Supplier Reliability Engineer - Metallic Materials & Processes

<div class="content-intro"><div style="font-family: 'Instrument Sans', 'Segoe UI', Trebuchet MS, Tahoma, sans-serif;"> <p style="line-height: 1.4;">Vast is developing next-generation <strong>space stations and space infrastructure</strong> using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced <strong>Vast Satellite</strong>, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo.</p> <p style="line-height: 1.4;">Headquartered in<strong> Long Beach, California</strong>, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy.</p> </div></div><p>Vast is looking for a <strong>Senior/Staff </strong><strong>Supplier Reliability Engineer</strong>, reporting to the <strong>Senior Manager of Supplier Reliability</strong>, to support the development of systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.</p> <p>This will be a <strong>full-time</strong>, <strong>exempt</strong> position located in our <strong>Long Beach</strong> location. In this role, you will be crucial in ensuring the consistent quality and reliability of the products and components we receive from our suppliers.</p> <p><strong>Responsibilities: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Evaluating and onboarding new suppliers, ensuring they meet our quality expectations by conducting regular audits, assessments, and evaluations to ensure that our suppliers adhere to our quality standards</li> <li>Establish and maintain strong relationships with our suppliers, address any quality-related issues, identify risks in the supply chain, and implement improvements</li> <li>Collaborate with design, and manufacturing engineers to gain an in-depth knowledge of piece part, assembly, and/or sub-system design intent. Conduct design for manufacturing  reviews to ensure parts are manufacturable at early stages, preferably prior to sourcing</li> <li>Collaborate with procurement teams to strategically source parts by reviewing and assessing supplier manufacturing processes, inspection practices, and quality systems</li> <li>Drive continuous improvement initiatives, both internally and with our suppliers, by analyzing quality data, identifying trends, and implementing corrective and preventive actions to enhance the overall quality of our products and reduce costs</li> <li>Create and define supplier technical and quality requirements based on customer and program requirements and expectations for NPI and manufacturing phases</li> <li>Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics to identify trends, pinpoint systemic performance gaps, and develop supplier improvement plans</li> <li>Lead root cause and corrective action process associated with any escapes or contaminants identified in Vast manufacturing or the Vast supply chain</li> <li>Demonstrate a strong sense of ownership, technical excellence, proactivity, and attention to detail</li> </ul> <p><strong>Minimum Qualifications:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Masters degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline</li> <li>5+ years  in materials, process, or quality engineering for metal products in a production environment, with hands-on RCCA on material or process issues</li> <li>Working knowledge of metallurgy, heat treatment, common metal defects, forging, extrusion, casting, welding, surface and finishing processes, or NDE</li> <li>Experience reading and applying AMS, ASTM, and drawing-callout requirements</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preferred Skills & Experience:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Advanced degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, or Engineering</li> <li>Proven record of owning RCCAs to verified closure and influencing suppliers to drive results</li> <li>Hands-on failure analysis: fractography, metallography, SEM/EDS</li> <li>Working knowledge of quality systems (ISO 9000, AS9100, NADCAP) and supplier quality processes (PPAP, APQP, FAI)</li> <li>Familiarity with the standards the role will work with:</li> <ul> <li>AMS-STD-2154 and ASTM E2375 (UT, wrought)</li> <li>ASTM A388 (heavy forgings)</li> <li>ASTM E45 and E112 (inclusions, grain size)</li> <li>AMS 2759 and 2750 (heat treatment, pyrometry)</li> <li>AMS 2700 and ASTM B912 (passivation, electropolishing)</li> <li>MIL-A-8625 (anodizing)</li> <li>AMS 2430 (shot peening)</li> </ul> <li>Experience applying statistical methods (MSA, DOE, hypothesis testing,