Spacecraft System Safety Manager

Spacecraft System Safety Manager (Section Manager)

Location:

Pasadena, California. JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

The Spacecraft System Safety Manager, Section Manager of the System Safety Office (1160), will report to the Office of Safety and Mission Success (OSMS) and Deputy Manager. The role includes managing a team of System Safety Engineers (SSEs), Pressure Systems Managers (PSMs), and Lifting Devices and Equipment Managers (LDEMs) supporting JPL Flight and Institutional projects, including suborbital payloads on platforms such as aircraft, balloon and sounding rockets at various stages of the project lifecycle.

• Provide mentoring, guidance, and oversight for SSEs, PSMs, and LDEMs.
• Monitor the implementation of technical and operational system safety requirements, ground‑based pressure systems, and lifting devices and equipment safety requirements.
• Work with different organizations across the lab to ensure JPL, NASA, and Air Force requirements are incorporated into the JPL design process and/or product procurements.
• Oversee the integrity of System Safety Office (SSO) products such as reviewing hazard analyses, Safety Data Packages, Safety Requirement Compliance Matrices or any other product that requires SSO approval.
• Work with other internal organizations such as Quality Assurance, Occupational Safety, Chief Engineer‑Airborne or Fracture Control Board when cross‑coordination is needed.
• Support the new business needs of the SSO, drafting proposals, and developing budgets and forecasts. As necessary, you will provide independent safety assessments on important issues, anomalies and mishaps to support the SSEs and the Office of Safety and Mission Success (OSMS).
• Oversee activities of staff and authorize Human Resource actions including employee recruitment and hiring, training, work assignments, performance assessment, career development, salary management, and employee safety.
• Be part of the NASA Payload Safety Program Agency team members that address Payload Safety processes and requirements for NASA and the Air Force.
• Work with NASA Office of JPL Management and Oversight (NOJMO) as needed.
• Work with NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) which has oversight for Aircraft Services.
• Provide guidance and support for Quality and Occupational Health audits.
• Perform section strategic planning. Develop plans and performing supporting actions each year to advance the processes, tools and capabilities of the Section.
• Establish organizational operating policies and procedures.
• Provide system safety support as needed to projects in formulation.
• Lead and/or perform organizational infrastructure centric activities, including the following: develop and maintain System Safety standards, processes, procedures and documentation, such as the System Safety handbook; update and maintain the System Safety Website and Alfresco library.
• Provide ad‑hoc support and work products/deliverables to the OSMS Manager.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or related discipline with a minimum of 12 years of related experience;
  Master’s degree with a minimum of 10 years; or PhD with a minimum of 8 years.
• Strong leadership ability and proficiency in decision‑making and delegation, change management, product‑line management, communication, time management, problem solving, conflict resolution and strategic leadership.
• Significant expertise in System Safety Engineering or related fields such as Systems Engineering.
• Knowledge of NASA HQ Safety and Mission Assurance, and OSMS practices and policies.
• Demonstrated knowledge of flight processes and process improvement/management.
• Proven ability to anticipate and mitigate problems, seek technical expert advice and outside solutions and rigorously apply engineering discipline and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and mentor high performance teams and maintain effective working relationships with…