Quality Assurance Engineer

Job Title: Quality Assurance Engineer

Job Description

The Quality Assurance Engineer supports the development, qualification, and testing of high‑reliability spaceflight hardware by leading and monitoring hardware qualification tests, performing inspections, and ensuring that all products and processes comply with stringent aerospace and spaceflight standards. This role plays a key part in validating that flight hardware meets system requirements through rigorous test design, documentation, and quality assurance oversight across the full hardware lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Support flight hardware development and testing activities by witnessing tests and performing inspections of hardware qualification testing.
• Help set up and design hardware qualification tests to ensure the hardware meets all system and mission requirements.
• Participate in formal and informal technical reviews to evaluate designs, test approaches, and hardware readiness.
• Perform source acceptance inspections of hardware and related components prior to acceptance and integration.
• Review and approve subcontractor plans, procedures, and design documents to ensure compliance with mission assurance and quality requirements.
• Participate in Material Review Boards (MRBs) to assess nonconformances, determine dispositions, and drive corrective actions.
• Elicit and document root causes and corrective actions for failures, nonconformances, and process deviations as appropriate.
• Provide quality assurance support for hardware testing, validation testing, and reliability activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Oversee hardware tests by monitoring execution, verifying adherence to approved procedures, and ensuring accurate data collection and documentation.
• Create, review, and execute test procedures in a heavy documentation environment, ensuring traceability to requirements and standards.
• Manage and support suppliers by determining appropriate requirements to be flowed down, and by reviewing and approving supplier quality assurance plans and procedures.
• Conduct on‑site supplier process and product inspections, including document and data reviews, prior to hardware shipment.
• Apply relevant NASA, DoD, and industry standards for reliability, quality assurance, and system safety in all mission assurance activities.
• Ensure proper control of non‑conforming material, including identification, segregation, traceability, and documentation.
• Support the implementation and oversight of inspection systems, measurement systems, metrology practices, and ESD controls for spaceflight hardware.
• Contribute to risk management activities, including the use of FMEAs, statistical process techniques, and other tools to identify and mitigate technical and quality risks.
• Collaborate with engineering, test, and production teams to ensure that electromechanical, electrical, and mechanical systems are designed, built, and tested in accordance with mission assurance requirements.
• Perform various other quality assurance and mission assurance tasks as assigned to support program objectives and schedules.

Essential Skills

• 5-10 years of experience in engineering with a focus on mission assurance and quality assurance for high‑reliability spaceflight hardware.
• Proven experience with spaceflight hardware and high‑reliability systems, including testing and qualifying spaceflight hardware.
• Hands‑on experience supporting testing and test monitoring for hardware qualification and validation testing, including overseeing tests.
• Experience working in a heavy documentation environment, including creating, reviewing, and executing test procedures and related documentation.
• Demonstrated experience with NASA or NRL spaceflight hardware development, or with similar spaceflight hardware applications.
• Knowledge and demonstrated skills in the application of Y14.5 geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
• Experience with and understanding of ISO 9001-1994, ISO 9000-2000, and AS9100 quality management standards.
• Experience applying FMEAs, risk management practices, and statistical process techniques in a hardware development and production environment.
• Familiarity and experience with DoD or NASA standards for reliability, quality assurance, and system safety.
• Strong knowledge of requirements related to electromechanical systems, including soldered assemblies, cable, crimp, and harness assemblies.
• Expertise in dimensioning and tolerancing, measurement systems, and metrology as applied to aerospace products.
• Knowledge of ESD controls, non‑conforming material control, identification and traceability, storage and handling, and inspection systems.
• Experience managing suppliers, including defining and flowing down requirements, creating and reviewing quality assurance plans and procedures, and participating in Material Review Boards.
• Ability to complete on‑site process and product inspections and to perform thorough document and data reviews prior to hardware shipment.
• Background in quality engineering, quality control, reliability engineering, hardware testing, and validation testing for aerospace or spaceflight applications.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Exposure to electromechanical systems is preferred, though strong experience with electrical or mechanical systems individually is also considered.
• Experience with spaceflight, spacecraft, or similar high‑reliability aerospace products.
• Familiarity with IPC and J‑standard requirements for soldered and electronic assemblies.
• Experience in mission assurance and quality assurance roles supporting high‑reliability hardware in a regulated environment.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex standards and specifications to real‑world hardware and processes.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to drive root cause analysis and implement effective corrective actions.
• Effective communication skills for collaborating with cross‑functional teams, suppliers, and stakeholders in technical reviews and MRBs.
• Detail‑oriented approach with a strong commitment to documentation accuracy, configuration control, and traceability.

Work Environment

This role is fully onsite at a National Research Laboratory facility supporting a spaceflight program, with daily presence required to oversee hardware testing and validation activities. The environment centers on spaceflight hardware development, qualification, and testing, involving close collaboration with engineering, test, and quality teams as well as suppliers. Work is performed in laboratory, test, and production areas where electromechanical, electrical, and mechanical spaceflight hardware is built, inspected, and tested under rigorous aerospace standards. The position offers long‑term subcontract work on a major spaceflight program, providing exposure to advanced space systems, structured quality management systems, and formal NASA and DoD standards for reliability and system safety. Hours typically follow standard onsite engineering schedules, with additional time as needed to support critical tests, inspections, and reviews.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Washington, DC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $70.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Washington,DC.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 25, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.