Job SummaryThe Space Mission Assurance Manager is responsible for leading and integrating mission assurance activities across radiation, survivability, reliability, parts, materials & processes (PMP), and safety for General Atomics' Space Division programs. This role ensures that space systems meet mission performance objectives and customer requirements throughout the full lifecycle, from concept and design through test, launch, and on-orbit operations.
The ideal candidate has a strong technical background in space systems and mission assurance disciplines, proven leadership experience, and the ability to work effectively across engineering, program management, operations, and customer teams.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES - Mission Assurance Leadership
- Develop, implement, and maintain mission assurance plans, processes, and standards for Space Division programs.
- Serve as the primary mission assurance focal point for assigned programs, coordinating activities across radiation, survivability, reliability, PMP, and safety.
- Participate in program reviews, design reviews, and risk assessments to ensure mission assurance requirements are properly defined, allocated, and verified.
- Radiation & Survivability
- Oversee radiation environment definition, analysis, and mitigation strategies for space systems (TID, SEE, displacement damage, etc.).
- Guide selection and qualification of radiation-tolerant components and architectures.
- Ensure survivability requirements are captured and verified against expected launch and on-orbit environments (thermal, mechanical, radiation, EMI/EMC).
- Reliability Engineering
- Lead reliability planning, modeling, and analysis (e.g., reliability predictions, FMEAs, FMECA, fault tree analysis) for space hardware and subsystems.
- Work with design teams to incorporate reliability and robustness into architectures, designs, and test strategies.
- Track reliability metrics, failure modes, and lessons learned to drive continuous improvement.
- Parts, Materials & Processes (PMP)
- Establish and enforce PMP standards and control plans for space hardware.
- Oversee component selection, derating, qualification, and approval processes, including EEE parts control.
- Coordinate with supply chain and engineering to ensure approved parts, materials, and processes are used and documented.
- Safety & Compliance
- Ensure applicable safety requirements, standards, and best practices are integrated into design, test, and operations (including ground and launch operations).
- Support hazard analyses, safety reviews, and risk mitigations for space systems and associated test facilities.
- Promote a strong safety culture and mission assurance mindset across the Space Division.
- Program & Customer Interface
- Work closely with program managers, chief engineers, and IPT leads to balance mission assurance, schedule, and cost.
- Prepare and present mission assurance status, risks, and recommendations to internal leadership and external customers.
- Support proposal efforts by defining mission assurance approaches, estimates, and deliverables.
- Process Improvement & Governance
- Develop and maintain mission assurance procedures, templates, and guidelines aligned with industry standards (e.g., NASA, DoD, ECSS, MIL-STD).
- Drive root cause and corrective action activities for anomalies, test failures, and on-orbit events.
- Capture and institutionalize lessons learned across programs to improve future designs and processes.
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Job Qualifications- Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as eleven or more years of progressively complex engineering experience. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
- Demonstrates technical expertise in the application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice as well as project management and leadership skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordinating workloads to meet established deadlines or milestones.
- Must possess the ability to resolve complex management and technical problems. Strong communication, leadership, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to enable an effective interface with other departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, potential customers, and government representatives.
- A Professional Engineering License, and original work(s) published in professional engineering journals are desirable.
- Customer focused, must be able to work on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment, and able to work extended hours and travel as required.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance is required and an active TS-SCI is desired.
