12 Senior Safety Engineer

Hypersonica

Hypersonica

London, UK

Posted on May 6, 2026
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Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability
At Hypersonica, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.
By joining Hypersonica, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.
We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.

What you'll do

  • Lead a System Safety Program across Hypersonica’s portfolio of products and projects, ensuring hazards are identified early, risks are understood, and safety cases remain robust through system design, development, test, and operations.

    • Own the safety case lifecycle end to end: hazard identification, risk assessment, FTA, FMEA/FMECA, and clear traceability from hazards to mitigations and evidence.

    • Build and implement a lean, tailored safety approach that meets applicable aerospace and defence standards without unnecessarily slowing development.

    • Own the production of Hypersonica’s safety procedure and embed it into how engineering and test actually run day to day.

    • Lead design safety and trial safety, ensuring safety evidence is credible for readiness reviews and operations.

    • Manage and challenge external safety support where required, pulling capability in-house over time and driving the company toward autonomy.

    • Shape and embed software safety practices appropriate to missile systems and safety-critical environments.

Who you are

    • Senior safety engineer with working experience of defence land systems, regulators, and Def Stan 07-085 (or equivalent).

    • Deep experience running the safety case lifecycle (hazards, FTA, FMEA/FMECA, risk assessment, safety case production) and making it stand up under scrutiny.

    • Strong capability in software safety within safety-critical defence/aerospace systems.

    • Able to build a safety management system from scratch and set a minimum credible approach that enables a fast-moving startup rather than blocking it.

    • Comfortable operating with high autonomy: you can own the safety program internally while coordinating external specialists where needed.

    • Pragmatic and decisive: you know where rigor adds value and where it becomes theatre, and you can explain the tradeoffs.

Security and Eligibility Requirement

    Due to the nature of the work with the UK MOD, applicants must be a British Citizen (or Dual UK national with British citizenship) and eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) and, where required, Developed Vetting (DV)

What we offer

    • A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.

    • Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.

    • High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.

    • A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.

    • A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.

    • Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy.

At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply.
Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential.
You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.
Apply now
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