We hear from Ciara, a GCAP Graduate Safety Engineer at BAE Systems. Ciara shares what a typical day looks like and what qualities she believes are important for being successful in this role.
What degree did you study and where?
Control and Systems Engineering with a year in Industry at The University of Sheffield.
Why did you decide on this career?
There are lots of reasons that led me to becoming an engineer. I've always enjoyed solving problems and found STEM subjects at school interesting. My fascination with how things work and my desire to understand and improve them guided me towards engineering as a career path. BAE Systems is known for its cutting-edge technology and advanced engineering projects and having the opportunity to work on these projects in a collaborative and inspiring environment has been really rewarding and exciting.
What's a typical day like as a graduate safety engineer?
GCAP is still in the early stages of its lifecycle, so right now we are developing the safety processes that will guide the project throughout its duration. Our current focus is on capturing aircraft and system functions and identifying associated risks and hazards. This analysis will generate safety requirements that we will then provide to the system teams.
We also engage regularly with regulators to set up appropriate safety targets that align with regulatory requirements and project objectives. By prioritising safety activities at this stage, we aim to influence the design process effectively, ensuring that safety considerations are integrated from the very beginning.
What qualities do you think are important for this role?
As with any engineer a safety engineer needs to possess a blend of technical knowledge, analytical skills and personal soft skills to effectively carry out their role. Solid engineering knowledge of the platform you are working on is important and it is good to have familiarity with relevant safety regulations, standards and guidelines. Clear communication is necessary to articulate safety concepts, risks and requirements distinctly to various stakeholders, including engineers, managers and regulatory bodies.
Important personal attributes include working responsibly and having a strong sense of accountability for the outcomes of the safety work, and having a desire to continuously learn to stay up to date with the latest advancements in safety tools, industry best practices and regulatory changes and being flexible to adapt to new information.
What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
I really enjoy that my project allows me to work tri-laterally with Italy and Japan. Working with teams from other countries and companies brings together diverse perspectives and ideas which I find really interesting and it often leads us to choose more innovative solutions.
Exposure to different cultures is enriching my understanding of global practices, traditions, and viewpoints which advances my personal and professional growth.
What are the challenges?
GCAP will be an innovative, highly advanced, 6th generation fighter and there are ambitious timescales for developing GCAP. The new unknowns provide challenges as the interdependencies and intricate designs of the systems are so huge. Working effectively with diverse teams in 3 different countries also requires strong communication and collaboration skills.
In what way is your degree relevant to your job?
A systems engineering degree is highly relevant to safety engineering due to the comprehensive and interdisciplinary nature of the subjects it covers. Systems engineering focuses on the design, integration, and management of complex systems, which aligns closely with the objectives of safety engineering. Understanding the V lifecycle and systems way of working has been useful for seeing how the work we are completing now will impact the programme’s through life.
What are your career ambitions?
In the next 5 years I would really love to have completed a secondment abroad. It has always been a dream of mine to speak another language and live in a foreign country.
What advice would you give to other aspiring integration engineers?
- Gain practical experience. Hands on experience through work experience or industrial placements is so useful because it allows you to better understand what you enjoy doing. It is also great to talk about in interviews!
- Start building your network now. Seek out mentors who can provide guidance and share their experiences. Join professional organisations and online communities and attend conferences, webinars or workshops to stay informed and network with other professionals.
- Adapt to Change. Be prepared to adapt to new technologies, methodologies, and project requirements as the field of integration engineering is constantly evolving.
If you’re interested in a career at BAE Systems, check out their current opportunities here.
