Procurement Quality Assurance Engineer III

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

1d•$120,328 - $143,416•Onsite

About The Position

The Procurement Quality Assurance Engineer III is part of JPL’s Procurement Quality Assurance Group (1123), within the Quality Assurance Office, and reports to the Group Supervisor. The role provides independent verification that supplier-produced hardware and software meet critical requirements for spaceflight conditions. It works with suppliers and JPL flight projects to assess quality, manufacturing processes, and risk across procurement and hardware activities. The position may require travel up to 25%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Aerospace, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline and typically at least 6 years of related experience; or a master’s degree in a similar discipline and at least 4 years of related experience; or a PhD in a similar discipline and at least 2 years of related experience.
Demonstrated Supplier Quality Assurance experience in the aerospace industry or another comparable, highly regulated industry.
Experience in one or more of Quality Engineering, Configuration Management, Supplier Management, Supplier Quality Engineering, Supply Chain, inspection techniques (non-destructive, electronics, or mechanical), or manufacturing processes.
Extensive auditing experience and experience providing auditor training.
Extensive aerospace hardware quality inspection experience.
Advanced knowledge of applicable industry standards for design, engineering, fabrication, integration, test, and launch of spaceflight hardware and supply chain.
Demonstrated proficiency in mechanical hardware assurance methods, including inspection, test, and analysis.
Experience developing and maintaining Quality Assurance processes, plans, and procedures.
Understanding of risks and risk-management approaches.
Ability to write reports, analyze situations, and recommend solutions.
Effective written and verbal communication, presentation, and computer skills.
Effective interpersonal and leadership skills, including the ability to lead cohesive teams and interact across organizational levels in a diverse technical environment.
Ability to travel as needed; travel may be up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

AS9100D lead auditor certification is desired.
Understanding of electronic, electrical, electromechanical, optical, and/or mechanical manufacturing processes and associated inspection methods.
Understanding of process variation, statistical process control, and Deming’s approach to systems.
Experience as a quality assurance engineer, manufacturing engineer, process engineer, supplier quality engineer, or supply chain engineer.
Previous experience as a Hardware Quality Engineer is highly desirable.
Experience developing and implementing supply chain improvement efforts.
Experience developing supplier quality or supply chain metrics and identifying key performance indicators.
Experience serving as an onsite QA resident or providing long-term support at a supplier.

Responsibilities

Perform onsite quality, manufacturing, process, and electrostatic discharge assessments at JPL suppliers of spaceflight hardware.
Review drawings, technical standards, and specifications, then audit suppliers for compliance; document gaps clearly and review proposed corrective actions.
Lead the Counterfeit Avoidance Working Group, including engineers, subject matter experts, and quality personnel.
Lead rollout of Counterfeit program updates across JPL, including communications and coordination with key lab areas.
Prepare audit plans with the team, interface with suppliers, facilitate onsite audits, and collect post-audit reports for upload to the JPL Approved Supplier List website.
Conduct supplier hardware inspections, documentation reviews, test witnessing, non-conformance investigations, and other flight-hardware quality activities.
Work with JPL flight projects to apply procurement quality assurance methods and techniques and identify and mitigate supplier risk.
Represent Procurement Quality Assurance in flight-project subcontract reviews, in partnership with JPL flight projects, to identify and mitigate risk.
Serve as a supplier quality engineering subject matter expert in supplier quality troubleshooting, investigations, and performance improvement efforts.
Lead or support procurement quality assurance improvement initiatives.
Apply mechanical and electronic hardware assurance methods, including inspection, test, and analysis.
Develop and maintain Quality Assurance processes, plans, and procedures.