Functional Safety Specialist

Functional Safety Specialist

Are you looking to work for a company that provides an innovative work environment, and your voice is heard? We have a position for a Functional Safety Specialist to work onsite at our client in Liberty, NC (this is a contract position)

Who we are:

LER TechForce is an industry leader in embedded controls, software, functional safety, and engineering talent. For over 20 years LER has been working with customers across North America to meet their engineering resource challenges. Learn more about us (3) LER TechForce: Life | LinkedIn

What you will be doing:

Our client is seeking a highly experienced Functional Safety Specialist to support a critical safety compliance and validation group. The ideal candidate will bring over 10 years of experience in industrial safety engineering, with deep expertise in functional safety standards, circuit validation, and regulatory compliance.

This role requires strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, regional-level coordination, and effective prioritization to meet project schedules.

• Develop detailed area project plans and schedules
• Audit Safety Control Systems (SCS) for compliance with ISO 13849 and ANSI B11
• Identify and document non-conformities within SCS designs
• Design and verify countermeasures to achieve target control category and performance levels
• Develop schedules with deliverables, milestones, concerns, and key performance indicators
• Manage a 3rd Party consultant group by milestones, concerns, and key performance indicators
• Lead cross-functional communication and collaboration to ensure issue resolution
• Provide written and verbal project status reports to management and stakeholders
• Audit SCS design modifications to ensure correlation with intended design
• Support the Control Reliability team through mentorship and technical coaching
• Perform hands-on troubleshooting and implementation as needed
• Demonstrate a positive, team-oriented attitude and contribute to cross-functional success

What you'll need to be successful:

Essential:

• A Functional Safety Certification, such as TÜV Functional Safety Engineer or equivalent
• 10 years of experience in functional safety engineering within industrial or automation sectors
• Experience with PLC/SPLC communication protocols and system integration
• Technical Associate’s Degree or higher in a related discipline
• In-depth knowledge of ISO 13849-1, ANSI B11, and other relevant standards
• Demonstrated technical problem-solving and countermeasure implementation skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Safety PLC programming experience, including the ability to read, interpret, modify, and configure logic
• Availability to support weekends, off-shifts, and holidays as required
• Ability to work during scheduled shutdowns (July and December)
• Willingness to travel up to 30% (domestic and international)
• Capability to navigate large industrial facilities: standing, walking, climbing stairs, bending, and kneeling as needed
• Ability to safely lift, push, or pull up to 25 pounds

Preferred:

• Experience with risk assessment tools
• FMEA/FMEDA methodologies
• Proficiency with one or more Safety PLC platforms, including:
• Allen-Bradley GuardLogix
• Omron - Sysmac (Safety)
• Keyence - GC Configurator
• Toyopuc – PCWin Safe
• Siemens TIA Portal / Step 7 (Safety)

What you'll get:

• Full benefits: medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA
• 401K with a match and immediate vesting
• Short-term & Long-term disability, life insurance and other optional benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Discounts
• Ongoing professional development opportunities including Technical Training and Leadership Development
• The opportunity to work on industry leading projects