Space Suit Project Engineer

KBR Careers; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible spending account

Paid time off

Job summary

A leading aerospace firm based in Houston is seeking a Space Suit Project Engineer to support the design and testing of space exploration hardware. The role entails collaborating with NASA on projects, ensuring compliance with safety and quality assurance standards, and troubleshooting hardware issues. Candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and have at least three years of relevant experience. This position is entirely on-site and offers competitive benefits including professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of experience in manufacturing, testing, and troubleshooting hardware.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident with security clearance eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support for space exploration hardware design and testing.
• Collaborate on the development and testing of space suit components.
• Oversee testing and reporting of engineering evaluations.

Skills

Effective communication (verbal and written)

Ability to work independently

Team collaboration

Troubleshooting hardware

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or related field)

Tools

MS Office tools

Laboratory equipment (e.g., oscilloscope, digital multimeter)

Job description

Space Suit Project Engineer

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. Our goal is 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).

The 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. Key responsibilities include requirements development and verification, parts identification, hardware development, testing, certification/delivery, and sustainment. The role requires knowledge of the quality process for controlled hardware, including writing Task Performance Sheets and disposition of Discrepancy Reports.

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

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 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.

Click here to learn more: KBR Benefits New | KBR

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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.

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