Mechanisms Flight Assurance Engineer

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

Position Overview:

The Flight Assurance Engineer will independently execute mechanisms-specific flight assurance processes and practices to ensure product reliability, compliance, and quality throughout the lifecycle of flight mechanisms and mechanical assemblies. This role owns design, manufacturing, test, and integration related assurance activities to ensure the safety, functionality, and performance of flight hardware with limited supervision.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and execute flight assurance methods, plans, and processes across the full mechanisms development and production lifecycle — encompassing design, manufacturing, assembly, test, and integration — while supporting program schedule and cost objectives and meeting quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct independent inspections at defined hold points across assembly, test, and integration for high-complexity mechanisms. Define, maintain, and enforce witness point classifications for all mechanisms through their full product lifecycle.
• Review and approve assembly work instructions and test procedures before execution across functional and environmental test campaigns. Track qualification and verification of mechanisms through rigorous assurance processes including test readiness review, TVAC and life test witnessing, and test completion sign-off.
• Execute mechanisms buyoff at assembly, test, and integration stages with objective evidence substantiation. Define and maintain audit methods for each buyoff stage.
• Own the nonconformance register from origination through root cause corrective action verification on subsequent hardware. Lead root cause investigations for mechanisms anomalies across design, manufacturing, and test phases.
• Prepare and maintain detailed assurance documentation including assurance plans, risk mitigation strategies, nonconformance dispositions, waiver and deviation packages, and compliance reports.
• Conduct or coordinate vendor surveillance activities for flight-critical mechanism suppliers including review of build records and acceptance test data prior to receiving inspection.
• Track in-family data trends across the mechanisms fleet and spacecraft production line. Participate in anomaly reviews and own corrective action tracking to verified closure.
• Maintain the mechanisms-specific lessons learned register. Verify corrective action implementation on subsequent hardware — closure requires physical verification, not documentation alone.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline.

Experience

• 3+ years in flight/mission assurance, quality engineering, or reliability engineering with direct involvement in aerospace hardware.
• Demonstrated experience with mechanical system anomaly investigation, nonconformance disposition, and qualification test witnessing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of mechanisms-specific standards: AIAA S-114, ECSS-E-ST-33-01C, NASA-HDBK-7005, NASA-STD-5017, NASA-STD-5001, MIL-STD-1540.
• Experience with high-volume production environment at monthly launch cadence.
• Direct experience with flight spacecraft mechanisms.
• Experience with reliability analysis tools or systems engineering tools.
• Hands-on involvement in TVAC, vibration, shock, or life testing of mechanical flight hardware.
• Familiarity with control requirements and limited-life item tracking for mechanical components.

Soft Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to prepare nonconformance dispositions, test anomaly reports, waivers, deviations, and assurance documentation.
• Strong organizational and subsystem-level project management abilities.
• Demonstrated capability to represent Flight Assurance independently in design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR) and test environments.
• Detail-oriented, analytical mindset with electromechanical system failure mode intuition and strong problem-solving skills.

Technology Stack

• MS Office Suite
• Risk and reliability analysis tools
• PLM or document control systems (e.g., Windchill, Autodesk PLM, Jira)
• CAD viewing tools (CATIA, SolidWorks, or equivalent) for drawing and model review
• Data analysis or visualization tools (preferred)

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a standard office environment.
• Ability to use a computer for extended periods.
• Regular support in cleanroom, lab, and manufacturing environments required; ESD and contamination control protocol compliance mandatory.

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.