Procurement Quality Assurance Engineer III

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus  ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

The Quality Assurance Office provides confidence that hardware and software products work in the extreme conditions of space by providing independent verification that the critical requirements are implemented correctly during fabrication, integration, test and launch. As a Procurement Quality Assurance Engineer, you will be a member of the Procurement Quality Assurance Group (1123) and will report to the Group Supervisor.

Responsibilities:
Perform onsite quality, manufacturing, process and electrostatic discharge assessments at numerous JPL suppliers of space flight hardware
Review requirements which include drawings, technical standards and specifications and then auditing suppliers to ensure compliance is met, to document gaps in a clear and concise manner and to review proposed corrective actions
Lead a team of engineers, subject matter experts and quality personnel – specifically the Counterfeit Avoidance Working Group.
Lead the roll-out of the Counterfeit program updates to the wider JPL population, including communications and coordination with key areas of the lab.
Facilitate detailed preparations with the team prior to the audit, interfacing with the supplier, facilitating the onsite audit, and gathering all required post-audit reports for upload to the JPL Approved Supplier List (ASL) website
Conduct the following at suppliers, including (but are not limited to): hardware inspections, documentation reviews, test witnessing, non-conformance investigations as well as other flight hardware quality related activities with suppliers
Work with JPL flight projects to understand and apply procurement quality assurance methods and techniques as it pertains to associated suppliers, supporting efforts to identify and mitigate supplier risk
In partnership with JPL flight projects, serve as the Procurement Quality Assurance representative for flight project subcontracts reviews for risk identification and mitigation
Serve as a supplier quality engineering subject matter expert in supplier quality performance trouble shooting, supplier investigations and/or supplier performance improvement efforts
Lead and/or support various procurement quality assurance improvement initiatives
Demonstrate proficiency in both mechanical and electronic hardware assurance methods (inspection, test, analysis).
Experience in developing and maintaining Quality Assurance processes, plans and procedures. Understanding of risks and risk management approaches.
May be expected to travel up to 25%

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Aerospace, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline with typically a minimum of 6 years of related experience;
Master’s degree in similar disciplines with a minimum of 4 years related experience;
PhD degree in similar disciplines with a minimum of 2 years related experience
Demonstrated experience in performing Supplier Quality Assurance in the aerospace industry or other comparable, highly regulated industries
Exp…