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Quality Inspection Specialist I

Hawthorne, California, United States

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in May 2026. 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 Quality Inspection Specialist I, reporting to the Principal Engineer, E-2, to support the Launcher E-2 liquid rocket engine program. We have the ambitious goal for E-2 to be the world’s highest-performing engine for small launchers, while optimized for mass production and low cost. You will be a key team member helping complete the development of our E-2 engine towards a completed and reliable high-performance product.

This will be a full-time, non-exempt position located in our Hawthorne facility. 

Responsibilities: 

  • Define and execute quality methodologies to support full product traceability
  • Hands on dimensional inspection skills using mechanical tools
  • CMM programming skills 
  • Collaborate with responsible engineers, manufacturing  engineers and technicians to review designs and drawings
  • Assess, define, improve and communicate inhouse inspection capabilities
  • Identify and track manufacturing non-conformities and proactively work with manufacturing and engineering to address them
  • Develop, approve and execute process inspection controls to regulate acceptance of critical characteristics.
  • Use expertise to contribute to the prevention of defects and non-conformities, ultimately reducing the likelihood of recalls and/or customer complaints.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives by analyzing quality data, identifying trends, and implementing corrective and preventive actions to enhance the overall quality of our products and reduce costs.
  • Create and define technical and quality requirements based on customer and program requirements and expectations for NPI and manufacturing phases.
  • Effectively apply root cause analysis, FMEA, Cause Mapping, Cause & Effect diagrams,and structured RCCA to drive corrective action.
  • Recommend technical product improvements to reduce risk and potential defect opportunities and provide feedback as appropriate on manufacturing methods and technologies.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or equivalency certificate
  • 7+ years of inspection experience in an aerospace, aviation, military or manufacturing environment

Preferred Skills & Experience:

  • Certified Black / Green belt lean and Six-Sigma quality engineering methodologies.
  • Experience with Quality Management Systems (ISO 9000 / AS9100 / AS6500 / NADCAP).
  • Experience in statistical controls and methods (e.g. MSA, GR&R, Design of Experiments, Six Sigma, etc.).
  • Ability to thrive in a fast paced environment. 
  • Effective written, verbal and presentation communication skills
  • Experience with NDT.

Additional Requirements:

  • Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
  • Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones

Salary Range: California

$40 - $52 USD

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
 
Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.
 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

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The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise be considered for deemed export licensing. To assist Vast in assessing its export compliance obligations in relation to your application, please identify which ITAR/EAR status applies to you:

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The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise be considered for deemed export licensing. To assist Vast in assessing its export compliance obligations in relation to your application, please identify which ITAR/EAR status applies to you:

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