Product Assurance Engineer, Launch Operations (m/f/d)

Mission Brief  Isar Aerospace is seeking a (Senior) Systems Engineer with experience in the development and qualification of complex aerospace systems. In this role, you will contribute to the systems engineering activities that support the successful development, verification, qualification, and operation of Spectrum and future launch systems. Working closely with the Chief Engineer, Product Office, Launch Systems Engineers, Engineering Teams, Program Management, and Quality functions, you will support the definition and implementation of systems engineering processes, qualification approaches, compliance activities, and technical baseline management across the product lifecycle. You will help ensure that requirements are translated into coherent, verifiable, and traceable technical solutions while maintaining alignment with program objectives and regulatory expectations.   Your Role in Our Space Mission  * Define and maintain systems engineering processes, methods, and standards across launch vehicle development programs. * Define requirements tailoring strategies for development, qualification, acceptance, operational, and customer use cases. * Develop and maintain vehicle-level Verification, Validation, and Qualification strategies and plans. * Coordinate the development and presentation of technical compliance evidence to external authorities, ensuring requirements, verification activities, and qualification results are effectively communicated and accepted. * Define compliance demonstration methods and qualification approaches for system and subsystem requirements. * Ensure alignment between requirements, verification activities, qualification campaigns, and generated evidence. * Support major technical reviews, including System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), Test Readiness Reviews (TRR), and Flight Readiness Reviews (FRR). * Establish and maintain technical baseline management processes throughout the product lifecycle. * Support architecture development by ensuring technical consistency, traceability, and requirements compliance across engineering domains. * Support mission assurance, reliability, safety, and compliance activities throughout the development lifecycle.   Qualification Checklist  * Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline. * Minimum 8 years of experience in aerospace, defense, launch systems, spacecraft, aviation, or other highly regulated engineering industries. * Strong understanding of formal systems engineering principles across the complete product lifecycle. * Demonstrated experience in requirements engineering, verification and validation, qualification, certification, compliance, or mission assurance activities. * Experience developing qualification and verification approaches for complex hardware systems. * Experience leading technical discussions with regulatory and safety authorities, including preparation and presentation of compliance and qualification evidence. * Familiarity with ECSS, NASA, ESA, FAA, EASA, MIL-STD, or equivalent engineering standards. * Strong knowledge of technical review processes, systems engineering governance, and lifecycle management. * Experience managing complex technical interfaces across multiple engineering organizations. * Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills. * Ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines and levels of the organization. * Experience generating technical documentation, compliance evidence, and engineering reports. * Fluent in spoken and written English. Bonus Skills * Experience with launch vehicles, spacecraft, propulsion systems, or other large-scale aerospace systems. * Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). * Experience with requirements management tools. * Experience in reliability engineering, safety engineering, FMEA/FMECA, or mission assurance disciplines. * Experience in project or technical leadership roles   Benefits  * Employee Participation Program: Share in our success through our virtual company share program * 30 days of vacation: Enjoy the days off to relax and recharge * Company pension plan: Secure your future with our company pension plan, featuring a 20% employer contribution after the probation period * Subsidised lunch: Stay energised with delicious, subsidised lunches every day * Public transport ticket: Commute with ease using a fully financed Deutschlandticket * Sport Clubs membership: Stay fit with our sponsored sports club memberships (EGYM Wellpass) * Individual learning allowance: Grow your skills with an individual learning budget granted after the probation period * Childcare allowance: Receive a childcare allowance for your non-school-age children * And Much More! Discover additional perks and benefits when you join our team         Who we are We are Isar Aerospace and we are at the forefront of New Space building a modern space business to enable faster, better and cheaper access to space. Our mission is to help democratise space and use it for good in order to improve life on Earth now and for the future generations. We are a fast-growing company aiming to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly launch solutions for small and medium-sized satellites and constellations into Low Earth Orbit. The company is privately funded by world-leading technology investors with strong commitment and support and our team is made of driven and talented people with a real passion for space innovation. We're making rockets in a way that hasn't been done before disrupting a traditional industry. If you are up for the challenge, want to work on cutting-edge projects and be part of a team changing the world for better, come, join us and launch your career! Want to find out more about us? Visit www.isaraerospace.com Data Protection We process your personal data for the purpose of managing the recruitment process and assessing your application. For detailed information on how your data is processed, including your rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy. Disclaimer Isar Aerospace SE is an equal-opportunity employer committed to fairness and inclusivity. We do not prioritize any specific religion, gender, nationality, or background. Due to security clearance requirements, affiliations with countries listed under § 13 para. 1 no. 17 SÜG may affect the application process. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations 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. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. 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, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. 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 Mission Assurance Engineer, reporting to the VP of Flight Safety & Mission Assurance, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location Responsibilities:  * Coordinate launch readiness, verifies system is ready for flight * Drive technical understanding and closure of identified risks * Assess and communicate risks to executive leadership and external stakeholders * Support technical reviews of software, hardware, and operations products * Verify testing, deliverables, and review activities are complete * Participate in critical space station operations, real-time anomaly investigations, and major root cause investigations. Drive corrective actions, author associated reports, and communicate lessons learned * Coordinate mission data review * Build a culture of safety and mission assurance Minimum Qualifications: * Minimum of a B.S. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials engineering, mathematics, physics, or related technical discipline Preferred Skills & Experience: * Familiarity with system safety, reliability, risk management, certification, change management, systems engineering methodologies, hazard analysis * Experience throughout the engineering lifecycle (design, build, operations, sustainment, and decommission) * Technical leadership experience * Proven ability to lead through influence and exercise expert judgment * Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, fluid schematics, and electrical circuit diagrams * Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate technical information to non-technical partners * Ability to form relationships with experts from varying engineering fields and provide constructive feedback about safety and reliability concerns * Extreme focus on mission success Additional Requirements: * Ability to travel up to 20% of the time * Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones * Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted Pay Range:  * Senior Mission Assurance Engineer: $159,900 - $226,980 * Staff Mission Assurance Engineer: $188,600 - $267,720 Pay Range: California $159,900—$267,720 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: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, 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 & onsite barista, 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 [https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/section-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.