Sr. Mission Assurance Engineer

About the Company

Our client is seeking a Senior Mission Assurance Engineer to join their dynamic team in Tempe, AZ! This hybrid role offers the unique blend of working collaboratively within their Tempe office and the flexibility of remote work.

About the Role

The Senior Mission Assurance Engineer oversees mission assurance processes and activities for government and commercial space systems. The role involves ensuring the reliability, safety, and quality of space missions from design through launch and operational phases. This candidate is responsible for managing and integrating mission assurance policies, risk assessments, quality assurance, and compliance across multiple organizations, programs, and contractors to meet mission requirements and mitigate risks.

Responsibilities

• Leads, implements and institutionalizes mission assurance initiatives and provides proactive and pragmatic mission assurance engineering support as part of an integrated project team.
• Lead mission assurance planning and execution for satellite and space related missions from concept through operations.
• Develop, implement, and monitor mission assurance policies, plans, and procedures in collaboration with NASA, DoD, and commercial partners and serve as the primary interface for mission assurance issues between internal and external stakeholders.
• Evaluate design, manufacturing, testing, and operational processes to ensure compliance with mission assurance standards and risk mitigation strategies.
• Conduct technical reviews, risk assessments, failure analyses, and corrective actions to ensure mission safety and performance.
• Coordinate with systems engineering, quality assurance, safety, and reliability teams to identify potential mission risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Review contractor mission assurance plans and performance metrics to ensure compliance with established criteria and mission objectives.
• Lead activity in developing suppliers of electrical components and assemblies early in the development cycle to prevent component issues and improve performance of product development efforts.
• Assuring the quality of software engineering and test verification activities, and participating in software reviews.
• Provides Supply Chain Management organization technical guidance to ensure that parts being procured match supplier capability and ensures that supplier quoted costs are reasonable based on technology, customization and required screening/testing.
• Lead failure investigations, anomaly resolution, and root cause analysis, ensuring lessons learned are integrated into future missions including chairing Program Material Review and Failure Review Boards.
• Oversee qualification and acceptance testing for spacecraft hardware, systems, and launch vehicles.
• Provide regular updates and reports to senior leadership and stakeholders on mission assurance activities, risks, and performance.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelors degree or masters degree in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution.
• 12 or more years of experience with a bachelors degree or 10 or more years of experience with a masters degree. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Strong familiarity with the space or satellite system life cycle, including launch, commissioning and operations.
• Possess the ability and flexibility to understand projects are scalable based on customer needs and requirements.
• Experience in a project led design and development environment.
• Experience with quality management of hardware design, mechanical design, software design and production/flight hardware.
• Experience assessing, onboarding and surveilling suppliers in support of space missions.
• Experience with AS9100 or similar QA standards or methodologies.
• Possess a working understanding of some of the following technologies/disciplines would be an advantage: analogue / digital electronics and components, satellite integration and test.
• Be able to assess space parts levels, compare to requirements, and set up test plans for deltas.
• Be able to assist with incoming electro-mechanical receiving inspection including review of space parts testing certification and acceptability.
• Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately and organize work assignments to meet established timetables.
• Strong communication, computer, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required, as well as the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• US citizenship is required.
• Able to obtain TS/SCI clearance if required.

Preferences

• A flexible, collaborative and growth mindset and willing to work through clarifying highly technical and high visibility, ambiguous situations.
• Employs an “Always a better way” mentality.
• Have experience mentoring and providing mission assurance related guidance across all site locations and functions.
• Able to establish a high level of credibility and respect from executive leadership.