Advanced Functional Safety Engineer

Role Description

The Functional Safety Engineer is responsible for designing new safety interlocks, evaluating existing safety instrumented systems (SIS), and maintaining the documentation that supports safety interlocks used to protect personnel in process operations. This role applies functional safety principles, process safety methodologies, and engineering expertise to identify hazards and develop appropriate safety instrumented functions (SIFs), safety instrumented systems (SIS), and safety interlock strategies.
 
The position works closely with process, electrical, controls, instrumentation, and process safety teams to translate the results of Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs) and Layer of Protection Analyses (LOPAs) into effective, verifiable safety solutions.

Key Responsibilities

•    The Functional Safety Engineer designs safety interlocks, including Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs), Independent Protection Layers (IPLs), and Low Integrity Protection Layers (LI-PLs) based on the results of Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs) and Layer of Protection Analyses (LOPAs).
•    The engineer evaluates identified hazards and determines appropriate safeguards to achieve the required risk reduction. A strong understanding of LOPA or HAZOP methodology is required to assess whether all credible hazard scenarios have been adequately addressed and to ensure that selected safeguards provide the intended level of protection. The role also requires a thorough understanding of independence principles to verify that safety interlocks and initiating events remain independent of initiating events and other IPLs.
•    The role develops Safety Requirement Specifications and ensures that safety interlock designs satisfy applicable functional safety requirements, including the requirements of IEC 61511 and 61508. Knowledge and experience with ISA 84.91.03 for low-integrity protection layers is desired but not required.
•    The engineer performs and reviews PFDavg calculations and simple Process Safety Time (PST) calculations. The role also supports the determination and verification of required Safety Integrity Levels (SIL). Knowledge and experience with advanced PST calculations or Fault Tree analyses is desired but not required.
•    The position requires ability to interpret and develop safety interlock representations on Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) and electrical diagrams to confirm that designs accurately reflect the intended process protection strategy. Basic understanding of electrical diagrams is required. Understanding both PLC card sheets and loop diagrams is desired but not required. 
•    The engineer evaluates the function and selection of measurement instrumentation used in safety applications and applies knowledge of distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLC), SIS logic controllers, and hardwired control systems to develop effective safety solutions.
•    The role develops safety interlock proof-test procedures and supports the implementation, review, and improvement of proof-testing practices to confirm that safety functions remain capable of performing as intended.

Basic Qualifications

•    A Bachelor of Technology degree in Chemical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or Electrical Engineering is required for this position.
•    The candidate should have 7 to 10 years of experience in safety interlock design or a closely related functional safety engineering discipline, with no more than 15 years of total experience.
•    One of the following certifications is required: Exida Certified Functional Safety Expert or Certified Functional Safety Professional; Functional Safety Engineer or Functional Safety Expert certification from TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, or TÜV NORD; or an equivalent certification approved by the company.
•    Proficiency with aeShield, Sphera Stature, SuperChems, Reliability Workbench, Bluebeam Revu, and Microsoft Office applications are desired but not required.

Required Knowledge

•    The candidate must possess practitioner-level knowledge of IEC 61511 and 61508 requirements and ISA 84.91.03 requirements for low-integrity protection layers.
•    The role requires working knowledge of SIL calculation principles, fault tree analysis, hazard analysis methods such as PHA and LOPA, Process Safety Time calculations, and safety interlock proof-testing principles.

Interpersonal Skills

•    The engineer must possess strong communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with process safety engineers, operations personnel, and other stakeholders who are responsible for implementing and operating safety instrumented systems. The ability to balance process safety requirements with operational needs is essential to ensure that safety interlocks appropriately mitigate identified hazards while supporting reliable plant operation.
•    The engineer must be able to work effectively in a collaborative team environment that promotes open communication, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning. The role requires a commitment to sharing experiences, lessons learned, and technical expertise to strengthen the capabilities of the team and support ongoing professional development.