Software System Safety Engineer
Quick Summary
Conduct independent and collaborative research, development, testing,
Support software safety activities throughout the system lifecycle
Assess software contributions to system hazards using established system safety processes and methodologies
Evaluate software requirements, designs, architectures, interfaces, and test results from a safety perspective
Collaborate with software developers and systems engineers to implement and verify software safety requirements
Support software safety analyses and certification activities in accordance with MIL-STD-882E, JSSSEH guidance, and program-specific requirement
Work with internal safety leads, government Principals for Safety, and NUWC safety engineers to support Navy certification and approval efforts
Develop technical safety documentation and support hazard tracking activities
Participate in technical reviews, safety working groups, and certification-related engagement
Support investigation of anomalies, failures, and software-related safety concerns
Contribute to software development, integration, testing, and troubleshooting activities as program requirements and individual expertise align
Responsibilities
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Conduct independent and collaborative research, development, testing, and evaluation activities to solve complex scientific and engineering challenges supporting Department of Defense sponsors and national security missions
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Investigate, evaluate, and apply established and emerging engineering principles, scientific methodologies, and advanced technologies to develop innovative technical solutions
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Plan, perform, and lead analytical studies, modeling and simulation, laboratory experimentation, field testing, and prototype demonstrations to validate engineering concepts and system performance
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Design, develop, integrate, analyze, and evaluate complex hardware, software, embedded systems, sensors, communications systems, electromechanical systems, or other mission-critical technologies within assigned technical disciplines
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Apply systems engineering principles throughout the project lifecycle, including requirements development, architecture definition, design trade studies, integration, verification, validation, risk management, and configuration management
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Develop experimental plans, test procedures, data collection methodologies, and performance metrics; analyze results to identify technical issues, validate assumptions, and recommend design improvements
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Support development of advanced prototypes and transition technologies from research concepts into operational capabilities for government sponsors
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Prepare technical reports, engineering analyses, research publications, white papers, proposals, briefings, and sponsor deliverables documenting research methods, technical findings, and program status
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Present technical information and research results to sponsors, program managers, technical review boards, and other internal and external stakeholders
Working with software-intensive or mission-critical systems
Ability to analyze software requirements, designs, interfaces, and test results to assess technical risks and system behavior
Demonstrated systems-thinking and analytical problem-solving skills
Collaborating with software, systems, test, and engineering teams throughout the development lifecycle
Strong technical communication and documentation skills, including the ability to present technical information to engineering and customer stakeholders
Nice to Have
~1 min readSoftware-intensive or safety-critical systems
Software safety, software quality assurance, verification and validation, software testing, systems engineering, or system safety
MIL-STD-882E and the Joint Software Systems Safety Engineering Handbook (JSSSEH)
Past success supporting hazard analyses, risk assessments, or safety certification activities
Developing or reviewing software requirements and verification evidence
Working with government customers and technical review boards
Past success supporting Navy, DoD, or other mission-critical programs
Current eligibility for access to classified information at the Secret level or higher and may be subject to a government background investigation to upgrade clearance eligibility, if required
Your working location will be will be fully on-site located in State College, PA.
ARL’s purpose is to research and develop innovative solutions to challenging scientific, engineering, and technology problems in support of the Navy, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Intel Community (IC). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on ARL, visit our website at www.arl.psu.edu.
Notice regarding employment at the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL): Employees must be eligible to obtain a government security clearance, participate in the ARL drug testing program, and comply with electronic and physical monitoring requirements applicable to federal contractors. ARL operates in a secure information environment involving Unclassified, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and Classified information. Personal electronic devices brought onsite must be registered and may be restricted from certain areas. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
What We Offer
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Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
Location & Eligibility
About this job
- Pay per year
- $121,704–$231,000 a year
- 73% above the $101,850 median for Health & Safety Specialist jobs on Jobera (361 salaries).
- Posted
- Today
Listing Details
- First seen
- October 27, 2026
- Last seen
- October 27, 2026
Posting Health
- Days active
- 0
- Repost count
- 0
- Trust Level
- 63%
- Scored at
- October 27, 2026
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