Principal Product Assurance Manager

at  The Exploration Company

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.
To help us in this exciting journey, we are looking for a Principal Quality Engineer with a strong hardware background to ensure that all products meet the highest quality standards and lead key quality initiatives across the organization.

As the Principal Product Assurance Engineer, you will hold a leadership role within both the Operations department, ensuring that hardware quality processes are implemented and adhered to across all phases of product development and manufacturing. You will be the primary quality focal point for Manufacturing, Assembly, Integration, and Testing (MAIT), ensuring hardware quality is at the core of all activities. You will work closely with the Senior Quality Manager and other cross-functional teams. Your main responsibilities will include:

• Act as a Product Assurance Engineer on assigned projects, and managing them in accordance with requirements, quality plans and company’s processes,
• Act as the primary quality focal point for all hardware-related activities, including Manufacturing, Assembly, Integration, and Testing (MAIT) processes, ensuring that all deliverables meet project quality requirements.
• Manage product assurance activities, ensuring that all hardware deliverables are inspected, controlled, and documented according to quality requirements.
• Lead the management of the Qualification Status List (QSL) and Critical Item List (CIL) to track qualification progress and critical components.
• Monitor and contribute to RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety) activities to ensure compliance with project standards.
• Oversee Hardware-Software integration surveillance and contribute to key integration milestones.
• Supervise subcontractor DP (Data Package) reviews, ensuring compliance with quality and project requirements.
• Perform product assurance project audits to ensure adherence to processes and standards, and contribute to the improvement of PA methodologies.
• Interface with customers to provide regular updates on Product Assurance (PA) activities and address their concerns.
• Drive the implementation of quality control plans, ensuring adherence at key inspection points, leading non-conformance investigations, conducting root cause analyses, and overseeing corrective actions.
• Support the certification processes for space-grade hardware and systems, contributing to audits, and liaising with regulatory bodies as needed.
• Ensure subcontractors’ compliance with the project’s quality requirements through ongoing compliance monitoring, in collaboration with the Supplier Quality Engineer.
• Represent quality interests in Verification Control Boards, ensuring robust quality coverage in product development, integration, and testing phases.
• Enhance safety and quality protocols in critical areas, such as hardware assembly and testing, propellant handling, and overall system integration.