Soft Goods Quality Assurance Technician – Space Suit

Overview

Work Location: Houston, TX - NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Minimum Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident

Clearance: US Government (Public Trust)

The Soft Goods Quality Assurance Technician supports the development, inspection, and verification of soft‑good components used in the new space suit, including multilayer fabric assemblies, restraint layers, bladder materials, thermal micrometeoroid protection systems, and mobility elements. This role ensures that all textile and soft‑structure materials meet stringent aerospace, safety, and mission‑critical performance requirements. The technician works closely with Materials Engineers, Suit Integrators, Manufacturing Technicians, and Systems QA teams to validate compliance with specifications, document results, and maintain traceability throughout the product lifecycle.

• Quality Inspection & Testing
  • Perform incoming, in‑process, and final inspections of soft‑goods materials including fabrics, webbings, threads, elastomers, foams, coatings, and multilayer assemblies.
  • Conduct dimensional checks, seam integrity tests, adhesion tests, tensile/tear strength testing, and pressure / air‑retention validation where applicable.
  • Inspect stitching, pattern accuracy, ply alignment, and assembly workmanship against engineering drawings and workmanship standards.
  • Support environmental and durability testing such as thermal cycling, abrasion, puncture resistance, and flexion testing.
• Documentation & Traceability
  • Record inspection results in the Quality Management System (QMS) with full traceability to lot numbers, serial numbers, and material certifications.
  • Generate non‑conformance reports (NCRs) and assist in root‑cause and corrective action activities.
  • Maintain controlled documentation including inspection procedures, test records, deviations, and equipment calibration logs.
• Process Support & Collaboration
  • Work alongside soft‑goods fabricators to identify manufacturability or workmanship issues.
  • Verify compliance with NASA, industry, and internal safety/quality standards for crewed hardware.
  • Participate in design reviews, material evaluations, and prototype build assessments.
  • Provide feedback to engineering on material defects, production trends, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Equipment & Facility
  • Operate and maintain testing equipment such as tensile/compression testers, microscopes, leak‑check tools, pattern measurement systems, and environmental chambers.
  • Ensure that tools, fixtures, and test setups are calibrated and compliant with QA requirements.

• Education: High School or Associates Degree
• Year(s) of
  
  Experience:
  
  3 - 5 years of related experience
• Minimum Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Required Skills and Traits:
  • Experience in quality assurance or inspection within aerospace, textiles, soft goods manufacturing, or similar industries.
  • Strong understanding of sewing, textile construction, patterning, and soft‑structure fabrication.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, material specifications, and inspection plans.
  • Hands‑on experience with measurement tools such as calipers, force gauges, microscopes, and specialized QA instruments.
  • Detail‑oriented mindset with strong documentation habits and data accuracy.
• Desired Skills and Traits:
  • Experience with NASA‑STD workmanship standards or human‑rated flight hardware.
  • Knowledge of EVA suit materials, technical textiles, or multilayer insulation (MLI).
  • Familiarity with AS9100, ISO 9001, or aerospace‑grade quality systems.
  • Background in failure analysis for fabrics, seams, coatings, or pressure‑retention systems.

QTS is an equal opportunity employer and will provide equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants for employment and will not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, color, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, military veteran status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family structure, genetic information, or mental or physical disability.