Senior Safety Approvals Specialist

TITLE:

• Senior Safety Approvals Specialist

ROLE & PURPOSE:

• To support and deputise for the Safety Approvals Manager in ensuring that the Infrastructure Manager (IÉ-IM) implements and controls changes to assets, procedures, and organisational design in compliance with legislative requirements, the Infrastructure Manager Safety Management System (IM-SMS-013), and the Safety Approval of Change Standard (IM-SMS-014).
• The post holder is the senior technical specialist within the Safety Approvals Team and acts as the principal technical escalation point for complex, high-risk, novel or contested safety approval matters. They will independently review and lead the assessment of Applications for Safety Approval (ASAs) across the full range of complexity and provide authoritative recommendations to the IMSAP regarding the award of Safety Certification for changes to IM assets, infrastructure or operations.
• This role is central to ensuring that all changes across the network are authorised safely, efficiently, and in accordance with statutory obligations under the Railway Safety Act 2005, S.I. 476/2020, S.I. 477/2020, and relevant EU directives and Regulations.
• The post holder provides technical leadership, direction and mentoring to Safety Approvals Specialists and graduate/trainee staff within the team, acts as the escalation point for complex or contested applications, and formally deputises for the Safety Approvals Manager, including at IMSAP and in dealings with the Commission for Railway Regulation (CRR).

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to:

• Safety Approvals Manager, Infrastructure Manager Safety Department.

Working Relationship with:

• Members of the Safety Approvals Team, including the provision of technical direction and mentoring to Safety Approvals Specialists and graduate/trainee staff.
• Members of the Infrastructure Manager Safety Approval Panel (IMSAP).
• Project Managers / Applicants for safety approval.
• The Commission for Railway Regulation.
• Senior management and programme/project leadership within Capital Investments (CI) and other project delivery functions across IÉ-IM
• Professional Heads and senior management across IÉ-IM.

Key Qualities:

Essential:

• Level 8 honours degree in Engineering or an equivalent technical/scientific qualification, together with a minimum of five years' relevant post-qualification experience in an engineering, safety assurance, or regulated high-reliability industry (rail, aviation, energy, nuclear, etc.), including significant experience independently assessing complex safety-related change and making technically defensible recommendations
• Detailed, demonstrable working knowledge of:
• EU and Irish railway safety and interoperability legislation
• The Common Safety Method on Risk Evaluation and Assessment (CSM-RA) and Common Safety Method for Safety Management Systems (CSM-SMS)
• Engineering Safety Management principles and standards (EN 50126, EN 50128, EN 50129, IEC 61508), with practical experience of their application in one or more railway engineering disciplines, and the ability to assess and integrate safety assurance evidence across Signalling, infrastructure and rolling stock interfaces.
• A proven track record of independently assessing and reporting on complex, high-risk or novel safety cases, and of producing sound, defensible technical recommendations under time pressure and scrutiny, without routine oversight.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce structured technical reports for panel and senior/executive management level, and to engage with and influence project teams, senior management and external regulators.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach and provide technical direction to less experienced colleagues, and to deputise credibly for a manager in a technical and regulatory forum.

Desirable:

• Chartered Engineer status (or actively working towards), and/or membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. Engineers Ireland, IOSH).
• Extensive experience in:
• Safety case production and management
• Risk assessment and demonstration of risk reduction so far as is reasonably practicable
• Self-sufficient hazard workshop facilitation and functional safety assessment
• Developing and delivering technical training
• Management or supervision of staff and external service providers
• Project or programme management experience.
• Detailed knowledge of IÉ internal safety standards and CRR authorisation processes, including direct experience engaging with the CRR.
• Demonstrated experience engaging directly with a national safety authority or equivalent regulator in the assessment or authorisation of safety-critical change

Competencies:

• Specialist / expert technical knowledge and judgement
• Leadership, mentoring and people development
• Communication and influencing at senior/regulatory level
• Planning, organising and managing competing priorities
• Analytical thinking, judgement and decision-making under ambiguity
• Concern for quality and safety culture
• Personal accountability and resilience

General Responsibilities:

As a Senior Safety Approvals Specialist, you will be the most senior technical member of the IM Safety Approvals Team and will deputise for the Safety Approvals Manager when required.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Independently assessing engineering, operational and organisational change projects across the full range of complexity, from more straightforward cases through to the most complex, high-risk or contentious, for compliance with applicable Irish and EU safety legislation and IM-SMS requirements, exercising sound judgement in areas of technical or regulatory ambiguity, without routine supervision.
• Leading the review of Applications for Safety Approval (ASAs) for completeness and compliance with IM-SMS-014 and CSM-RA processes and resolving areas of non-compliance directly with applicants and project managers.
• Preparing and quality-assuring structured technical reports summarising findings, conclusions and recommendations to the IMSAP regarding safety certification, including for the most complex or high-profile changes on the network.
• Presenting findings and defending recommendations to the IMSAP, including in contested or complex cases requiring negotiation and influencing skills.
• Providing authoritative advice to senior project and programme leadership within Capital Investments (CI) and across IM, as well as to safety assurance managers and professional heads, on appropriate safety assurance strategies and supporting documentation.
• Leading the development and enhancement of IM safety standards, procedures and tools to align with best practice and evolving legislation and representing the Safety Approvals Team on relevant internal and external working groups.
• Independently planning, running and writing up HAZID and risk assessment workshops for complex or high-risk changes.
• Designing and delivering training and guidance to project teams in the application of IM-SMS-014 and related safety approval processes.
• Providing technical oversight and quality assurance of assessments undertaken by Safety Approvals Specialists, including review of assessment conclusions and recommendations for complex or significant applications before submission to IMSAP.
• Deputising for the Safety Approvals Manager as required, including representation at IMSAP, liaison with the CRR, and management of team workload and priorities in the Manager's absence.
• Maintaining expert-level awareness of emerging EU and national safety legislation and regulatory guidance and briefing the wider team and management on the implications for IM processes.
• Building and maintaining effective working relationships with senior leadership within Capital Investments (CI), professional heads, project teams, the CRR and stakeholders across IÉ-IM, up to and including engagement with the IM's executive management team.
• Undertaking travel to project and site locations as required.

Safety

• Compliance with the Safety Management System, IÉ Rulebook and IÉ policies and procedures applicable to your role.
• Actively promote a positive safety culture, lead by example, and drive continuous improvement in safety assurance and regulatory compliance across the IM.

Location: Inchicore, Dublin 8. (Hybrid working arrangements available, as per Remote Working policy)

Employment Type: FTR (full-time regular) following a probationary period

Working Hours: 36-hours per week.

Annual Leave: 25 days initially, 26 days after one years' service, increasing to 28 days after four years' service.

Closing Date: Monday, 16th of November 2026

*Additional Entitlements: Re-location packages (Applicable to residence outside of Ireland), Pension, Welfare Scheme, Credit Union, Further Education Assistance, Talent Development Programmes, Phone, Opportunities for career progression, Free/ discounted Bus and Rail, Irish Ferries and Rail in UK and some European countries, Employee discounts across various sectors, Food, Health & Fitness, Retail, Tech, and much more.

*Some entitlements dependent on employment status and length of service.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation.