Systems Engineer – Safety & UAS (m/f/d)

About Us:
STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionising 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 are 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:
You will be the systems safety lead for a next-generation Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), driving a safety-by-design approach across the entire product lifecycle. This includes ensuring all mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems meet stringent safety requirements. As a Principal / Senior Systems Engineer, you will define the safety-critical architecture and interfaces, manage safety integration and verification activities, and drive system safety validation through rigorous testing, hazard analysis, and compliance reporting.

Responsibilities:
• Serve as the system safety lead for UAS product development and upgrades, owning overall platform safety and coherency from concept through delivery.

• Work day-to-day within multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, electrical, avionics, software, test) across the full lifecycle of UAS design, integration, test and fielding.

• Conceptualise and capture system architecture for new platforms and enhancements, producing technical trade studies, safety-critical sizing, and system performance assessments.

• Establish and execute the system safety program, including the development of Preliminary Hazard Analyses (PHA) and System/Subsystem Hazard Assessments (SHA/SSHA).

• Lead and coordinate Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) activities across multidisciplinary teams.

• Produce layout and system design plans, define Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and enforce interface control processes for mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems.

• Establish and maintain requirements baselines, including safety requirements, and traceability using industry tools (e.g., IBM DOORS) and MBSE approaches.

• Implement robust change control processes to manage and assess the impact of all design changes on system safety and compliance.

• Act as the technical interface between internal teams, suppliers and customers to coordinate payload integration, unique/custom hardware or software interfaces, and ensure on-time capability delivery.

• Manage tactical engineering tasks during development sprints and test campaigns, resolving cross-discipline issues and maintaining configuration control.

Qualifications:
• Degree (or equivalent) in Systems, Aerospace, Electrical or a closely related Engineering discipline.

• Significant industry experience with demonstrable systems engineering and system safety responsibility on UAV/aerospace or equivalent complex, safety-critical platforms.

• Strong practical experience integrating complex systems: power systems, RF/EMC, EO sensors, networking, flight controllers and payload interfaces.

• Proven track record in requirements capture, compliance analysis, and verification/validation activities; proficient with requirements management tools (IBM DOORS or similar).

• Demonstrable experience leading and executing safety analyses, including Hazard Assessments (PHA/SHA/SSHA) and FMEA/DFMEA.

• Familiarity with safety standards (e.g., ARP4754A, ARP4761, DO-178C, DO-254) and the principles of requirements and change control in a regulated environment.

• Familiarity with MBSE principles, interface control processes and configuration management in regulated environments.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; highly organised and detail-oriented.

• Ability to operate effectively in fast-moving, ambiguous environments and to travel within the UK/Europe for testing and integration.

• A genuine passion for system development, integration and testing and a collaborative, inclusive team approach.

• Security-cleared or eligible to obtain UK defence clearance.

Desirable

• Prior experience leading Systems Engineering and authoring safety assurance documentation and risk management artefacts.

• Experience integrating complex/custom payloads for partner or customer use (hardware, electrical and software interfaces).

• Background in start-up or scale-up environments where rapid prototyping, iterative testing and pragmatic engineering decisions are typical.