Functional Safety Engineer

Zenith People are working with our client who are looking to recruit an experienced Functional Safety Engineer on a permanent basis to support the development and compliance of electromechanical systems within an upper-tier COMAH-regulated facility.

This role requires a strong background in functional safety engineering and systems integration, ensuring that new systems, products, and machinery are designed and developed in line with industry safety standards. You will work on cutting-edge technologies, supporting the safe design, validation, and compliance of equipment throughout its lifecycle.

Our client are open to candidates with systems engineering, validation, or integration backgrounds, provided they have strong familiarity with functional safety methods and standards.

Key Responsibilities

As a Functional Safety Engineer, you will:

• Lead functional safety engineering activities, ensuring adherence to ISO 13849, ISO 26262, and IEC 61508 standards.
• Perform risk assessments, conducting DFMEA, FTA, and FMECA analyses for new and existing systems.
• Review equipment designs, ensuring compliance with UK workplace safety regulations.
• Inspect manufacturing systems, validating their safe function and operational reliability.
• Conduct functional testing of safety features, ensuring regulatory and performance standards are met.
• Confirm compliance with CE and UKCA requirements, along with PUWER legislation.
• Develop and oversee validation processes, ensuring new technologies meet safety expectations before deployment.
• Support systems integration, working closely with cross-functional teams in engineering, safety, and compliance.
• Engage with regulators, ensuring machinery safety aligns with regulatory expectations.
• Provide technical guidance on automation and machine safety, including autonomous systems, and ADAS

Qualifications & Experience

To succeed in this role, you’ll need:

• Degree or master’s in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electronics, or a related field.
• FS TUV certification
• Proven experience in systems engineering, functional safety, validation, or systems integration.
• Strong knowledge of electromechanical systems and whole-machine architecture.
• Exposure to functional safety standards, including ISO 13849, ISO 26262, or IEC 61508, 61511.
• Expertise in analytical and simulation tools such as DFMEA, FTA, FMECA, Matlab, Simulink, reliability modelling.
• Experience in machine design, systems validation, or functional safety implementation within manufacturing or industrial environments.

Preferred (Beneficial) Experience:

• Knowledge of safety-critical control systems
• Understanding of software engineering and electronics development, supporting functional safety integration.
• Experience conducting compliance audits, inspections, and validation trials for industrial machinery.