Director of Quality, Space
About The Position
The Director of Quality, Space is responsible for overseeing all quality activities, personnel, systems, and performance associated with Space programs across multiple Karman Space & Defense operating sites. This role provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure all Space hardware, assemblies, and services meet or exceed contractual, regulatory, and customer requirements. The Director of Quality, Space manages the Space Quality Engineering organization, supports execution of Space programs, and ensures consistent application of quality standards and tools across the sector. This leader works in close partnership with the Enterprise Director of Quality to align each site’s AS9100-compliant QMS with the emerging enterprise quality architecture and to transition multiple Space sites toward a unified enterprise certification. This role is critical in driving disciplined execution, continuous improvement, product integrity, and customer satisfaction within the Space market segment.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or related technical field preferred
- 10 years of experience in aerospace/Space quality roles preferred.
- Strong working knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, and Space customer quality standards.
- Quality Engineering experience with complex programs including design.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful, permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain necessary authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Responsibilities
- Lead, develop, and manage the Quality Engineering team supporting all Space programs and projects.
- Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, proactive risk management, and continuous improvement across Space Quality functions.
- Serve as the primary Space quality leader to the VP of Space and the Space leadership team.
- Ensure the quality of all Space hardware, assemblies, engineered systems, and services produced across multiple sites.
- Oversee program quality planning, including inspection strategies, qualification/verification plans, critical characteristics control, product safety considerations, and risk mitigation.
- Review and approve quality requirements for Space proposals, contracts, and manufacturing plans.
- Drive effective root cause analysis, corrective action, and failure review processes for Space programs.
- Ensure each Space site maintains compliance to AS9100, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
- Provide direct guidance to site Quality Managers/Quality Engineers on QMS implementation, audit readiness, and procedural improvement.
- Support site internal audits, customer audits, DCMA oversight, and third-party certification audits.
- Partner with the Enterprise Director of Quality to align Space site QMS structures, documentation, and practices with the enterprise quality framework.
- Support the long-term strategy to transition multiple Space AS9100 certificates into a unified enterprise certificate.
- Collaborate closely on enterprise initiatives such as configuration management improvements, risk management systems, document control harmonization, supplier quality strategies, and enterprise metrics.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
