---
title: 'Reliability Engineer at Quantum Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/reliability-engineer-quantum-space-rockville-md-or-hawthorne-hf6wn74hcyrs'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Reliability Engineer at Quantum Space

- **Company:** Quantum Space
- **Location:** Rockville MD OR Hawthorne, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-08-07
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/quantumspacellc/jobs/4357396009

## Job description

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space. Our high-mobility spacecraft platforms support national security, civil, and commercial missions with unmatched flexibility and propulsion capability. We build fast and iterate quickly.

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking a Reliability Engineer to ensure the reliability, safety,

and mission assurance of our next-generation spacecraft and supporting systems. In this role, you will perform reliability analyses, influence system architecture and hardware design, support environmental testing and failure investigations, and help establish the processes that ensure mission success throughout the product lifecycle. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys solving complex technical challenges, and is passionate about building next-generation space systems that support mission success.

Where You'll Make an Impact

- Perform functional and interface Failure Mode, Effects, and Criticality Analyses (FMEA/FMECA) at the part, assembly, and system levels, and maintain the Critical Items List (CIL).

- Develop Fault Tree Analyses (FTA), Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD), and reliability predictions including MTBF and MTTF to support design trades, redundancy decisions, and sparing strategies.

- Apply physics-of-failure methodologies, Weibull analysis, accelerated life testing, and probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to evaluate mission-critical hardware.

- Support EEE parts reliability through component selection and derating, parts stress analysis, worst-case analysis, and radiation effects screening in accordance with EEE-INST-002.

- Monitor GIDEP alerts and supplier advisories, tracking limited-life and limited-shelf-life components throughout the production lifecycle.

- Partner with design and systems engineering teams to integrate reliability requirements into spacecraft architecture, supplier selection, and manufacturing processes early in development.

- Provide actionable reliability analyses that influence redundancy, design margins, and component selection while maintaining documentation for technical reviews and audits.

- Support environmental qualification, life testing, and verification activities by reviewing test plans, evaluating results, and assessing reliability impacts.

- Tailor reliability activities to mission risk classifications while maintaining rigorous standards for safety-critical and range safety systems.

- Help develop and continuously improve Quantum Space's reliability engineering processes, procedures, analysis templates, and requirements within our AS9100 Rev D Quality Management System.

What It Takes

- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

- Approximately 5+ years of reliability, mission assurance, or closely related engineering experience supporting flight hardware or similarly high-reliability systems; senior candidates typically possess 8–10+ years of relevant experience.

- Hands-on experience developing FMEA/FMECA, FTA, Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD), and reliability predictions.

- Working knowledge of reliability and mission assurance standards including NASA-STD-8729.1, MIL-STD-882, and EEE-INST-002.

- Experience applying reliability engineering principles to complex aerospace or high-reliability systems.

- Strong technical writing and analytical skills with the ability to assess risk and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.

- Ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary engineering teams in a fast-paced development environment.

- Must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR/EAR regulations.

Nice-to-Have Experience

- Master's degree in an engineering discipline or ASQ Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) certification.

- Direct spacecraft, satellite, or flight hardware development experience.

- Familiarity with NASA reliability, workmanship, and mission assurance standards.

- Experience with PLM/PDM tools such as Creo and Windchill.

- Familiarity with propulsion systems, pressure systems, batteries, ordnance, or other safety-critical spacecraft subsystems.

- Experience supporting rideshare launch programs or range safety requirements.

## What You'll Get

- Ownership – Own reliability analyses and mission assurance activities that directly influence spacecraft design, qualification, and mission success.

- Innovation – Apply advanced reliability engineering techniques to improve the performance, safety, and resilience of next-generation spacecraft systems.

- Impact – Partner across engineering disciplines to identify and mitigate technical risks, ensuring reliable spacecraft performance from development through launch.

- Growth – Collaborate with experienced aerospace engineers while helping mature Quantum Space's reliability engineering and mission assurance capabilities.

- Compensation – Competitive salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, generous leave, HSA, 401(k) matching, and equity participation.

Location: Rockville, MD

Base Salary: $120,000 – $180,000

The salary range for this role is determined based on a variety of factors including work experience, education, technical expertise, certifications, critical skills, and business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full-time offers and are considered part of Quantum Space's total compensation package.

Additional Requirements

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual under 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3), or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Apply now. Join us in building the next generation of spacecraft.

