Space Food Safety Engineer I

Vast is looking for a Space Food Safety Engineer I, reporting to the Space Food Systems Manager, 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: 

• Conduct routine inspections and quality tests on raw materials, in-process production, and finished products to ensure they meet quality standards and regulatory requirements
• Maintain accurate records of all quality testing, inspections, and finding, including documenting deviations from standards and corrective actions taken
• Collect samples of raw materials, packaging components, and finished products for testing according to established procedures and protocols
• Perform physical, chemical, and microbiological tests as required
• Calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment and instruments used for quality testing to ensure accuracy and reliability of results
• Assist with internal and external audits and inspections by regulatory agencies and customers. Ensure readiness and compliance during audits
• Implement and maintain HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) principles and food safety programs to ensure the safety and integrity of food products 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address quality-related issues and drive quality improvements
• Investigate quality issues, customer complaints, and non-conformances to determine root causes
• Implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence

Minimum Qualifications: 

• 3-5 Years minimum of previous experience in a food safety or quality assurance environment 
• Experience with aseptic processing, or similar high sanitary requirement food category 
• Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, or related field 

Preferred Skills & Experience: 

• Experience with food safety within the aerospace industry 
• Knowledge of food safety QMS systems and documentation 
• Ability to create and update request for proposals (RFPs), purchase orders (POs) and facilities work orders in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software 
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment 
• Ability to make independent judgments with limited information 
• Communication skills for relaying data (verbally and in-writing) between other employees, vendors, and customers 
• Logical and strategic approach to solving problems
• Ability to read and understand basic floor plans
• Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction

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
• Specific certifications, as appropriate