Surveillance Systems Safety Lead

Join Peraton in advancing the safety, efficiency, and modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS) through the FAA’s Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) contract. As a trusted partner to the Federal Aviation Administration, Peraton helps deliver the systems and services that keep our nation’s skies safe and connected.

We’re looking for innovative professionals who thrive in mission-critical environments and are passionate about shaping the future of air traffic management. This is your chance to make an impact on one of the world’s most vital transportation infrastructures, working alongside leaders in aviation, engineering, data science, and systems integration.

At Peraton, you won’t just support the mission — you’ll define it.

Help shape the future of U.S. airspace safety and efficiency. We are seeking a Surveillance Systems Safety Lead to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. The ideal candidate will provide leadership and oversight for the safety engineering and compliance of FAA’s surveillance and radar systems. In this role, you will ensure that safety risk management, hazard analysis, and mitigation strategies are fully integrated into the design, testing, deployment, and sustainment of surveillance systems critical to the National Airspace System (NAS). This position offers an excellent opportunity to gain in-depth experience in federal contracting while supporting high-visibility aviation programs.

In this position, you will:

• Lead safety risk management and compliance efforts for FAA surveillance and radar systems.

• Develop and execute safety assessments, hazard analyses, and mitigation strategies.

• Oversee system safety planning, testing, and verification activities for new and legacy systems.

• Collaborate with engineers, contractors, and stakeholders to embed safety requirements into system designs.

• Ensure compliance with FAA Safety Management System (SMS), OSHA, and federal safety standards.

• Conduct and manage safety audits, readiness reviews, and incident investigations.

• Maintain and update safety documentation, safety cases, and compliance reports.

• Support the integration of NextGen surveillance technologies into the NAS with safety as a core requirement.

• Provide briefings, risk assessments, and recommendations to FAA leadership.

• Mentor engineers and project teams on safety best practices and continuous improvement.

• Partner with engineers, program managers, and FAA stakeholders to guarantee these systems operate with the highest levels of safety, resiliency, and reliability.
• Preparing safety documentation, compliance reports, and risk assessments.
• Oversee contractor safety performance in complex, multi-stakeholder programs.
• Conduct root cause analysis and develop corrective actions for safety events.

Why This Role Matters

The FAA is the cornerstone of aviation safety and innovation. As the Surveillance Systems Safety Lead, you will ensure these systems meet stringent safety standards and remain resilient against failures and operational hazards. Your leadership will directly impact the FAA’s ability to manage the airspace safely and efficiently, safeguarding millions of passengers and supporting the next generation of aviation infrastructure.

Basic Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizenship Required.
• Must have the ability to obtain / maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of experience; or Masters degree and 6 years; or Associate’s degree and 10 years’ experience; or HS diploma/equivalent and 12 years experience.  
• Experience in system safety, preferably within federal, aerospace, or defense programs.
• Strong knowledge of safety engineering methodologies (fault tree analysis, FMEA, hazard analysis).
• Familiarity with surveillance systems, radar technologies, and cooperative surveillance (ADS-B, Mode S, etc.).
• Knowledge of federal acquisition and safety standards.
• Experience supporting system verification, validation, and certification activities.
• Strong understanding of safety performance metrics and continuous monitoring frameworks.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct FAA or NAS configuration management experience.
• Experience applying FAA Safety Management System (SMS) principles and practices.
• Experience with FAA NextGen modernization programs and safety dependencies.
• Experience leading safety programs for mission-critical or safety-critical aviation systems.
• Master’s degree in Safety Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• Professional certifications such as CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CSEP (Certified Systems Engineering Professional), or PE (Professional Engineer).
• Familiarity with federal safety policies, ICAO standards, and international aviation safety practices.
• Background inautomation of safety analysis and safety data visualization.

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