Space Suit Project Engineer

KBR Careers; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Flexible spending account

Paid time off

Job summary

KBR is seeking a Space Suit Project Engineer in Houston to support the design, development, fabrication, assembly, testing and certification of space suit hardware for exploration missions, including Orion and the Human Landing System, on-site at NASA Johnson Space Center with occasional travel.

The role requires reviewing drawings, writing task performance sheets, conducting verifications, managing risk, and coordinating with NASA stakeholders to ensure safety and mission success.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering and 3+ years in hardware development, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; able to obtain Public Trust clearance.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safety, health and environmental compliance.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and test space suits and related hardware.
• Support design, fabrication and testing of softgoods and hardgoods suit components.
• Develop assembly plans, testing strategies, and test procedures.
• Lead troubleshooting, root cause analysis and reporting of test results.
• Interface with NASA stakeholders as required.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Independent work

Team collaboration

Technical communication

Root cause analysis

Hardware testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Aerospace/Mechanical)

Tools

NASA/JSC tools: MIDAS

NASA/JSC tools: CDS

NASA/JSC tools: QARC

NASA/JSC tools: EDMS

NASA/JSC tools: JEDII

Job description

Space Suit Project Engineer Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

Around here, we define the future. We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers. But we all share one goal: to improve the world responsibly and safely.

The purpose of the Project Engineer position is to provide engineering support for the design, development, fabrication, assembly, engineering evaluation, testing, and certification of hardware for use on exploration missions (e.g. Orion, Human Landing System). This position is in support of Space Suit Development on the Human Health and Performance Contract (HHPC) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). This position is expected to be 100% on site and in person. Occasional travel may be required (~10% of the time). Successful candidate will play a pivotal role in the successful execution of projects and delivery of hardware to NASA/JSC in support of exploration missions. Candidate will require key skills needed for requirements development and verification, parts identification, hardware development, testing, certification/delivery, and sustaining.

This position will require the candidate to be well versed in the quality process for the development and sustainment of controlled hardware, including the writing of Task Performance Sheets and disposition of Discrepancy Reports. Candidate will be responsible for reviewing, understanding, and interpreting engineering drawings, as well as providing initial inputs for development and redlines for updates to drawings. Candidate will strategize, oversee, and participate in hands‑on development activities. Effective communication will be a critical skill in working with the project, other project engineers, technical support staff, NASA vendors, and quality engineering personnel. This position will require the candidate to multitask and coordinate multiple highly technical and complex development threads within the context of and in pursuit of the success of larger projects. This position will require distilling high-level project goals into discrete project tasks to ensure that the projects are completed successfully and on schedule.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for compliance with Safety, Health and Environmental plan; must be committed to a high standard of safety and be willing and able to comply with all safety laws and all of the Company’s safety policies and rules and must be willing to report safety violations and potential safety violations to appropriate supervisory or management personnel
• Responsible for compliance with the Quality Assurance Plan, policies and procedures
• Must maintain regular and acceptable attendance level as determined by the Company
• Responsible for completing all assigned training
• Maintain Safety records and certifications
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and test space suits and related hardware
• Support the design, fabrication, and testing of softgoods and hardgoods suit components, including troubleshooting hardware assemblies and optimizing manufacturing processes
• Utilize project requirement and verification documents to develop assembly plans, testing strategies, and produce test plans, test setups, and procedures
• Complete tasks to mature project requirements, ensuring compliance with NASA standards and protocols
• Oversee the development, execution, analysis, and reporting of engineering evaluation, qualification, and acceptance tests of space suits and space suit components
• Analyze test results, produce detailed reports, and recommend design improvements
• Interface with NASA stakeholders as required
• Lead troubleshooting efforts, root cause analysis, risk management, and failure investigation for hardware issues; capture and apply lessons learned
• Develop and maintain project documentation, including project reports and technical memos
• Lead the review of lunar dust mitigation strategies for internal systems and EVA operations, performing contamination control analysis, and helping to develop verification plans for dust-related requirements
• Candidate will be expected to execute concept to design, build, and test of risk mitigation hardware
• Will perform other duties and assignments as required

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree or greater in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or related field) from an accredited university with a minimum of three years of experience
• Experience with manufacturing, test, and troubleshooting of hardware
• U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residency required; must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance

SKILLS/TRAINING: REQUIRED

• Able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing (MS Office tools)
• Able to work effectively with minimal supervision
• Able to work in a team environment
• Able to develop and clearly communicate information to technical forums
• Able to troubleshoot hardware and perform root cause analysis and analyze performance data

DESIRED

• Experience in space suit design, softgoods components fabrication, or testing of suit hardware highly desired
• Experience leading small teams in a research and development function highly desired
• Experience with NASA or other government agency budgetary and proposal process
• Experience conducting similar work with Human Landing System or other NASA/JSC exploration programs (e.g. Orion)
• Experience with lunar dust testing and mitigation in spaceflight hardware
• Experience optimizing manufacturing processes for space hardware
• Experience with root cause analysis and failure investigation
• Experience with configuration and data management processes and submitting Change Requests
• Laboratory equipment experience (e.g. oscilloscope, digital multimeter, power supplies)
• Troubleshooting of electrical/mechanical equipment and software
• Proficiency with NASA/JSC tools: MIDAS, CDS, QARC, EDMS, ELABEL, EDS, ISS PART, EDRS/EDCC, JEDII

Benefits

• 401K plan with company match
• medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule
• We support career advancement through professional training and development

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to an ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

KBR — Delivering Solutions, Changing the World. KBR brings together the best and brightest to deliver science, technology and engineering solutions that help governments and companies around the world accomplish their most critical missions and objectives. In everything we do, we are guided by our ONE KBR Values: We Value Our People – We create diverse, inclusive environments in which each person can feel safe, respected and valued, and where everyone has opportunities to grow and reach their full potential. We Deliver – We are uncompromising in our commitment to deliver innovative, high-quality, technology‑led solutions for our customers and exceptional, sustainable value for all our stakeholders. We Are People of Integrity – We value honesty, trust, courage, fairness, prudence and tenacity. We believe doing what’s right for the planet, the communities where we work, and our people is good for business. We Empower – We empower our people with a shared purpose, the right tools and the supportive culture they need to be proactive decision‑makers, to be adaptive to change, and to succeed. We Are a Team of Teams – We have a will to succeed, but we value the achievements of our team of teams over individual accomplishments. Our collective focus makes us a better, stronger, more effective company. We have also embedded environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in every business operation and corporate function. Not only are we committed to operating safely, sustainably and equitably, but we are also committed to using our capabilities and expertise to help our customers accomplish their sustainability goals. Worldwide, KBR employs a diverse workforce approximately 29,000 people strong, with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries. At KBR, We Deliver.