Mission Assurance Engineer

MANTECH seeks a highly talented and mission-driven Mission Assurance Engineer to join our team at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in Lompoc, CA.

Our Mission Assurance Engineers help protect our national security by providing critical systems engineering support for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. This role is deeply integrated into the oversight of launch vehicle processing and facility operations at the Western Spaceport, identifying any potential risks to National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions responsible for delivering vital military and government capabilities into Earth's orbit.

You will play a vital role in ensuring mission success by performing risk assessments, monitoring launch site infrastructure and launch vehicle flight hardware, and assisting in the verification that all Launch Support Provider (LSP) activities comply with Department of Defense and Space Force requirements.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Manage the daily administrative and operational workflow, resource allocation, and operational functions required for a Launch vehicle support flight. This role coordinates resources, bridges communication between teams, and resolves operational roadblocks.
• Assessing and providing recommendations on NSSL launch site mission assurance activities including, but not limited to, processes, resources, documentation, tools, methods of integrating or standardizing with external organizations and plans for resolving technical issues.
• Reviewing and analyzing entries in the Launch Verification Database (LVDB) to ensure accuracy and completeness of squadron technical risk assessments. Assist with tracking and managing updates to the Launch Verification Matrix (LVM), making recommendations on improving efficiency and functionality of LVDB, and supporting training for new launch operations engineers and mission assurance technicians.
• Actively participate in Space Launch Delta 30 (SLD 30) launch verification processes in support of NSSL Space Flight Worthiness Certification and Readiness Review processes.
• Monitoring and assessing configuration changes to the Space Launch Complexes (SLC) operated by NSSL Launch Service Providers (LSP) to ensure system certification by the USG prior to NSSL launch campaigns .
• Conducting reviews in LSP data systems for relevant mission assurance data and documentation, evaluating past procedures/documentation for current applicability, attending required meetings, assessing LSP adherence to engineering processes, providing summaries of LSP activities, recommending risk assessments to the launch site responsible engineers and documenting applicable lessons learned. Providing technical recommendations for and summary documentation of NSSL system Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs) and associated programmatic reviews.
• Providing integrated assessments to aid USG evaluation of cost, schedule, and performance risks and opportunities associated with LSP processes and provide recommendations in support of USG technical and acquisition activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or Bachelor's Degree in STEM field.
• 12+ years as systems engineer, technical PM or other related areas
• 5+ years of NSSL, Launch/Range, DoD, or NASA engineering experience
• Solid working knowledge of launch vehicles and launch complex systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in medium- to super heavy-class orbital launch vehicle processing and testing procedures and launch site operations
• Demonstrated proficiency in utilizing JIRA, Confluence, and Mattermost for project management, documentation and communication
• Strong communication and auditing skills, including the ability to resolve conflicts and exchange accurate information in high-pressure situations
• Ability to work proactively to identify and address customer concerns rapidly while producing high-quality assessment summaries and position papers

Clearance Requirements:

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50%.
• Needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Frequently communicates with co-workers, management, and customers, which may involve delivering presentations. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations