About the role
Quality Assurance Leader - Aerospace Systems (5222C), Space Sciences Laboratory - #87732 About Berkeley
At the University of California, Berkeley , we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.
At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth . We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.
We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan , which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.
Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride .
Departmental Overview
The Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) is an Organized Research Unit (ORU) of the Berkeley campus reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Research. SSL's primary goal is to foster research in space-related sciences and to provide education for the next generation of space scientists. Research at SSL, led by Berkeley faculty and SSL Senior Fellows, focuses on experiments and observations carried out in space as well as theoretical and basic research.
Position Summary
The Quality Assurance Leader, Aerospace Systems provides technical leadership and independent oversight across the full lifecycle of advanced aerospace systems, from pioneering scientific instruments for interplanetary exploration to next-generation satellite, launch vehicle, and command-and-control architectures. This position ensures quality is engineered into every phase of development by driving rigorous verification, risk management, process discipline, and compliance with NASA Safety & Mission Assurance and aerospace industry standards. Working alongside engineering, manufacturing, integration, and supplier teams, the Quality Assurance Leader, Aerospace Systems helps transform breakthrough concepts into mission-ready hardware capable of performing flawlessly in the unforgiving environments of launch and deep space. Leadership spans design reviews, manufacturing surveillance, hardware inspections, supplier oversight, environmental and functional testing, anomaly resolution, and flight readiness verification, ensuring every system is built for reliability, safety, and mission success. At launch sites, this position provides critical quality oversight during spacecraft integration, fueling, encapsulation, and launch vehicle processing, safeguarding every milestone leading to flight. Through technical excellence, sound judgment, and uncompromising attention to detail, this position helps deliver spacecraft that enable humanity's exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: August 17, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.
Responsibilities
Provides strategic leadership and subject-matter expertise in Aerospace Quality Assurance and NASA Safety & Mission Assurance, setting technical direction and quality standards that drive mission success and enterprise-wide risk mitigation.
Provides expert technical oversight across design, fabrication, integration, and test of spaceflight hardware, evaluating compliance with NASA requirements and flagging quality risks early to protect mission reliability.
Partners with engineering, manufacturing, and supplier teams to resolve complex technical issues, drive effective corrective actions, and build a culture of continuous quality improvement through direct, hands-on technical engagement.
Verifies mission-critical hardware against aerospace quality and workmanship standards through detailed inspections, procedural compliance reviews, manufacturing surveillance, and witnessing of qualification and acceptance testing.
Investigates quality issues, analyzes technical data, and produces clear, actionable reports and documentation that support sound decision-making, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across programs.
Required Qualifications
Detailed knowledge of Aerospace Quality Assurance requirements
Knowledge of NASA Safety and Mission Assurance requirements
Infrequent travel to partners and subcontractors, possible longer travel associated with launches.
U.S. Person - a natural person who is a lawful permanent resident as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20) or who is a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). It also means any corporation, business association, partnership, society, trust, or any other entity, organization or group that is incorporated to do business in the U.S. It also includes any governmental (federal, state or local), entity
Preferred Qualifications
Aerospace systems knowledge or other engineering specialties supporting Aerospace Quality Assurance
Skills in managing large volumes of information and creating professional documentation to present to customers
Education / Training
Advanced degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
Post-graduate level course work in related area (Preferred)
Licenses / Certifications
Driver's License
Salary & Benefits
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted annual range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $140,000.00 - $175,000.00. The full pay scale for this classification is $130,935.00 - $252,945.00.
This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.
Millions of jobs, with real people getting hired every day
Questions, answered
Click "Apply with JobAssist" – we tailor your resume and application to this role and submit it for your approval.
Yes. This role at University of California Berkeley was screened before publishing – we confirmed the employer before listing it.
The employer didn't disclose a salary range for this listing. JobAssist shows pay whenever it's available.
This position can be done from anywhere, with no in-office requirement.
Yes – every application is tailored from your profile and this job's requirements, and you can review and edit before it's sent.