Sr. System Safety Engineer

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we're on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We're looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

We have a great opportunity for a System Safety Engineer to join our Government team! In this role, you will support the development, integration, and sustainment of complex systems by ensuring safety risks are systematically identified, analyzed, and mitigated throughout the system lifecycle. This role applies system safety engineering principles to evaluate hazards associated with hardware, software, and operational environments and ensures appropriate controls are implemented to reduce risk.

This position works closely with systems engineering, design teams, program management, the Viasat Environmental Health and Safety team, suppliers, and external customers to integrate safety into system design and program execution. The System Safety Engineer contributes to the development and improvement of the organization's system safety program, ensuring alignment with applicable standards such as MIL-STD-882E while supporting efficient product development, testing, and operational deployment.

This role requires strong analytical capabilities, clear technical communication, and the ability to influence cross-functional engineering teams to ensure safety considerations are incorporated into system design and operational procedures.

The day-to-day

• Perform hazard identification and risk analysis activities for system hardware, software, and operational environments
• Conduct system safety analyses including Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA), System Safety Assessments, O&SHA, and Health Hazard Assessments
• Develop and maintain a Hazard Tracking System (HTS) to document hazards, mitigation strategies, and risk acceptance decisions
• Evaluate engineering designs, schematics, and system architecture to identify hazards, latent failure modes, and safety compliance issues
• Coordinate with systems engineers, design engineers, and program teams to incorporate safety requirements into system development
• Support verification and validation activities to ensure safety requirements are correctly implemented
• Participate in technical forums such as Integrated Product Teams, System Safety Working Groups, and design reviews
• Provide safety input during system testing, operational planning, and maintenance procedure development
• Prepare safety analysis reports and technical documentation for internal stakeholders and external customers
• Represent system safety engineering during customer reviews and program milestone reviews
• Contribute to continuous improvement of system safety processes, analysis methods, and documentation templates

What you'll need

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (Systems Engineering, Safety Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, a related field) or equivalent years of experience.
• 10 years of professional experience in system safety engineering, systems engineering, or related technical field
• Experience applying system safety engineering principles and hazard analysis methodologies
• Familiarity with defense safety standards, including MIL-STD-882E, MIL-STD-1472 and MIL-HDBK-764
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, system architecture, and technical documentation
• Strong technical writing and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal direction
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• U.S. citizenship required
• Ability to travel up to 25% to support program activities
• Must be able to work out of our office in Carlsbad, CA, Tempe, AZ or Duluth ,GA 3 days a week

What will help you on the job

• Experience supporting DoD or military programs
• Knowledge of SAE ARP4761 safety analysis methods including PASA/PSSA, SSA, PRA, ZSA, and CMA
• Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and methodologies
• Active secret clearance

#LI-VSAT

Salary range

$141,500.00 - $224,000.00 / annually.
For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $176,000.00- $264,000.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat's comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at
EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.