Airworthiness and System Safety Manager

Bristol (Hybrid – typically 2–3 days/week on site)

Clearance: SC required (BPSS to start acceptable) – British Nationals only – no dual nationalities due to SUKEO/ITAR constraints

Do you have DAOS signatory experience and a proven track record of delivering safety–led design in defence environments?

We're seeking a highly capable Airworthiness and System Safety Manager to drive system safety, airworthiness, and environmental assurance within our defence engineering projects.

This is a critical technical role that requires deep expertise in Defence Standards, DAOS certification, and safety leadership. While the role has no direct reports, you'll play a vital coaching and governance function across multiple business units and directly advise the Engineering Director on approvals and risk balance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead DAOS–related airworthiness activity in accordance with MAA Regulatory Articles (e.g., RAs 1014 & 5850)
• Develop and govern safety & environmental engineering policies, processes, and artefacts (SEMPs, Hazard Logs, SECRs)
• Drive best practices in compliance with Def Stan 00–55/56 and other regulatory frameworks
• Actively lead and review safety design across projects
• Support project teams through design reviews, safety audits, and risk assessments
• Act as a technical mentor to engineers, guiding safe design and delivery principles
• Advise senior stakeholders on approvals, compliance, and risk trade–offs
• Contribute to internal training and safety culture development
• Occasional travel to Engineering Services Ltd (approx. quarterly)

What We're Looking For

• DAOS signatory or prior delegate experience is essential
• Solid Defence/Aerospace background, ideally including DE&S or MOD acquisition exposure
• Hands–on experience leading and reviewing safety cases and design safety analysis
• Confident advising senior stakeholders (including Engineering Directors) on airworthiness and approvals
• Strong grasp of system safety principles, hazard management, and certification standards
• Ability to coach, challenge and influence teams across business units
• An environmental mindset and awareness of sustainability considerations in system design
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) is desirable – support available to achieve
• Skilled in balancing project delivery with compliance and risk

Why This Role?

• Key position with strategic influence – shape safety and airworthiness across the business
• Hybrid, flexible working with emphasis on trust and effectiveness
• No line management, but strong technical leadership and mentoring responsibility
• Potential for growth, based on project and bid opportunities (no guaranteed pathway, but clear scope)
• Help shape a growing organisation's future airworthiness and safety posture

This is not a checkbox role – it's about taking ownership, providing assurance, and embedding safe, compliant, and forward–thinking design in mission–critical environments.

Ready to take the lead? Apply today or message us directly.

Know someone who fits this? Share the role

Save this vacancy without amending this text to generate an automated job advert within 2 minutes.