## About Quantum Space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Quantum Space is building the next generation of advanced, maneuverable spacecraft (the Ranger platform) to disrupt the orbital economy by reducing the cost of operating across every orbit the nation needs to hold, from LEO through GEO and out to cislunar space.
- **Entity Type**: Private (going public via merger with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI; anticipated ticker QSPC)
- **Headquarters**: Rockville, Maryland, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Dr. Kam Ghaffarian (Executive Chairman & Co-founder), Ben Reed (Chief Technology Officer), Adarsh Parekh (President & Co-founder), Kerry Wisnosky (Co-founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Defense and Space Manufacturing, National Security Space, Cislunar Infrastructure
- **Target customers**: Primarily Government (U.S. national security space agencies, Space Force, NASA, DARPA)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To enable the freedom to maneuver in space for the United States, providing a maneuver-first architecture engineered for multi-orbit operations at scale.

## Products & Services
- **Ranger Spacecraft Platform**: A highly maneuverable orbital transfer and servicing platform. Key specs include up to 4,000+ kg of storable hydrazine, multi-mode propulsion, a 15-year operational life, on-orbit refueling capability, and a modular payload architecture. It is designed to reach GEO and beyond at up to 70% lower cost than conventional architectures.
- **Space Domain Awareness**: Providing ubiquitous awareness of activities on orbit, delivering actionable intelligence.
- **Payload Hosting & Data Services**: A standardized platform capable of being configured for any mission at any orbit, hosting government and commercial payloads.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed for the private company; the SPAC merger agreement values the combined entity, but specific valuation is not publicly available.
- **Key Metric**: $88M+ in secured government contracts. Total funding of $56.1M across 6 prior funding rounds.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI (SPAC merger partner); Dr. Kam Ghaffarian (also founded Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ: LUNR), X-energy (NASDAQ: XE), Axiom Space); Jim Bridenstine (CEO, former NASA Administrator).
- **Growth Signals**: Aggressive hiring with 31 active job postings and +158.3% monthly job posting growth; acquired Phase Four's multi-mode propulsion assets in September 2025; constructing a manufacturing facility at Tulsa International Airport; awarded a DARPA LASSO contract; going public via SPAC merger.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Massive Fuel Capacity & Maneuverability**: 4,000+ kg of storable fuel is significantly more than current spacecraft, and the multi-mode propulsion allows for speed, efficiency, and flexibility across all orbits.
- **Refuelable & Modular Architecture**: Designed for on-orbit refueling and a modular payload system, enabling long-duration missions (15 years) and rapid reconfiguration.
- **Deep IP Moat**: 17 issued and pending patents protecting the core technology.
- **Cost Disruption**: Claims up to 70% cost reduction for operations beyond LEO and up to 10x+ launch cost savings compared to conventional architectures.
- **National Security Focus**: Deeply embedded with U.S. Space Command and national security priorities, with leadership that includes former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and a 40-year Missile Defense Agency veteran.

## Strategic Focus
- **Golden Dome / National Security**: The company's Ranger spacecraft is positioned as a key platform for the proposed "Golden Dome" national security space architecture.
- **SPAC Merger & Public Listing**: Completing the merger with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI to go public under the ticker QSPC.
- **Manufacturing Expansion**: Building out manufacturing capacity in Tulsa, OK, and Huntsville, AL, to scale production of the Ranger platform.
- **Cislunar Operations**: Developing capabilities for operations in cislunar space, including winning the DARPA LASSO contract.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven**: The company is focused on a critical national security mission, offering employees a chance to work on technology that directly impacts U.S. space superiority.
- **High Growth Trajectory**: Rapidly scaling from a startup to a public company, with aggressive hiring, new facility construction, and major government contracts.
- **Flexible Work Environment**: The company emphasizes work-life balance and offers flexible working arrangements. Roles are available across multiple locations (Rockville, MD; Huntsville, AL; Hawthorne, CA; Tulsa, OK).
- **Competitive Compensation**: Offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, generous leave (including parental leave), FSA, 401(k) matching, and equity sharing.
- **Tight-Knit Team**: Described as a fast-paced, tight-knit team of engineers and scientists, offering exposure to the full lifecycle of mission development, launch, and operations.

## Sources
1. [quantumspace.us](https://www.quantumspace.us/)
2. [quantumspace.us/about](https://www.quantumspace.us/about)
3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quantumspace-us)
4. [investors.quantumspace.us](https://investors.quantumspace.us/)
5. [Greenhouse Careers Page](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/quantumspacellc/jobs/4193183009)

## Other roles at Quantum Space

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