Senior Autonomy Safety & Assurance Engineer

Senior Autonomy Safety & Assurance Engineer Part-Time

Position Description

This position provides Subject Matter Expert (SME) support in Autonomy and Assurance for the ATMS project. The SME will strengthen autonomy architectures, verification and validation strategies, assurance case development, and safety-critical evaluation for autonomous aviation systems across simulation, ground testing, and flight phases. This role ensures traceable confidence in autonomous behaviors and supports NASA and FAA mission-readiness objectives.

Job Responsibilities

• Evaluate autonomy architectures (planning, perception, decision, control) for safety, robustness, and explainability.
• Develop and maintain structured assurance cases (e.g., GSN) linking system claims to evidence across design, test, and operations.
• Define and execute risk‑based V&V plans including scenario coverage, simulation‑based testing, corner‑case identification, and fault injection.
• Align autonomy development and review artifacts with NASA and industry standards (e.g., NPR 7120.5, NPR 7150.2, NPR 8715.3, NASA‑STD‑8739.8).
• Develop trust and safety metrics (performance, robustness, interpretability) and define minimum evidence requirements for acceptance.
• Conduct architecture reviews of autonomy modules; produce annotated findings and prioritized recommendations.
• Review hazard analyses, FMEA/FTA outputs, and assurance strategies; advise on risk mitigations and acceptance criteria.
• Draft autonomy assurance case outlines, evidence mapping, and documentation of evidence gaps.
• Develop V&V plans addressing scenario libraries, simulation fidelity, edge‑case generation, and hazard traceability.
• Provide Trust & Safety Metrics Catalogs and evidence‑collection plans supporting autonomy evaluation.
• Define acceptance test procedures for autonomy features aligned to mission use‑cases.
• Participate in SRR/SDR/PDR/CDR/FRR reviews and prepare read‑ahead materials.
• Prepare monthly summary reports including risks, blockers, recommendations, and next steps.

Required Education/Skills

• Expertise in autonomy, safety assurance, verification & validation, or related domains.
• Knowledge of autonomy architectures, safety‑critical systems, and NASA/FAA standards.
• Experience developing assurance cases, safety arguments, and structured evidence sets.
• Familiarity with risk‑based V&V, scenario‑based testing, and autonomy test methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills and excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in MS Office/Office 365 and familiarity with engineering documentation workflows.

Other

Remote work supported with periodic onsite participation in technical reviews and coordination meetings.

EEOE Including Vets and Disability

No Visa Sponsorship for this position