering risk reduction, compliance and successful project outcomes
• Demonstrated expertise in hazard analysis, risk assessment and safety case development, creating robust safety arguments and assurance evidence to support certification
• Proven knowledge of safety-critical systems engineering, including the development and assurance of programmable elements and the application of SILs, DALs and related assurance methodologies
• Demonstrated understanding of product safety standards, legislation and environmental management principles, including experience applying Defence Standard 00-055 and associated standards
• Acquired capability to apply a whole-life systems engineering approach, influencing design decisions and supporting products from concept through to certification and in-service operation

Ready to influence the safety of some of the world's most advanced defence systems? Join Thales and play a key role in delivering the next generation of safe, compliant and mission-ready technology.

Security Clearance Requirement:

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions.  This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. 

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels.

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.
 

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!