Matternet is looking for a Head of Aviation Safety to continue developing Matternet's safety programs and initiatives, including the identification of trends, hazard mitigation procedures, and incident response. You will be our safety expert and internal investigative unit for safety-related matters.
You will
Take an active and hands-on approach to advocating for safety throughout Matternet
Continue the development and oversight of our Safety Management System (SMS)
Manage and coordinate risk management and reduction strategies within the organization
Perform and coordinate incident, accident, and irregular operations event investigations
Be responsible for ensuring adherence to all applicable domestic and international laws and regulations
Work with the NTSB, FAA, DOT, and other US and international government agencies when required
Attend and represent Matternet at industry and safety-related functions
Perform data analysis and trending for flight hazards. Work with Flight Operations staff to recommend safety improvements
Contribute to the safety analysis for the design and manufacture of Matternet's current and future sUAS platforms and supporting systems.
Collaborate with facilities managers on EH&S matters.
In the first 30 days: Understand the current state of SMS and Matternet assets. Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
In the first 60 days: Begin making contributions to the ongoing development and continuous improvement of the company SMS. Lead safety risk management activities, as necessary
In the first 90 days: Make additions and updates to the safety strategy and roadmap as appropriate. Represent Matternet external safety workgroup
Requirements
10+ years' experience as a participant, or leader, of an aviation safety program
Master's degree in aviation, engineering, or safety management related field. An exception can be made for a Bachelor's degree with significant training and experience
Experience with analysis of data and risk mitigation using statistical analysis, risk assessment, and systems engineering concepts
Working knowledge and understanding of aviation safety programs both nationally and internationally to include but not limited to the Safety Management System (SMS), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), and Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA)
Great additions
Experience in system safety and human factors engineering
Experience working at an aircraft original equipment manufacturer
Experience working with autonomous systems
Licensed pilot (Part 61 or similar)
Flight Test experience
Familiarization with workplace occupational safety standards and training requirements.
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How to hire an aviation safety inspector
Aviation safety inspector hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring aviation safety inspectors in the United States:
- In the United States, the median cost per hire an aviation safety inspector is $1,633.
- It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
- Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
- On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new aviation safety inspector to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.
How to hire an aviation safety inspector, step by step
To hire an aviation safety inspector, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire an aviation safety inspector, you should follow these steps:
Here's a step-by-step aviation safety inspector hiring guide:
- Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
- Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
- Step 3: Make a budget
- Step 4: Write an aviation safety inspector job description
- Step 5: Post your job
- Step 6: Interview candidates
- Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new aviation safety inspector
- Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
What does an aviation safety inspector do?
An aviation safety inspector is responsible for inspecting planes as a safety measure, ensuring that an airplane and its associated parts and equipment is functioning correctly. Typical duties include examining the components impacting an individual flight, performing maintenance and repair to the aircraft, and analyzing safety procedures to ensure that the aircraft complies with safety regulations. In addition, you will be responsible for testing aircraft gauges, meters, and other equipment for technical issues and approving or denying a certificate of airworthiness.
Post an aviation safety inspector job for free, promote it for a fee
Identify your hiring needs
Before you post your aviation safety inspector job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an aviation safety inspector for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.
Determine employee vs contractor statusIs the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?Hiring the perfect aviation safety inspector also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.
This list presents aviation safety inspector salaries for various positions.
Type of Aviation Safety Inspector Description Hourly rate Aviation Safety Inspector $14-49 Inspector An inspector is responsible for overseeing the overall condition of the site, ensuring that it complies with the safety standards and regulations. Inspectors' duties include monitoring the quality of the materials used, inspecting any defects and discrepancies that might compromise the operations, generating reports to assess the product costing if it meets the budget goals, and utilizing available resources in the market for the highest quality project... Show more $12-25 Aircraft Inspector An aircraft inspector oversees all pre-flight inspections. They are part of the maintenance team in airports or in any aircraft hangar with regular flights... Show more $11-33 Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:- Aviation Safety
- General Aviation
- Training Programs
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Designee
- Air Carriers
- Safety Standards
- Technical Assistance
- Aviation Operations
- Aircraft Systems
- Public Complaints
- Aircraft Maintenance
- Maintenance Program
- Aviation Maintenance
Responsibilities:- Work in conjunction with aircraft coordinator to manufacture the GV and GIV by interpreting blue prints and technical procedures.
- Conduct dimensional and visual inspections procedures on CMM machines to ensure geometrical characteristics of the product are in specification.
- Initiate inspection transfer reports (ITR) on reject hardware from the vendor.
- Work in conjunction with aircraft coordinator to manufacture the GV and GIV by interpreting blue prints and technical procedures.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in your aviation safety inspector job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An aviation safety inspector can vary based on:
- Location. For example, aviation safety inspectors' average salary in north dakota is 48% less than in delaware.
- Seniority. Entry-level aviation safety inspectors 71% less than senior-level aviation safety inspectors.
- Certifications. An aviation safety inspector with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
- Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an aviation safety inspector's salary.
Average aviation safety inspector salary
$56,440yearly
$27.13 hourly rateEntry-level aviation safety inspector salary$30,000 yearly salaryUpdated January 23, 2026Average aviation safety inspector salary by state
Rank State Avg. salary Hourly rate 1 Maryland $77,227 $37 2 New York $75,380 $36 3 Florida $73,254 $35 4 Connecticut $72,967 $35 5 Louisiana $71,350 $34 6 Pennsylvania $70,713 $34 7 West Virginia $70,684 $34 8 Ohio $69,598 $33 9 Massachusetts $68,683 $33 10 Texas $66,209 $32 11 Oklahoma $64,546 $31 12 Oregon $62,138 $30 13 Missouri $60,029 $29 14 Illinois $59,798 $29 15 Washington $59,085 $28 16 North Carolina $58,935 $28 17 Arizona $58,840 $28 18 Tennessee $58,710 $28 19 Alabama $58,056 $28 20 Kansas $57,452 $28 Average aviation safety inspector salary by company
Rank Company Average salary Hourly rate Job openings 1 Department of Homeland Security $94,240 $45.31 2 Forest Manufacturing Co $75,333 $36.22 3 Federal Aviation Administration $57,947 $27.86 4 Indian Health Service $54,593 $26.25 Writing an aviation safety inspector job description
An aviation safety inspector job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an aviation safety inspector job description:
Aviation safety inspector job description example
Post your job
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right aviation safety inspector for your business:
- Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
- Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
- Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
- Post your aviation safety inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit aviation safety inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Recruiting aviation safety inspectors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.
You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new aviation safety inspector
Once you've decided on a perfect aviation safety inspector candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.
It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new aviation safety inspector. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an aviation safety inspector?
There are different types of costs for hiring aviation safety inspectors. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new aviation safety inspector employee.
You can expect to pay around $56,440 per year for an aviation safety inspector, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for aviation safety inspectors in the US typically range between $14 and $49 an hour.
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Updated January 23, 2026