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Safety and Mission Assurance Manager

Lunar Outpost

Lunar Outpost

Golden, CO, USA
Posted on Dec 10, 2025

Are you passionate about shaping the future of humanity's presence in space? Lunar Outpost, an industry leader in space robotics and planetary vehicles, invites you to join our team! Lunar Outpost is dedicated to creating a permanent presence in space, while also driving positive impacts here on Earth. We are currently seeking a Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Manager to contribute to our mission in a dynamic startup environment. As an SMA Manager you will be responsible for ensuring that Lunar Outpost programs and operations are safe, reliable, and of high quality. You will apply engineering and process knowledge to perform oversight and implement policies, procedures and audits that will help Lunar Outpost deliver quality products on-time, while working in a fast-paced innovative environment. Work will primarily focus on the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, which will carry NASA astronauts and payloads on the Lunar surface farther than they have ever gone before.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Act as the technical authority for Quality, Safety, and Mission Assurance policies at Lunar Outpost
  • Lead and manage a team, including partners on the Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) program, that are responsible for the SMA functions and SMA scope of work on the LTVS program
  • Establish, maintain, and enforce policies, standards and requirements, including those associated with AS9100 certification and CMMI Level 3 practices
  • Manage Lunar Outpost’s Quality Management System
  • Participate in developing inspection criteria and acceptance testing for components and assemblies
  • Monitor nonconformances and resulting corrective actions
  • Provide an independent means to verify compliance through internal audits and assessments
  • Improve methods for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks throughout the life cycle of a project
  • Ensure policies and workforce education are instituted so that incident severity and quantity remain low, as well as lead the investigation and root cause analysis of any mishaps that do occur
  • Work with site personnel to ensure the safety of the workforce during operations and maintain compliance with occupational safety and environmental standards, including reporting to OSHA and other regulatory bodies
  • Oversee compliance with applicable quality and safety standards, including FAR, DFARS, NFS and other related regulatory requirements
  • Implement and oversee the SMA Technical Authority process, which provides independent advice and recommendations on critical safety and mission decisions.

Required Qualifications:

  • 9+ Years Experience
  • Bachelor's Degree in applicable engineering field
  • Experience on NASA, DoD, or aerospace programs
  • Implemented or maintained AS9100, ISO9001 or similar systems previously
  • High attention to detail and high expectation of quality from people and deliverables
  • Ability to balance SMA requirements with work in a fast-paced environment
  • Has conducted an audit
  • Self-motivated, focused, and driven to meet critical deadlines
  • Excellent organization and time management skills
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • U.S. Person

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Passed CMMI Level 3 or higher assessments
  • Experience leading and managing an SMA Team previously, including hiring
  • Worked on a program that launched and operated in space
  • OSHA 10 Certified (General Industry)

Any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon Lunar Outpost receiving the LTVS Phase II contract from NASA. If the contract is not awarded to Lunar Outpost, this offer will be considered null and void, without further obligation to Lunar Outpost.

Lunar Outpost is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate against protected characteristics (gender, age, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, disability, veteran status). We want all employees (including executives and HR) to treat others with respect and professionalism.