System Safety Engineer

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At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

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Leidos Defense provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions.

Leidos Defense is looking for a Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) Leader to join our team in Huntsville, Alabama. We’re seeking someone with a strong understanding of NASA human spaceflight standards, especially those tied to quality, safety, and reliability. In this role, you’ll help shape, evaluate, and execute S&MA programs that support engineering projects throughout their life cycle. Your mission: ensure risk management practices and program performance align with NASA requirements and overall mission assurance goals.

The System Safety Engineer will work in a matrixed organization, which supports multiple programs at once in a variety of engineering fields with all different team environments. When the efforts end, the System Safety Engineer will have the opportunity to support a different program in the matrixed engineering portfolio. A candidate with experience in other engineering areas such as Systems Engineering, Human Factors Engineering, Risk Management, and Reliability Analysis will be treated preferentially. Success in this organization often leads to leadership positions in System Safety Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Systems Engineering Integration and Test (SEIT). The S&MA Integration Program Team (IPT) Lead will also have the following responsibilities:

• Serve as the main customer interface for all S&MA-related discussions and presentations.

• Report regularly to the Project Manager on deliverable status, risks, and blockers.

• Collaborate closely with test, design, and systems engineering teams to integrate S&MA requirements.

• Participate in safety, quality, and reliability reviews, technical interchange meetings, and program briefings.

• Review and approve all S&MA-related contract deliverables before submission.

• Task a team of approximately two other engineers supporting system safety, software safety, and reliability deliverables.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent degree from an ABET-accredited university with 8+ years of experience or an MS with 6+ years

• 4 years of team or project leadership experience

• Minimum 2 years in a Safety, Quality, or Mission Assurance discipline

• Familiarity with NASA specifications and standards

• Demonstrated experience effectively communicating within a team environment

• Resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area

• Candidate must be a US Citizen and meet the eligibility to obtain (and maintain) a Secret Clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference shown to candidates who possess a Master of Science in Safety or System Engineering from an ABET-accredited university, and/or have at least 4 years of direct system safety engineering experience. Preferred candidates will also have experience and/or working knowledge with:

• Experience with AS9100 and quality system processes

• Knowledge of Safety and Reliability Engineering methods

• Understanding of NASA review processes and preparation

• Object Management Group (OMG) Certified System Modeler Professional (OCSMP) certification

• INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification (ASEP or CSEP)

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

August 3, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.