Safety Engineer
Safety Test Engineer
💰 £350 - £400/day (Inside IR35)
📍 Gaydon, UK (Fully onsite) | 📅 6-Month Contract
Our client, a top global organization, is seeking a Safety Test Engineer to support vehicle safety testing within a laboratory environment, delivering component, system, and full vehicle safety validation. This role involves working across quasi-static and dynamic test rigs to evaluate safety performance including pedestrian impact, head impact, restraint systems, and structural components. You will be responsible for planning, executing, and reporting safety tests to support development and homologation requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct component, system, and vehicle safety tests
- Execute tests in line with internal and legislative standards
- Deliver test timing plans aligned to programme demand
- Produce homologation and sign-off reports
- Liaise with safety delivery teams and engineering stakeholders
- Design and modify test rigs and fixtures
- Evaluate failure modes and propose investigation methods
- Support test preparation and rig readiness
- Represent the team in technical reviews and meetings
- Work with internal teams and external test suppliers
Essential Skills & Experience
- Mechanical Engineering background
- Experience working in test laboratory environment
- Knowledge of instrumentation and measurement systems
- Experience executing component or vehicle testing
- Ability to analyse failure modes and propose solutions
- Strong communication and stakeholder interaction skills
- Self-motivated with strong delivery focus
- Flexibility to support programme timelines and testing schedules
Desirable Skills
- Automotive safety testing experience
- Experience with hydraulic test equipment
- Knowledge of safety legislation (FMVSS, impact testing, etc.)
- Data analysis tools (Catman, Diadem, DataViewer, etc.)
- High-speed camera testing experience
- Design of Experiments (DoE) knowledge
- Structured problem-solving / Six Sigma exposure
- Vehicle restraint / airbag / body structure testing experience
If this is relevant to your experience, please apply with your CV and we'll be in touch.