Senior Systems Engineer (Safety Services)

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed; instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

As a Senior Systems Engineer - System Safety, you’ll join a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment where safety is at the heart of everything we do. You’ll be part of a team that values open communication, data-driven decision-making, and simplicity in design, ensuring safety cases are robust without unnecessary complexity. Expect to engage in cross-functional discussions, influence architecture decisions as well as detailed functional design, and contribute to shaping future safety practices for eVTOL systems.

• Own and refine EPU requirements to capture all safety-derived functions and assumptions from aircraft-level FHA, PASA, PRA—ensuring completeness and traceability.
• Review and challenge PSSA and SSA for alignment with aircraft level analysis.
• Lead cross-functional trade studies to simplify architecture and safety arguments—reducing complexity, cost, and weight through smart allocation of barriers and consolidation layers.
• Drive design reviews to confirm safety functions, design conformity, and early risk mitigation.
• Plan and support functional test strategies for failure conditions and safety-related functions, including monitoring and reconfiguration.
• Collaborate across interfaces—flight controls, actuators, power distribution—and with internal and supplier safety teams to maintain a coherent safety case.
• Champion simplicity in safety architecture for robust certification and reliable operations.
• Use these models for data-driven reasoning to validate monitoring and reconfiguration functions early.

Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent. ~3+ years of experience in innovative, fast-paced projects applying ARP4754A, ARP4761, DO-254. Hands-on experience with system safety activities: Ability to work in complex stakeholder environments with minimal supervision. Familiarity with electromechanical or mechatronic systems and safety-critical integration. Safety, Openness, Courage, Ingenuity. Experience in certification or clearance of safety-critical systems in highly regulated environments. Exposure to electric drivetrains, EPU architectures, and associated control/monitoring strategies.

Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday, 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership, Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand), Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance, Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee, Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.

We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone.