Safety Program Analyst

Safety Program Analyst


Location: Alexandria, VA (Hybrid - onsite 2-3 days per week)

Vertical Aviation International (VAI) is seeking a Safety Program Analyst to join our Safety team. This is an excellent entry-level opportunity for a recent college graduate with a strong interest in aviation, experience or education in the aviation industry, and a background in engineering (or a related technical field).

In this role, you'll help advance VAI's mission to elevate global vertical-aviation safety by supporting research, analyzing safety data, and contributing to safety programs that serve operators, manufacturers, regulators, and the broader aviation community. You'll gain exposure to real-world aviation safety challenges while working alongside experienced industry professionals.

What You'll Do:

Safety Program Support

• Support VAI safety education and outreach programs
• Provide analytical and research support to VAI safety advisory councils and working groups
• Contribute to safety presentations, webinars, publications, and conference materials

Data Analysis & Research

• Collect, clean, and analyze aviation accident, incident, and safety-risk data from domestic and international sources
• Help develop recurring safety reports, dashboards, and metrics
• Conduct research and literature reviews to support safety programs, presentations, and industry initiatives
• Assist in maintaining safety databases and tracking safety trends

Industry Engagement

• Support VAI's participation in aviation safety meetings, panels, and working groups
• Assist with member and public requests for safety information
• Help support safety activities at VERTICON and other VAI-sponsored events

Communication & Visualization

• Help translate data and research into clear summaries, visualizations, and insights for technical and non-technical audiences
• Contribute content to VAI safety publications and digital platforms

Other Duties

• Support additional safety-related projects as needed

What We're Looking For:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Aviation Management, Aviation Safety, or a closely related field
• Strong interest in aviation, safety, or risk analysis
• Demonstrated analytical skills through coursework, projects, internships, or research
• Familiarity with tools such as Excel, Power BI, Tableau, Python, or R (academic experience is welcomed)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team
• Ability to work onsite 2-3 days per week in Alexandria, VA

Nice to Have (Not Required)

• Internship, research, or capstone experience involving data analysis, safety, or engineering systems
• Exposure to aviation safety concepts and Safety Management Systems (SMS)
• Experience working with large or complex datasets through coursework or projects
• Interest in or academic exposure to human factors, system safety, or risk management
• General aviation experience or flight training (a plus, but not expected)

Why Join VAI?

• Hands-on experience in aviation safety at an international trade association
• Mentorship and exposure to industry experts
• Opportunities to contribute to impactful safety programs early in your career
• Hybrid work environment with regular team collaboration

Vertical Aviation International is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.