Space Suit Project Engineer

KBR•Houston, TX

26d•Onsite

About The Position

The Space Suit Project Engineer provides engineering support for the design, development, fabrication, assembly, evaluation, testing, and certification of hardware for exploration missions such as Orion and the Human Landing System. The position supports Space Suit Development on the Human Health and Performance Contract at NASA Johnson Space Center. It is expected to be 100% onsite and in person, with occasional travel (approximately 10% of the time). The engineer supports project execution and delivery of hardware to NASA/JSC, including requirements development and verification, parts identification, hardware development, testing, certification, delivery, and sustainment. The role includes interpreting engineering drawings and providing inputs and redlines, planning and participating in hands-on development, and coordinating multiple technical development threads. The engineer works with project teams, technical staff, NASA vendors, stakeholders, and quality engineering personnel to turn project goals into tasks and deliver work successfully and on schedule. Responsibilities also include developing and testing space suits and related hardware; supporting suit-component design, fabrication, and testing; preparing assembly plans, test strategies, setups, and procedures; overseeing and reporting engineering evaluation, qualification, and acceptance tests; analyzing results and recommending design improvements; and leading troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, risk management, and failure investigations. The role includes maintaining project documentation, assessing lunar-dust mitigation and contamination control, developing verification plans for dust-related requirements, and executing risk-mitigation hardware from concept through design, build, and test. The position also requires compliance with safety and quality plans, completion of training, and maintenance of safety records and certifications.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or a related field) from an accredited university.
At least three years of experience.
Experience with manufacturing, testing, and troubleshooting hardware.
U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, including use of MS Office tools.
Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision and in a team environment.
Ability to develop and clearly communicate information to technical forums.
Ability to troubleshoot hardware, perform root-cause analysis, and analyze performance data.

Nice To Haves

Experience in space suit design, softgoods-component fabrication, or testing suit hardware.
Experience leading small teams in a research and development function.
Experience with NASA or other government-agency budgetary and proposal processes.
Experience conducting similar work on the Human Landing System or other NASA/JSC exploration programs, such as 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, such as with oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, and power supplies.
Experience troubleshooting electrical or mechanical equipment and software.
Proficiency with NASA/JSC tools: MIDAS, CDS, QARC, EDMS, ELABEL, EDS, ISS PART, EDRS/EDCC, and JEDII.

Responsibilities

Comply with the Safety, Health and Environmental plan, applicable safety laws, and company safety policies; report safety violations or potential violations.
Comply with the Quality Assurance Plan, policies, and procedures.
Maintain regular and acceptable attendance, complete assigned training, and 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 assemblies and optimizing manufacturing processes.
Use project requirements and verification documents to develop assembly plans and testing strategies, and produce test plans, test setups, and procedures.
Complete tasks to mature project requirements and ensure compliance with NASA standards and protocols.
Oversee the development, execution, analysis, and reporting of engineering evaluation, qualification, and acceptance tests of space suits and components.
Analyze test results, produce detailed reports, and recommend design improvements.
Interface with NASA stakeholders as required.
Lead troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, risk management, and hardware failure investigations; capture and apply lessons learned.
Develop and maintain project documentation, including reports and technical memoranda.
Lead reviews of lunar-dust mitigation strategies for internal systems and EVA operations, perform contamination-control analysis, and help develop verification plans for dust-related requirements.
Execute risk-mitigation hardware work from concept through design, build, and test.
Perform other duties and assignments as required.