Lead Quality Engineer - Advanced Composites

Approach Venture; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation

Comprehensive benefits

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Approach Venture is seeking a Lead Composites Quality Engineer in Hawthorne, CA. This role combines hands-on inspection on the manufacturing floor with building the quality system infrastructure for scalable production in next-generation composite manufacturing.

You will lead defect investigations, develop testing methods, and drive CAPA while shaping the Quality Management System and supplier quality programs as the company grows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline.
• 5+ years quality engineering in composite/manufacturing environments.
• Experience with AS9100/ISO 9001 and MRB processes.
• Hands-on inspection on the factory floor.
• Strong root cause analysis and CAPA skills.
• Experience with NDT methods and composites materials.

Responsibilities

• Lead composite quality engineering across development to production.
• Develop inspection plans, criteria, and quality standards for components.
• Partner with manufacturing to improve yield and process capability.
• Investigate defects: delamination, porosity, fiber distortion, resin issues.
• Drive corrective actions and root cause investigations.
• Support process development with focus on quality, reliability, and scalability.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

5+ years quality engineering in composites/manufacturing

Strong on-site manufacturing experience

Tools

CMMs

Faro arms

NDT equipment

Job description

Lead Composites Quality Engineer - Build the Quality Foundation for Next-Generation Composite Manufacturing

Hawthorne, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join a well-funded, venture-backed advanced manufacturing company developing breakthrough composite manufacturing technology for aerospace and defense applications. The team is pioneering a high-throughput manufacturing process capable of producing complex, high-performance composite components at a fraction of the time required by traditional methods. As the Lead Composites Quality Engineer, you will build the foundation of the company's quality organization while working directly alongside manufacturing and engineering teams to ensure every product meets demanding performance and reliability standards. This is not a traditional quality role. You will spend significant time on the manufacturing floor performing inspections, investigating defects, developing testing methods, and improving manufacturing processes while simultaneously building the quality systems, infrastructure, and processes that will support production at scale. As the company grows, this role will naturally evolve into leading the broader quality function, owning the Quality Management System, driving AS9100 certification, developing supplier quality programs, and building a high-performing quality organization. If you're looking for an opportunity to combine deep composites expertise, hands-on manufacturing, and long-term leadership growth within an early-stage hardware company, this role offers exceptional ownership and impact.

About Us

We are an early-stage advanced manufacturing company building next-generation composite production technology for aerospace and defense markets. Backed by leading investors and experiencing rapid growth, our team is focused on fundamentally changing how high-performance composite components are manufactured through innovative processes designed for speed, scalability, and production efficiency.

Our environment is highly collaborative, fast-moving, and engineering-driven. Team members are trusted with significant ownership, encouraged to solve difficult technical challenges, and given the opportunity to shape both products and company strategy.

Job Duties

Composite Manufacturing Quality

• Lead quality engineering activities across composite manufacturing operations from development through production.
• Develop inspection plans, acceptance criteria, and quality standards for composite components.
• Partner with manufacturing and process engineering teams to improve yield, repeatability, and process capability.
• Investigate composite defects including delamination, porosity, fiber distortion, resin-rich and resin-starved conditions, and other manufacturing failure modes.
• Drive root cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Support manufacturing process development with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and scalability.

Hands-On Inspection & Testing

• Perform dimensional inspections using precision metrology equipment.
• Execute and improve destructive and non-destructive testing methods for composite structures.
• Develop coupon testing procedures and support material qualification activities.
• Operate and maintain inspection equipment while ensuring calibration systems remain compliant.
• Analyze inspection and test results to improve manufacturing performance.
• Work directly with production teams to resolve quality issues in real time.

Quality Systems & Compliance

• Build and implement the company's Quality Management System from the ground up.
• Lead preparation and execution toward AS9100 and ISO 9001 certification.
• Develop quality procedures, work instructions, inspection documentation, and manufacturing standards.
• Own non-conformance management, MRB activities, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish supplier qualification and supplier quality processes.
• Develop scalable quality metrics, reporting systems, and manufacturing quality dashboards.

Leadership & Growth

• Help define the long-term quality strategy for a rapidly scaling manufacturing organization.
• Identify opportunities for automation, technology investment, and process improvement.
• Support hiring, mentoring, and development of future quality engineers and inspectors.
• Partner with executive leadership on manufacturing readiness, operational excellence, and production scale-up initiatives.
• Grow into ownership of the company's overall quality organization as production expands.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Composites Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience supporting quality engineering within composite manufacturing or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Experience working with carbon fiber, fiber-reinforced polymer, thermoset, or thermoplastic composite materials.
• Strong understanding of composite manufacturing processes and associated quality requirements.
• Experience with composite defect analysis and manufacturing failure modes.
• Experience performing dimensional inspection, quality verification, and production support.
• Experience with destructive and/or non-destructive testing of composite components.
• Experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Comfortable working in a highly hands-on manufacturing environment with direct involvement on the production floor.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience developing or implementing a Quality Management System.
• Experience supporting or leading AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 certification efforts.
• Experience with MRB, non-conformance management, supplier quality, and audit preparation.
• Experience with compression molding, resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum infusion, autoclave processing, automated fiber placement, or similar composite manufacturing methods.
• Experience with CT, ultrasonic testing, tap testing, thermography, or other composite NDT techniques.
• Experience using CMMs, laser scanners, Faro arms, or other advanced metrology equipment.
• Familiarity with GD&T and AS9102 First Article Inspection.
• Experience working within aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification.
• Startup or high-growth manufacturing experience.

Why Join

• Build the quality organization from the ground up with significant ownership and autonomy.
• Work on cutting-edge composite manufacturing technology with meaningful aerospace and defense applications.
• Combine hands‑on engineering with long‑term strategic leadership opportunities.
• Influence manufacturing processes, product quality, and company growth from an early stage.
• Join a collaborative, mission‑driven engineering team focused on solving complex manufacturing challenges.
• Competitive compensation, meaningful equity participation, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to grow alongside a rapidly scaling advanced manufacturing company.

Compensation Details

$150,000 - $200,000