Fellow System Safety Engineer

Immediately hiring engineers who want to contribute to mission-critical systems that demand precision, accountability, and technical excellence. Success here means solving real problems that keep complex systems moving forward.

Quest Defense Systems & Solutions is seeking an accomplished Fellow System Safety Engineer to provide technical leadership for a high-visibility, advanced aerospace and defense development program. This position will serve as a subject matter expert responsible for evaluating and mitigating safety risks to personnel, equipment, mission operations, and the environment throughout the complete system lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience leading complex system safety programs for military or defense applications. This individual will work closely with program leadership, customer representatives, safety approval authorities, and multidisciplinary engineering teams to identify hazards, assess risk, develop mitigation strategies, and ensure compliance with applicable military standards and customer requirements.

This is a highly visible technical leadership role requiring the ability to evaluate complex safety concerns, guide major program decisions, and communicate effectively with senior and executive leadership. The selected candidate will also support independent reviews, failure investigations, engineering safety boards, and corrective action efforts involving significant technical or systemic safety issues.

This is a 100% onsite position based in Tucson, Arizona, where you'll enjoy collaborating with your team every day. With more than 310 days of sunshine each year, stunning mountain views, and a vibrant yet relaxed lifestyle, Tucson offers an exceptional place to build both your career and your life.  All candidates must be US Citizens due to the nature of the work.  Clearance or the ability to obtain a clearance is strongly preferred unless otherwise stated below.

What You'll Do:

• Serve as a senior subject matter expert for system safety engineering throughout the system development lifecycle.
• Lead one or more system safety programs in accordance with MIL-STD-882E, including:
  • Program management activities under the Task 100 series
  • Hazard analysis activities under the Task 200 series
  • Safety evaluation activities under the Task 300 series
  • Verification and validation activities under the Task 400 series
• Develop, manage, and maintain comprehensive system safety plans, analyses, assessments, reports, and supporting documentation.
• Identify system hazards, evaluate associated risks, and recommend design solutions or operational controls to eliminate or reduce risk.
• Interpret system requirements, customer specifications, military standards, and applicable government regulations to develop compliance strategies.
• Brief safety status, risks, recommendations, and corrective actions to program leadership, executive management, customers, and safety approval authorities.
• Lead and coordinate System Safety Working Groups involving internal engineering teams, program leadership, customers, and other key stakeholders.
• Support Non-Advocate Reviews, Failure Review Boards, Engineering Safety Review Boards, independent program reviews, and other technical review activities.
• Participate in Engineering Review Boards and Configuration Control Boards to assess the safety impact of proposed design and configuration changes.
• Evaluate hardware designs, mechanical and electrical drawings, schematics, and system architectures for fault tolerance, latent hazards, and safety requirements compliance.
• Collaborate across Systems, Software, Firmware, Electrical, Mechanical, Hardware, Test, Human Factors, and Environmental Health and Safety organizations.
• Work across integrated product teams to eliminate hazards or establish effective engineering and administrative controls.
• Provide technical direction to system safety personnel and mentor junior and mid-level safety engineers.
• Establish regular communication and feedback mechanisms with functional and program management.
• Escalate significant safety risks to the appropriate leadership level and ensure corrective actions are tracked through completion.
• Apply project management principles to safety planning, resource coordination, schedule execution, risk management, and program deliverables.
• Support proposal development, program planning, cost estimating, and technical content development for new or expanding system safety efforts.
• Provide pragmatic, technically sound solutions to complex or time-sensitive safety issues.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Technology, Mathematics, or a related STEM discipline.
• Minimum of 20 years of relevant engineering experience, including extensive experience in system safety engineering.
• Demonstrated experience leading or managing system safety programs for complex aerospace, defense, weapon, missile, or mission-critical systems.
• Expert-level knowledge of MIL-STD-882E and associated system safety management, analysis, evaluation, and verification activities.
• Experience applying risk assessment concepts, hazard severity classifications, probability levels, risk matrices, and risk acceptance processes.
• Experience developing and presenting technical reports, hazard analyses, safety assessments, and executive-level briefings.
• Experience presenting safety status and technical recommendations to customers, safety review boards, approval authorities, and senior program leadership.
• Experience participating in or supporting formal engineering, safety, failure, configuration, or independent review boards.
• Ability to interpret complex system requirements, military standards, government regulations, and customer specifications.
• Experience evaluating hardware, software, firmware, electrical, and mechanical system designs for safety risks and compliance.
• Strong technical leadership, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to provide technical direction and mentorship to other system safety engineers.
• Current active Secret or Top Secret U.S. Government security clearance required prior to start.
• Ability to obtain and maintain additional program-specific access as required.
• U.S. citizenship is required due to security clearance requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Science, Technology, Mathematics, or a related STEM discipline.
• Experience briefing or supporting U.S. Government or military safety review boards.
• Knowledge of U.S. Government safety approval processes and formal safety review organizations.
• Experience serving in a Product Safety Officer or comparable product safety leadership role.
• Experience with system safety and software safety implementation within an Agile development environment.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary safety teams or providing direction to supporting safety personnel.
• Experience with advanced weapon systems, missiles, effectors, flight vehicles, or other high-consequence defense systems.
• Experience with system lifecycle engineering, product development, production transition, deployment, and sustainment.
• Experience supporting Engineering Change Proposals, Engineering Review Boards, Configuration Control Boards, and System Safety Working Groups.
• Experience with Earned Value Management Systems and program performance management.
• Experience supporting technical proposals, basis-of-estimate development, staffing plans, and new business activities.
• Experience collaborating with Human Systems Integration and Human Factors Engineering teams.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-1472 and human engineering design requirements.
• Knowledge of fault-tolerant design, latent hazard identification, failure analysis, and safety-critical design practices.
• Experience supporting accelerated development, test, certification, or deployment schedules..
• Experience in adoption and/or integration of emerging technologies (e.g., generative AI, automation platforms, digital assistants) into day-to-day operations for continuous improvement.

The QDSS Advantage:  

At QDSS, our advantage lies in purpose-driven work, collaborative teams, and complex challenges that push boundaries and deliver lasting impact. You’ll grow your career while contributing to mission-critical programs that demand excellence and shape the future. 

What You’ll Find Here 

• Work That Matters – Next-generation, safety- and mission-critical projects where your contributions have real-world impact. 
• Growth That’s Supported – Competitive compensation, employer-matched 401(k), certification assistance, and clear opportunities for advancement. 
• A Culture That Works – A flexible, collaborative, and people-first environment where teamwork, innovation, and balance are valued. 

Benefits Include 

• Competitive pay, comprehensive medical/dental/life and disability coverage, 401(k) with employer match, professional development support, and a flexible, friendly workplace. 

This position may be filled at multiple levels depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications. Responsibilities and compensation will be aligned to the selected level.

At Quest Defense Systems and Solutions, we don’t just build technology — we engineer the future. From next-generation aerospace solutions to cutting-edge defense systems, we tackle the toughest, mission-critical challenges that keep people safe and push the boundaries of innovation. This is where problem-solvers, innovators, and visionary thinkers come together to shape the future. With over 25 years of aerospace and defense engineering expertise, our commitment to delivering high-quality, transformative solutions sets us apart — not just as an industry leader, but as a driving force for impactful change. Together, we’re not just leading the industry — we’re revolutionizing it.

Quest Defense provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.