Senior Supplier Reliability Engineer Verified today

About the Role

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure. Haven Demo became the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft in 2025. Haven-1 is expected to become the world's first commercial space station when it launches in 2027. You will join the team supporting the development of systems for artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This is a full-time, exempt position in Long Beach, California, reporting to the Senior Manager of Supplier Reliability. You will be crucial in ensuring consistent quality and reliability of products and components received from suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate and onboard new suppliers. Run regular audits, assessments, and evaluations to confirm they meet Vast's quality standards.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships. Address quality issues, identify supply chain risks, and implement improvements.
• Work with design and manufacturing engineers to understand design intent of piece parts, assemblies, and subsystems.
• Run design-for-manufacturability reviews early, ideally before sourcing.
• Work with procurement to source parts strategically by assessing supplier manufacturing processes, inspection practices, and quality systems.
• Drive continuous improvement with suppliers and internally. Analyze quality data, identify trends, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Define supplier technical and quality requirements from customer and program requirements for NPI and production.
• Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics to find trends and systemic performance gaps, and build supplier improvement plans.
• Lead root cause and corrective action for any escapes or nonconformances found in Vast manufacturing or supply chain.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Materials, Manufacturing, Industrial, or Electrical Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years in reliability, process, or quality engineering in a production environment, with hands-on RCCA on product or process issues.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing and special processes, failure mechanisms, and inspection or NDE methods.
• Experience reading and applying industry specifications and drawing requirements.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Proven record of taking RCCAs to verified closure and influencing suppliers to get results.
• Hands-on failure analysis experience.
• Working knowledge of quality systems (ISO 9000, AS9100, NADCAP) and supplier quality processes (PPAP, APQP, FAI).
• Familiarity with aerospace specifications for special processes, inspection, and process control.
• Experience applying statistical methods (MSA, DOE, hypothesis testing, Cpk) and structured problem solving (8D, fault tree, Ishikawa, Six Sigma).
• Experience with additive manufacturing, welding, fracture mechanics, or damage tolerance.
• Experience with MES and PLM systems, plus Google Suite, SQL, and Python.
• Comfort working in fast-paced environment and across many functions.
• Strong written and verbal communication, with ability to explain technical findings to all levels.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work evenings and weekends to support critical mission milestones.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time.

Compensation

Pay range: $123,000 to $230,000 USD (California). Compensation calibrated to selected candidate's experience and demonstrated capability.

Full-time employees receive company equity and comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid time off (20+ days vacation for exempt staff, 10+ days for non-exempt, with annual cash-out option); paid parental leave; short and long-term disability insurance; life insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; ClassPass credits; personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health; free snacks, coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals; subsidized lunch.

Export Control Requirement

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls. You must be a U.S. person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62, including U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.