Software Safety Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Software Safety Engineer Job Description

The Software Safety Engineer ensures that complex space systems operate safely by embedding robust safety requirements into software and system designs. This role focuses on analyzing software architecture and control strategies for human spaceflight and space systems, identifying and mitigating hazards, and ensuring that safety-critical software behaves reliably in radiation-prone environments. The engineer collaborates closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, supports verification and validation activities, and communicates safety analysis findings and recommendations to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Conduct system-level safety analyses that incorporate historical, industry, and recommended safety requirements and attributes into software and overall system designs.
• Perform safety and hazard analyses focused on software architecture and design implementation to ensure safe operation and to prevent, mitigate, or recover from error and failure propagation within the system.
• Assist in defining safe computer control strategies for critical system operations, particularly in human spaceflight and space environments.
• Participate in system design and verification/validation activities with a strong emphasis on software safety during safety reviews, working groups, engineering panels, and technical interchange meetings.
• Coordinate closely with systems engineering, test, and verification and validation (V&V) personnel to ensure that safety-critical software requirements are verified and tested with an appropriate level of rigor.
• Collaborate with system, software, safety, avionics, and design engineers to develop and refine requirements that support safe software operation in radiation-prone space environments.
• Identify critical items within the system and work with technical engineers to develop verification strategies that ensure overall system safety.
• Provide technical support during design reviews, test campaigns, and verification activities, offering safety-focused feedback and recommendations.
• Prepare clear technical documentation, reports, and presentations that explain safety analyses, findings, and recommendations for peers, leadership, and external partners.
• Communicate analysis progress, status, risks, and potential safety issues to stakeholders and management in a timely and transparent manner.
• Apply innovative and forward-thinking approaches to incorporate automation and support future development in software safety processes and tools.
• Review and interpret software code to identify safety concerns, ensure compliance with safety requirements, and support risk-based analysis and hazard mitigation.

Essential Skills

• At least 3 years of experience in software safety, with a focus on safety analysis and assurance.
• Hands-on experience with space systems, particularly those used in human spaceflight or related domains.
• Strong understanding of software architecture, including the ability to assess architectural decisions from a safety perspective.
• Ability to read, understand, and interpret software code for safety implications, including identifying potential hazards and failure modes.
• Experience with human spaceflight systems or human-rated space systems and their safety requirements.
• Proficiency with C++ in the context of software quality assurance and software safety activities.
• Demonstrated experience performing risk-based analysis for software-intensive systems.
• Experience conducting hazard analyses at the system and software levels.
• Experience in system-level safety analysis, including integration of software safety requirements into overall system safety.
• Background in software safety, including familiarity with safety processes, standards, and best practices.
• Experience performing code reviews with a focus on safety, risk, and hazard identification.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional engineering teams, including systems, software, safety, avionics, and design engineers.
• Strong communication skills for presenting technical safety findings and status updates to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working on human spaceflight programs or projects involving human-rated space systems.
• Exposure to software quality assurance practices in safety-critical environments.
• Familiarity with safety considerations specific to radiation-prone environments, such as those encountered in space.
• Experience contributing to or leading technical interchange meetings, safety reviews, and engineering panels.
• Ability to develop innovative approaches for automation and continuous improvement in software safety processes.
• Experience preparing comprehensive safety documentation, including analysis reports, hazard logs, and technical presentations.
• Comfort working in a growing function where processes and tools may need to be developed or refined over time.

Work Environment

This role operates within a highly specialized environment focused on safety for space systems and human spaceflight. The Software Safety Engineer will be the sole dedicated software safety specialist initially, providing a unique opportunity to shape and grow the software safety function and build a team over time. The position involves close collaboration with systems, software, safety, avionics, and design engineers, as well as test and verification and validation (V&V) personnel. Work centers on complex, safety-critical software operating in radiation-prone space environments, with frequent participation in design reviews, safety reviews, working groups, and technical interchange meetings. The environment emphasizes rigorous analysis, clear technical communication, and a strong culture of safety and continuous improvement.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $70.00 - $90.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Houston,TX.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 24, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on us.fitly.work for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.