Manager, Supplier Reliability

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station.

Haven Demo's 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world's first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time.

If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast is looking for a Manager, Supplier Reliability, reporting to the Director of Build & Supplier Reliability, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This role will lead a team of Supplier Reliability Engineers responsible for ensuring suppliers are capable, controlled, and prepared to support the build of human-rated space station hardware. The Supplier Reliability Manager will drive supplier readiness, resolve supplier-related risks, and ensure supplier performance supports integration, test, and flight milestones.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a team of Supplier Reliability Engineers, establishing clear ownership by commodity or program and building the capability needed to support current and future vehicle production
• Own supplier reliability outcomes across assigned commodities, ensuring stable supplier performance, reduced escapes, and readiness to support build, integration, and flight schedules
• Develop and mature the people, processes, and systems required to move from reactive issue resolution to proactive supplier development, including supplier qualification, onboarding, performance management, and production readiness
• Drive implementation of transparent supplier metrics, scorecards, and review mechanisms, and use data to identify risk early, prioritize work, and improve supplier quality and delivery performance
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Mission Assurance to align supplier requirements, qualification methods, and acceptance criteria, ensuring suppliers are capable before hardware is released to build
• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and capability assessments, expanding and strengthening the qualified supply base across key commodities
• Oversee investigation and resolution of supplier nonconformances and delivery disruptions, ensuring timely root cause, corrective action, and verification of effectiveness
• Standardize supplier qualification, audit, and production validation methods to support consistent execution across programs and suppliers
• Ensure supplier performance data, qualification status, and risk visibility are accessible and usable by program, engineering, and procurement leadership
• Travel to supplier sites as required to support qualification, audits, readiness reviews, investigations, and recovery efforts

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field
• Experience leading a team of engineers
• Experience working with suppliers, manufacturing, and hardware development in aerospace, automotive, or other complex hardware environments
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and test or inspection requirements
• Experience investigating hardware, process, or supplier-related issues and driving problems to resolution
• Strong cross-functional communication skills and ability to work with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and external suppliers
• Willingness to travel to supplier sites as needed

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience supporting flight hardware, space systems, launch vehicles, aviation, automotive, or other high-reliability products. Familiarity with special processes such as welding, machining, coatings, composites, electronics, or complex assemblies.
• Experience with supplier qualification, audits, production readiness reviews, or new product introduction. Experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, or similar production validation methods.
• Experience developing supplier metrics, scorecards, or performance management systems. Experience building or improving processes, tools, or systems in a growing or fast-paced production environment
• Experience driving root cause and corrective action with external suppliers using structured problem-solving methods
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving methods…