Quality Assurance Engineer

Relative Dynamics; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Relative Dynamics in Houston, Texas, is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Engineer. In this role, you will perform quality surveillance at supplier locations, ensuring that all quality assurance functions are met.

You will be responsible for assessing printed circuit boards, monitoring contractor quality controls, and participating in reviews of flight hardware anomalies. The ideal candidate has over 15 years in space flight hardware manufacturing and deep familiarity with NASA standards.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in manufacturing, assembly, and/or quality assurance of space flight hardware.
• Experience with NASA project critical paths.
• Ability to work long hours in a cleanroom environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform quality assessment for printed circuit boards.
• Monitor contractor quality and safety controls.
• Ensure flight hardware anomalies are documented.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Quality assurance

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Clean room environment familiarity

Tools

Microsoft Office

NASA-STD compliance

Job description

Department: NASA Safety & Mission Assurance, Audits, Assessments and Analysis (SA3) Services Program

Relative Dynamics Inc. has an exciting opportunity for a Quality Assurance support primarily at supplier locations to perform quality surveillance activities and hardware quality assurance functions.

Periodic non-local travel is anticipated to accomplish delegated functions such as pre-cap inspections, technical or status interchange meetings (TIMs) or reviews, key supplier hardware inspections (government mandatory inspection points), project milestone reviews, and unplanned required travel as requested by the Quality Manager and/or CSO.

Work coverage may be required during evening and weekend shifts.

What You'll Get to Do

• Printed Circuit Board quality assessment
• Workmanship including coatings
• Soldering
• ESD controls
• Clean room activities and controls
• Cable and harness fabrication
• Parts and materials control
• Control of drawings and procedures
• Equipment moves (e.g. slings, cranes, and hydro sets)
• Hazardous operations
• Contractor responses to corrective action requests
• Build records, end-item data packages
• Delivery, storage and transport of flight and non-flight hardware, and critical ground support equipment (GSE)
• Support Spacecraft transportation planning
• Spacecraft readiness review(s); pre-ship to launch site
• Spacecraft transport to launch site monitor; purge, battery health and dynamics
• Launch site processing, Post-Ship Aliveness Testing, Anomaly Resolution, Site
• Movements, Spacecraft Fueling, GSE Compliance, Spacecraft to Launch
• Vehicle Adapter Final Torque verifications, Red/Green Tag verifications
• Ordnance installations, Final Closeouts, Final Fairing Installation Inspections

The QE will ensure that flight hardware and software anomalies, corrective actions, and re-verifications are documented in accordance with the developers’ non-conformance and corrective action system. The QE will participate in production planning, when possible, review manufacturing flow plans and participate in Manufacturing and Test Readiness Reviews (MRRs and TRRs). The QE will monitor contractor quality and safety controls, and participate in quality assurance activities during fabrication, integration, and tests. The QE monitoring will apply to process implementations, product inspection during production, recording of key process data, witness of the set up (e.g., equipment check outs, safe connector mating, reconfiguring or moving mission hardware) and execution of key tests, supplier conformance with quality engineering and project management approval requirements (e.g., red-lines, approval to proceed, signing off on work orders), labs and personnel certifications, traceability of calibration certifications to calibration plans, capture of test results and instances of product or process nonconformance, protection of product, isolation and preservation of non-conforming items to assure effective root cause or failure analysis, and witnessing of close calls or mishap events.

What You'll Need

• Fifteen (15) + years’ experience in manufacturing, assembly and/or quality assurance of space flight hardware.
• Experience working/supporting critical path FRB’s for a previous NASA project.
• Experience, and be able to perform for long hours, in a cleanroom environment and able to spend long periods of time standing in the cleanroom.
• Familiar with supplier quality management operations, requirements flow-down and compliance, and performance data accumulation and analysis tools and techniques.
• Familiar with ISO 9001 and AS9100.
• Experience preferably at NASA with direct working experience with the following standards and requirements:
• NASA-STD-8739.1 (Staking and Conformal Coating)
• NASA-STD-8739.4 or IPC/WHMA-A-620xS (Crimping, Cables & Wiring) and ANSI/ESD 20.20 (Electrostatic Discharge)
• NASA-STD-8739.6 (Workmanship Implementation Standard)

Required Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have good working knowledge of the full suite of Microsoft Office and the ability to remotely access GSFC database and other online knowledge management tools (e.g., Meta). They must possess diplomatic sensitivities relative to programmatic risk management and contractual relationships, strong verbal and written communication skills, and a technical problem-solving background with strong analytical skills. The QE must be able to work side-by-side with other mission assurance personnel (e.g., Prime Contractor, subcontractors, GSFC civil servants, GSFC contractors, DCMA). The assigned QE must have familiarity with the applicable Project MAR and the technical quality standards invoked therein.

What You Won't Do

• Feel stuck as we offer great opportunities to advance and learn
• Feel like a number as we're a close-knit bunch and always have each other's backs

Who You Are

• A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment
• A quick learner who is always ready to gain depth of knowledge
• A reliable worker who knows the importance of showing up when it counts
• Accept assignments with open cooperative positive and team-oriented attitudes
• Able to plan and execute plans across teams
• Effective communicator both written and verbal

Relative Dynamics conducts a comprehensive background check that includes drug testing. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.