Safety & Mission Assurance Manager - Astrobotic Technology Inc

Astrobotic is at the forefront of advancing space exploration and technology development. Our expertise spans from lunar rovers, landers, and infrastructure to spacecraft navigation, machine vision, and computing systems for in-space robotic applications. To date, the company has been contracted for two lunar missions, and has won more than 60 NASA, DoD, and commercial technology contracts worth more than $600 million.    

We recently launched and operated the first American lunar lander mission since the Apollo Program.  Beyond helping lead America back to the Moon, Astrobotic developed and operates reusable vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rockets and continues to advance next-generation VTVL capabilities and advanced rocket engines. Established in 2007, Astrobotic is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with a propulsion and test campus in Mojave, CA. 

Astrobotic wants you to join the company’s Operations Department as the Safety & Mission Assurance Manager.  The Safety & Mission Assurance Manager has oversight for day-to-day tactical implementation and administration of the safety and mission assurance plans supporting all flight projects, including the next lunar lander mission Griffin Mission 1 and the Cargo Accommodation System (CAS) as part of the sustainable Artemis framework under NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS) Sustaining Lunar Development (SLD) Program.  This position reports to the Director of Operations.

Successful applicants will need to be highly motivated and able to develop a strong and effective safety and mission assurance team to support multiple Astrobotic programs. Additionally, this applicant will oversee the development and drive implementation of a robust safety and quality management system, oversee risk assessments, and ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in space mission operations, safety protocols, and quality assurance methodologies.

Job Responsibilities Include:

• Oversight of all program safety and mission assurance processes and activities, including system safety, reliability and maintainability, and quality assurance.
• Plans, directs, develops, and coordinates comprehensive safety and mission assurance strategies, policies, and procedures and ensures they are established, clearly defined, supported, and enforced to ensure the successful execution of space missions.
• Oversight of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), operational excellence consisting of continuous improvement, root cause and corrective action, risk and opportunity management through system safety and reliability, and Quality Assurance (QA).
• Oversee the planning and execution of risk assessments and hazard analyses to identify potential safety and mission-critical issues, and develop mitigation plans accordingly.
• Provides and reports on independent risk assessment and analysis, separate from program management, and independently monitors safety and ensures communication and accountability.
• Lead and maintain a robust safety culture within the organization, promoting safety awareness, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the Astrobotic Quality Management System (QMS) and ensures compliance with applicable regulatory and industry requirements, such as AS9100, NASA and DOD while also meeting Astrobotic business goals.
• Develop and support a Quality culture through training, trust and mutual respect driving behaviors and mechanisms supporting cause analysis, corrective action, and continuous improvement.
• Define and enforce standard QA reporting methods and processes (Waivers/Deviations, Nonconformance Reports (NCRs)) in response to noncompliance items with program products and systems, and ensure resulting risks or actions are pursued by the affected program.
• Report on the effectiveness of the QMS and contract requirements to top management through formal management reviews.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and maintain mission assurance plans, including mission success criteria, verification and validation plans, and reliability and maintainability assessments.
• Partner with program personnel to identify, assess, and mitigate risks using a continuous risk management process in the areas of range safety, software safety and software quality assurance, and systems safety/hazard management.
• Oversee the Astrobotic process for analyzing anomalies, incidents, and failures, and utilizing root cause analysis (RCA) to implement effective corrective actions for problem resolution and continuous improvement.
• Provide technical guidance and expertise on safety and mission assurance matters to project teams, including reviewing design, test, and operational documentation for technical adequacy and compliance.
• Support the development and execution of training programs to enhance safety and mission assurance awareness and knowledge across the organization.
• Foster strong relationships with internal stakeholders, external customers, and regulatory bodies to maintain alignment and promote best practices in safety and mission assurance.
• Active participation in design, production/test readiness, and other reviews and audits with the ability to make risk-informed decisions for Mission Success.
• Provide leadership in the identification, mitigation, and communication of Mission Assurance status and risks to Mission Success.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in mission assurance or aerospace engineering-related experience.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in a technical discipline (e.g., engineering field) or equivalent discipline (e.g., math, physics, chemistry, etc.).
• Experience in the following disciplines: Quality Assurance, System Safety Engineering, Environment/Safety/Health, Reliability, Maintainability and Parts Engineering.
• Experience and knowledge of aerospace industry regulations, standards, and certifications (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001, NASA-STD-8719.13 and MIL-STD-882E),
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire a team.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities.
• Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to upholding the highest quality standards.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and interact with stakeholders at various levels.
• Ability to support occasional travel (10%) to domestic locations.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• Application of QMS and requirements implementation within a small business model.
• Proven experience with leading the development, implementation & training, maintenance, and auditing of a QMS and other policies and procedures.
• Self-motivated and capable of working at a fast pace with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency in data analysis, evaluation, and reporting activities.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office products, ERP databases and content management systems.
• Experience with SharePoint and JIRA Confluence is preferred.

Applicants should be prepared to submit references.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Astrobotic Technology, Inc. does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to contact@astrobotic.com.