Daniel Kim
Houston,TX
Summary
Senior technical integration leader with deep systems engineering expertise spanning crew systems, EVA, materials, and spacecraft structures. Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-disciplinary integration across NASA and industry partners, drive verification-critical decisions, and manage risk for high-visibility human spaceflight programs.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Human Landing System (HLS) Crew Compartment Technical Integration Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2023 - Current
- Provide senior-level technical insight and authoritative systems engineering leadership for the integrated lander crew cabin architecture, shaping verification & validation strategies and driving proactive risk identification, mitigation, and technical decision-making that influence program-level outcomes.
- Lead enterprise-wide technical integration across all major crew cabin disciplines—including ECLSS, IVA Suit systems, Human Systems Integration, Flight Crew Systems, ATCS, materials, avionics, dust mitigation, and structural subsystems—ensuring cross-discipline coherence, design closure, and alignment with mission-level requirements.
- Serve as the principal technical integration authority interfacing with commercial partners, exercising high-level technical judgment to resolve complex system-integration challenges, and identifying and correcting discipline-depth deficiencies that pose mission or certification risk.
- Provide strategic leadership across milestone reviews and configuration-management activities, setting technical expectations, guiding prioritization across engineering teams, and ensuring Change Requests, verification plans, and certification requirements are level-loaded for traceability standards.
- Build and sustain cross-program partnerships and collaborative insight pathways, enabling transparent technical communication between NASA teams and commercial providers and strengthening the organization’s ability to execute integrated crew-systems development at scale.
- XE2 - Program Integration Branch
EVA & Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) Materials & Processes (M&P) System Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2023
- Provide M&P insight and oversight throughout the EHP Suits & Rovers project cycle.
- Lead review & coordination of EHP M&P standards & requirements adjudication.
- Oversight of M&P requirements implementation across all projects and subsystems to ensure proper requirements verification and materials certification.
- Develop strong working relationships with NASA stakeholders and vendor counterparts to effectively address technical challenges and resolve dissenting opinions.
- Identify and communicate risks with technical authorities and manage cost, schedule, and solutions to meet customer needs.
- ES4 - Materials and Processes Branch
Spacecraft Windows Deputy Subsystem Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2022
- Managed and integrated hardware performance, structural integrity, risk assessment, requirements verification, noncompliance resolutions, failure analyses, and operational malfunctions.
Exploration EVA Services (xEVAS) Structural Engineering Division (ES) Insight Lead
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Performing xEVAS insight lead function in the ES division. The role entails technical management of disciplines, including structures, M&P, design & mechanisms, and load & dynamics.
- The ES Insight team provides technical expertise that assesses the contractor design solution, technical processes, and analysis/test results.
Asian American Pacific Islander Leadership Program (ALP)
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Selected as an ALP cohort to develop the core engineering competencies, strengthen critical boundary-spanning leadership skills, and build and leverage EA-wise relationships.
Assistant Chief Engineer for EVA Development [Part of ALP]
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Assist the office of the EVA Development Chief Engineer in support of EVA Development within the EHP Chief Engineer’s Office. Nominal duties include meeting support, assisting in tracking and completing document reviews, risk management, and helping to provide integration support of EVA Development projects across the Engineering Directorate and the xEVAS Contract.
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) Component Owner
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Serve as the hardware owner of the Hard Upper Torso (HUT), the rigid portion of the suit structure over the subject’s upper torso. The geometry controls fit, placement of mobility joints, and visibility through the helmet. Responsible for planning, risk management, design, analysis and certification.
Materials Engineer – Non-metals Subject Matter Expert
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2017 - 01.2023
- Provide non-metals subject matter expertise support to the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), International Space Station (ISS), Gateway, Orion, Space Suit, Suitport, and Viper. Support includes technical document reviews, updates & approval, meeting support at the technical discipline level to program boards, and materials testing & analysis.
Principal Investigator
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2018 - 01.2021
- Principal Investigator for the STMD/GCD-funded project titled ‘Lightweight and Robust Space Suit’. The project aims to mature new technologies to develop a lightweight and robust space suit structure required to safely explore hazardous portions of the Moon and Mars. Responsibilities include technical leadership & project management.
ISS & Gateway Deputy M&P Systems Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
Houston, TX
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Supporting management, oversight, coordination, and resolution of issues and projects involving the Materials & Process system for the ISS & Gateway as the Deputy M&P Systems Manager.
Ph.D. Researcher
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA
01.2013 - 01.2017
- Projects Completed: 1. Effective Cure Cycle Development via Flow Optimization and Advanced Cure Environments; 2. Processing and Performance Optimization for Aerospace-grade Recyclable Epoxy Resins; and 3. Process Monitoring of Thermoplastic Prepregs: Crystallinity & Flow
- Investigated the effects of humidity and out-time on the rate of cure and viscosity evolution of an OoA Prepreg and developed accurate predictive models
- Further investigation of humidity and out-time effects on epoxy resin composition (amine-to-epoxy ratio and cure agent type)
- Developed effective methods for monitoring moisture absorption and out-time at ambient conditions, identifying critical physicochemical events and their dependence during cure.
- M.C. Gill Composites Center - Professor Nutt Lab
Ph.D. Coop
NASA - Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Houston, TX
06.2015 - 09.2015
- Undertook various projects in Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) development project
- Thermal and Mechanical (creep, creep rupture, and crazing) Evaluation of Crew Module (CM) Acrylic Pressure Pane.
- Damage Tolerance of composite materials in support of the Orion backshell structure.
- Structural Health Monitoring of composite materials (fiber optics, macro-fiber composites and piezoelectric).
- ES4 – Materials and Processes Branch
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Chemical Engineering
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA05-2017
Master of Science - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY05-2012
Master of Engineering - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY08-2010
Bachelor of Science - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY05-2009
NASA Awards & Technical Publications
Over 10 NASA awards including RNASA Stellar Award and JSC Director’s Commendation., 20+ technical publications, including 7 first-author peer-reviewed SCI journal papers.
Timeline
Human Landing System (HLS) Crew Compartment Technical Integration Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2023 - Current
EVA & Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) Materials & Processes (M&P) System Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2023
Spacecraft Windows Deputy Subsystem Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2022
Exploration EVA Services (xEVAS) Structural Engineering Division (ES) Insight Lead
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2022 - 01.2023
Asian American Pacific Islander Leadership Program (ALP)
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2022 - 01.2023
Assistant Chief Engineer for EVA Development [Part of ALP]
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2022 - 01.2023
Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) Component Owner
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2020 - 01.2023
Principal Investigator
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2018 - 01.2021
ISS & Gateway Deputy M&P Systems Manager
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2018 - 01.2020
Materials Engineer – Non-metals Subject Matter Expert
NASA – Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX
01.2017 - 01.2023
Ph.D. Coop
NASA - Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
06.2015 - 09.2015
Ph.D. Researcher
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
01.2013 - 01.2017
Master of Science - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University
Master of Engineering - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University
Bachelor of Science - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University
Doctor of Philosophy - Chemical Engineering
University of Southern California