Spacecraft Quality Manager

Overview

Apex is seeking an experienced Spacecraft Quality Manager to lead and grow our production quality team. This role will lead both quality systems development and production quality operations, combining strategic quality management system implementation with hands-on leadership of production quality inspection teams. This role is critical in preparing our organization for AS9100 compliance auditing while ensuring flight-quality hardware meets the highest standards.

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge. For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses.

Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more. We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet.

About The Role

Apex is seeking an experienced Spacecraft Quality Manager to lead and grow our production quality team. This role will lead both quality systems development and production quality operations, combining strategic quality management system implementation with hands-on leadership of production quality inspection teams. This role is critical in preparing our organization for AS9100 compliance auditing while ensuring flight-quality hardware meets the highest standards.

$/yr - $/yr

• Lead cross-functional teams in support of AS9100 Quality Management Systems certification activities, including auditing, planning, implementing and maintaining processes and systems
• Develop and implement quality management system training and guidance for internal stakeholders to build policy, procedures and systems that meet business objectives
• Assess core business processes through internal audit to ensure conformance to company policies and procedures in accordance with ISO 9001/AS9100 standards and customer requirements
• Manage corrective and preventive action processes to correct nonconformances and drive continuous improvement of the management system
• Measure and monitor management system data and report to management on Quality System conformance status and improvement initiatives
• Lead and supervise a team of production quality inspectors across various spacecraft manufacturing areas
• Drive accountability for team performance and implement training and certifications to maintain a highly skilled, flexible, and capable workforce
• Oversee critical characteristic control within the production process, including establishment of necessary equipment and layout requirements
• Lead root cause corrective action (RCCA) processes, perform root cause analysis and product containment, and recommend/support implementation of corrective actions to reduce recurring non-conformances
• Supervise completion of subassembly quality assurance activities using company processes and systems in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, physics, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace, military, manufacturing, production, or testing environment, including 3+ years implementing, managing, or auditing quality management systems and 2+ years leading teams or projects
• Experience with AS9100 Quality Management Systems standard or ISO 9001
• Strong technical writing skills and ability to communicate effectively with management, technical teams, and all organizational levels
• Experience implementing core Quality Engineering principles and statistical process control methods
• Technical understanding of in-process, final quality inspection, and visual inspection methods
• Proven leadership experience guiding teams in creating and refining improvement ideas and executing results aligned to quality policies
• Exp…