Job Description

Aim high, go beyond!

At Open Cosmos, we tackle the planet’s most significant hurdles from orbit, offering researchers, governments, and corporations unprecedented access to information. Are you prepared to join the mission?

Working in the Quality and Product Assurance Team

Our Quality and Product Assurance (QPA) unit is vital in spearheading ongoing refinements across all facilities and operational workflows. As the QPA Manager, you will lead the transformation of our working methods—integrating premier industry practices and identifying proactive strategies to enhance the reliability, quality, and efficiency of our output.

This position serves as the primary advocate for the customer’s perspective within our organization. You will guarantee that client requirements are deeply understood and woven into the architecture, engineering, and distribution of our satellites and software. By championing the customer throughout the lifecycle, you will secure mission success and foster enduring partnerships. Your contributions will ensure our products don’t merely satisfy requirements but strive to surpass them.

What will you be doing?

We are looking for a pragmatic and driven Quality and Product Assurance Manager to oversee the development and refinement of workflows for high-performance space technology.

This technical, hands-on position will have a major influence on supply chain management and manufacturing, facilitating the industrial scaling of our upcoming satellite constellations. You will partner with external and internal stakeholders to build cross-functional synergies. This role demands a firm dedication to pushing technical limits and continuous improvement, aligned with our corporate vision.

What you need to be successful

Industry Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of quality management systems specifically tailored for the aerospace and space industries.
Standards Proficiency: Practical capability in implementing ISO 9001 and ECSS (European Cooperation for Space Standardization) protocols.
Decisive Risk Management: Ability to evaluate and accept quantified risks in a volatile environment to meet client objectives.
Leadership & Communication: Exceptional interpersonal talents with the ability to lead and motivate a team, maximizing their collective output.
Autonomy: A self-starting mindset with the capability to manage projects independently and remain self-motivated.
Problem Solving: Skill in utilizing analytical data, logic, and professional history to resolve technical challenges.

Working conditions/arrangements

This role is primarily based on-site with occasional flexibility for remote work, subject to the following:

Physical Presence: You must be in the lab or office at least 2-3 days weekly, depending on project demands.
Campaign Requirements: During critical qualification testing, you will be needed on-site for extended periods (e.g., 14 consecutive days).
Emergency Response: You must be available to reach the office or lab on short notice during remote workdays if urgent issues occur.

Job Data Table

Category	Details
Company Name	Open Cosmos
Location	Didcot, United Kingdom
Locality	Oxfordshire
Country	United Kingdom
City	Didcot
Region	South East England
Job Type	Full-time
Salaries	Competitive (Based on Seniority)
Experience Level	Management / Technical Lead
Travel	Occasional (On-site Lab focused)
Language	English
Benefits	Hybrid flexibility, Industry-leading missions

Skills & Competency Table

Key Skill	Proficiency Level
ECSS Standards	Expert
ISO 9001 Implementation	Expert
Space Hardware Assurance	Advanced
Satellite Industrialization	Advanced
Stakeholder Management	Expert
Quantified Risk Analysis	Advanced

Salaries Pay Calculator Table

Annual Salary	Bonus	Total Compensation	Notes
Competitive	TBC	Competitive	Salary aligns with specialized UK space industry benchmarks.

Job Summary

Lead the Quality and Product Assurance unit at Open Cosmos in Didcot, ensuring the reliability of high-performance satellites. You will implement ECSS and ISO 9001 standards, advocate for customer needs during design, and manage the industrialization of space hardware. This technical role requires hands-on lab presence and expert risk-management skills.

FAQs

What are the primary standards used in this role?

The role focuses heavily on the application of ECSS (European Cooperation for Space Standardization) and ISO 9001 standards.

Is this a fully remote position?

No, it is an on-site role requiring at least 2-3 days in the lab/office per week, and full-time attendance during test campaigns.

What is the core focus of the QPA team?

The team drives continuous improvement, reliability, and the integration of customer requirements into space hardware and software.

Where is Open Cosmos located?

The position is based in Didcot, United Kingdom, within the Oxfordshire space cluster.

What kind of leadership is expected?

The manager must be capable of motivating a team and making logic-based decisions in a fast-changing, high-tech environment.

Expert Analysis

This role sits at the intersection of “New Space” agility and traditional aerospace rigor. Implementing ECSS standards in a fast-scaling startup environment requires a manager who can balance strict compliance with the speed of industrialization. Success here means successfully scaling satellite production while maintaining the ultra-high reliability required for space missions.

Location & Logistics Guide

Didcot is a central node in the UK’s “Space Gateway,” located near the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. This provides Open Cosmos with unparalleled access to satellite testing facilities and a highly specialized talent pool. Its proximity to Oxford and London via the Great Western Main Line offers excellent connectivity.

Wikipedia URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didcot

Career Path

A QPA Manager at Open Cosmos can progress to Head of Quality or Director of Missions. Given the specialized nature of satellite industrialization, this role also paves the way for senior Operations or Product Assurance leadership within the broader international space and defense sectors.

To apply for this job please visit careers.open-cosmos.com.