VP of Mission Assurance & Quality (MA&Q)

The VP, Mission Assurance & Quality (MA&Q) holds the independent oversight authority that ensures every spacecraft is safe, reliable, and qualified before it launches. This role is structurally independent of all other VP organizations - the authority to halt work, reject deliverables, and withhold qualification sign-off cannot be overridden by any VP. Only the CTO can override an MA&Q determination, and that override is documented with the MA&Q position on record regardless of outcome.

Independence is the defining feature of this role. MA&Q does not build hardware, does not own schedule, and does not report to any VP who does. This structural separation is deliberate - quality and safety decisions must never be compromised by production pressure, schedule urgency, or cost targets.

The VP, MA&Q must be willing to halt a production line, delay a gate review, or withhold qualification sign-off when the evidence demands it - and hold that position under pressure from peers and the CTO alike.

What you’ll be doing:

Mission Assurance

• Own the FMEA/FMECA from initial build through qualification -zero unmitigated single-point failures is a CDR entry criterion
• Chair the Failure Review Board (FRB) -convene, lead root cause investigation, assess extent of condition, and close with verified corrective action
• Define mission success criteria and own fault tree analysis

Safety

• Implement and own the system safety program per MIL-STD-882 or program-equivalent standard
• Lead hazard analysis (PHA, SHA) and maintain the hazard tracking log through every gate
• Manage propulsion, battery, high-voltage, and deployment safety; provide range safety interface for launch operations

Quality Assurance

• Exercise independent inspection authority across all program phases
• Hold sole NCR disposition authority -Use-As-Is and Repair require MA&Q concurrence regardless of phase
• Enforce workmanship standards per IPC-A-610 Class 3; conduct process audits and first article inspections
• Issue Standing Disposition Authorizations (SDAs) for recurring Tier 2/3 NCRs; Tier 1 Critical NCRs trigger CTO notification within 4 hours

Reliability Engineering

• Own quantitative reliability model per MIL-HDBK-217 or equivalent; track MTBF/MTTR targets against the constellation availability model
• Lead reliability growth tracking, redundancy analysis, and reliability predictions correlated with test data at QR

Parts Engineering & Radiation

• Maintain the Preferred Parts List (PPL) - sole authority to add or remove parts; no part may fly without PPL approval
• Enforce derating compliance at CDR and manage lot acceptance testing
• Specify the mission radiation environment (TID, SEE, displacement damage) and track radiation margins for all flight parts

Configuration Management

• Chair the production CCB and administer the ECO/ECN process
• Maintain as-built configuration records from the MES; execute FCA and PCA before Phase Close Gate
• Provide as-built conformance report to the CTO

What you bring to this role:

• 15+ years of progressive mission assurance, quality engineering, or reliability engineering on flight programs; at least one spacecraft program carried from system requirements through on-orbit operations
• Demonstrated record of exercising halt/reject authority or withholding qualification sign-off against schedule and cost pressure you must describe a specific instance. This is the most important qualification for the role
• Direct accountability for a flight program's FMEA/FMECA from initial build through qualification, including enforcing zero-unmitigated-SPOF at CDR
• Experience designing, implementing, and running a tiered NCR classification and disposition system at production rate, including Use-As-Is and Repair disposition authority
• Direct experience chairing or co-chairing a spacecraft Qualification Review and making the independent go/no-go determination
• Familiarity with PPL management, derating analysis, lot acceptance testing, and radiation qualification requirements (TID, SEE)
• Demonstrated record of building multi-discipline assurance teams spanning all seven functions
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace, Systems, Electrical Engineering, or related field - or equivalent verifiable experience

Bonus Points for the Following

• Direct experience with constellation programs and fleet-wide conformance reporting
• Familiarity with SAP (Special Access Program) assurance requirements
• Prior experience as CCB chair in a high-rate production environment
• Familiarity with CMMI or AS9100 quality management systems in a space or defense manufacturing environment
• Range safety certification or prior direct range safety interface experience

Additional Requirements

This is a fast-paced, high-impact environment - flexibility to occasionally work extended hours or weekends during critical periods is expected.