Mission Safety Manager

We are seeking a mission-driven and technically adept Mission Safety Manager to lead the system safety and assurance program for the system integrator team supporting the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) program. This position is a Director and reports directly to the VP, Program Manager.

This role is accountable for making certain that all integrated capabilities – including automation, surveillance, voice, telecommunications, and facility systems – are evaluated, documented, and deployed in accordance with FAA Safety Management System (SMS) principles and related standards. The Mission Safety Manager supports Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion. Within BNATCS, this person leads a team responsible for hazard tracking, safety documentation, and readiness certifications, working across technical domains, deployment teams, and FAA safety leadership.

 Responsibilities:

• Serve as the mission safety authority for the system integrator, establishing compliance with FAA SMS and program-specific safety objectives
• Lead the development and maintenance of system-level Safety Risk Management Documents (SRMDs), Hazard Analyses, and Operational Safety Assessments (OSAs)
• Participate in system design reviews, readiness assessments, and technical interchange meetings to inject safety perspectives into every phase
• Coordinate with FAA safety engineers, program offices, and operational stakeholders to facilitate acceptance and approval of safety documentation
• Facilitate regular safety assessments and work with domain leads (e.g., Automation, Voice, Surveillance, Facilities, Telecom) to verify risks are updated and actionable
• Monitor and report on emerging risks, cascading effects, and schedule threats tied to field deployment and systems integration
• Maintain the SMS to document identified hazards, severity/probability ratings, and mitigation status
• Collaborate with engineering and test teams to verify that safety mitigations are implemented, validated, and traceable
• Review field deployment and cutover plans to validate site-specific safety risks are identified and managed
• Make certain that all safety deliverables are completed in accordance with FAA requirements and integrated into FAA Safety Case processes
• Support audits, assessments, and reviews by FAA safety boards or external oversight bodies
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs), training content, and safety communications
• Work with the PMO, Risk Manager, and Contracts/Vendor Manager to align risk planning across cost, schedule, performance, and subcontractor activity
• Champion a culture of transparency, accountability, and mission focus across the team

Required

• 16+ years of experience managing safety on federal or aviation programs, with strong understanding of aviation system safety requirements
• Familiarity with risk management tools, frameworks (e.g., DOD 5000, ISO 31000, FAA AMS), and risk quantification methods
• Experience leading the development of SRMDs, Functional Hazard Assessments (FHAs), System Safety Assessments (SSAs), and other safety engineering artifacts
• Familiarity with FAA SMS, National Airspace System (NAS) safety processes, and system engineering lifecycles
• Ability to evaluate technical architectures for safety implications and propose corrective actions
• Demonstrated experience integrating safety engineering into Agile programs, including participation in Program Increment (PI) planning, sprint reviews, and backlog grooming to align safety tasks with delivery
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and negotiate solutions across diverse technical and commercial stakeholders
• Understanding of safety interactions with cybersecurity, human factors, and operational training
• Familiarity with Jira and Confluence for tracking safety risks, mitigation tasks, and verification steps as part of delivery
• Proven ability to align SRMD updates and safety readiness with Agile milestones, including system demos, releases, and operational cutovers
• Understanding of how safety processes interface with Agile system development, testing, and deployment across multiple technical domains
• Leadership style grounded in promoting a culture of safety with integrity, precision, and mission focus

Prerequisites:

• US Citizen
• Ability to obtain a public trust and Top Secret clearance

Preferred qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Safety Engineering, or a related technical field
• Certification in Safety Management (e.g., Certified Safety Professional [CSP], Certified Systems Engineering Professional [CSEP] with safety emphasis)