Supplier Reliability Engineer - Metallic Materials & Processes

Vast•Long Beach, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Vast is seeking a Senior/Staff Supplier Reliability Engineer to support development of systems for the design and build of artificial-gravity, human-rated space stations. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Supplier Reliability, this full-time, exempt role is based in Long Beach, California. The engineer will help ensure the quality and reliability of products and components received from suppliers, while collaborating across design, manufacturing, and procurement functions and with the supplier base. The position may be calibrated to different experience levels based on the selected candidate’s experience and demonstrated capability.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
At least 5 years of experience in materials, process, or quality engineering for metal products in a production environment, including hands-on root cause and corrective action (RCCA) for material or process issues.
Working knowledge of metallurgy, heat treatment, common metal defects, forging, extrusion, casting, welding, surface and finishing processes, or nondestructive examination (NDE).
Experience reading and applying AMS, ASTM, and drawing-callout requirements.
Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones.
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds unassisted.
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.
Must be a U.S. person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. The posting identifies U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, and asylees and refugees with granted status as qualifying categories.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, or Engineering.
Record of owning RCCAs through verified closure and influencing suppliers to drive results.
Hands-on failure-analysis experience, including fractography, metallography, and SEM/EDS.
Working knowledge of quality systems such as ISO 9000, AS9100, and NADCAP, and supplier-quality processes such as PPAP, APQP, and FAI.
Familiarity with AMS-STD-2154 and ASTM E2375 (UT, wrought); ASTM A388 (heavy forgings); ASTM E45 and E112 (inclusions, grain size); AMS 2759 and 2750 (heat treatment, pyrometry); AMS 2700 and ASTM B912 (passivation, electropolishing); MIL-A-8625 (anodizing); and AMS 2430 (shot peening).
Experience applying statistical methods such as MSA, DOE, hypothesis testing, and Cpk, and disciplined problem-solving methods such as 8D, fault tree, Ishikawa, and Six Sigma.
Experience with additive manufacturing, EB and fusion welding metallurgy, fracture mechanics, or damage tolerance.
Experience with MES and PLM systems, Google Suite, SQL, and Python.
Comfort working in a fast-paced environment and across a matrix of functions.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey technical findings to all levels of Vast and the supply base.

Responsibilities

Evaluate and onboard new suppliers, conducting audits, assessments, and evaluations to ensure they meet Vast’s quality expectations and standards.
Build and maintain supplier relationships, address quality issues, identify supply-chain risks, and implement improvements.
Collaborate with design and manufacturing engineers to understand piece-part, assembly, and subsystem design intent.
Conduct design-for-manufacturing reviews to assess manufacturability early, preferably before sourcing.
Work with procurement teams to strategically source parts by assessing supplier manufacturing processes, inspection practices, and quality systems.
Lead continuous-improvement initiatives internally and with suppliers by analyzing quality data, identifying trends, and implementing corrective and preventive actions to improve product quality and reduce costs.
Define supplier technical and quality requirements based on customer and program requirements for NPI and manufacturing phases.
Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics, identify trends and systemic performance gaps, and develop supplier improvement plans.
Lead root-cause and corrective-action processes for escapes or contaminants identified in Vast manufacturing or the supply chain.
Demonstrate ownership, technical excellence, proactivity, and attention to detail.

Benefits

Company equity for full-time employees.
Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
Paid time off, including up to 20+ vacation days for exempt staff and up to 10+ vacation days for non-exempt staff, with the ability to cash out unused vacation annually.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
ClassPass credits.
Personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health.
Other discounts and perks.
Free snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, dinner meals, and access to an onsite barista; lunch is subsidized.