Safety Engineer - Loitering Systems (all genders)

About Us STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments.

We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems - not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe - today. Your mission

As a Safety Engineer you will be responsible for defining, implementing, and verifying the safety of our advanced Loitering Munition systems throughout their entire lifecycle, ensuring compliance with both national (German) and international (NATO) military and relevant civil aviation standards. This is a critical role to ensure both product safety (functional and ordnance) for our NATO customers and occupational safety in our operations.

Responsibilities

• Plan, establish, and execute the System Safety Program (SSP) in accordance with MIL-STD-882E (Standard Practice for System Safety) and relevant AOP-52 (Guidance on Software Safety Design and Assessment of Munition-Related Computing Systems) or equivalent NATO standards.

• Conduct and manage formal safety analyses, including Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), Subsystem Hazard Analysis (SSHA), System Hazard Analysis (SHA), Operating and Support Hazard Analysis (O&SHA), and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA/FMEDA) for both hardware and software.

• Implement and verify functional safety requirements for electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic systems, with a strong focus on the methodology and lifecycle approach of IEC 61508 (Functional Safety of E/E/PE Safety-Related Systems) adapted for defense applications.

• Prepare and manage safety-related documentation, including Safety Cases, Safety Assessment Reports (SAR), and Safety Justifications required for domestic and NATO customer acceptance and service suitability (S3) certification.

• Maintain an awareness of civil aviation safety standards from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), particularly in areas like Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or other relevant regulations, to address potential dual-use or operational safety aspects in controlled airspace.

• Translate customer (NATO/military) and statutory safety requirements into verifiable system and subsystem requirements.

• Participate in design reviews, test readiness reviews, and acceptance boards as the safety Subject Matter Expert (SME).

• Support the company's OHS program, ensuring compliance with German Occupational Safety Law (Arbeitssicherheitsgesetz - ASiG) and related regulations for handling ordnance and operating complex machinery.

• Define and implement internal safety processes, tools, and best practices to continually improve the company's safety culture and management system.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of professional experience in System Safety, Functional Safety, or Product Safety, preferably within the defense, aerospace, or complex critical systems industry (e.g., rail, automotive with transferrable knowledge).

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Safety Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a comparable technical field.

• Knowledge of MIL-STD-882, AOP-50 series (e.g., AOP-52), and IEC 61508.

• High proficiency (C1/C2) in both English and German, written and spoken.

• Knowledge of German defense and ordnance safety regulations, as well as an awareness of EASA safety standards and their potential relevance to UAV/munition systems.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent communication and presentation abilities, and the capacity to work effectively in interdisciplinary, multi-national teams.

• Willingness to undergo necessary security clearance checks (ZÜP).