Quality Engineer (Electronics)

nerostechnologies; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 101,000 - 162,000; Full time

Job summary

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands‑on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems the West needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter the adversaries of democracy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical engineering, or physics.
• 2+ years in quality, manufacturing, reliability, or electrical design role.
• Experience with SMT processes and inspection and defect modes.
• Proficient with SQL and Python for data analysis.
• Familiarity with high-volume electronics production.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day electronics build quality across PCBAs, soldering, harnesses, cables, and battery packs; act as first responder for line issues, disposition defects, contain suspect product, and run electronics MRB
• Lead electronics root cause investigations in partnership with Engineering and verify that corrective actions hold on the line
• Track FPY, defect Pareto, scrap/rework, and escapes; use SPC to detect process drift and run regular build‑quality reviews to drive top issues to closure
• Partner with Manufacturing and Engineering to add data‑driven in‑line checks and error‑proofing, reduce inspection as processes prove capable, and feed defect data back into design for quality
• Create and maintain inspection plans and first article inspections for new builds, board revisions, and process changes; review work instructions and inspection criteria for clear, objective, verifiable requirements
• Certify inspectors and operators to IPC workmanship standards and own and audit the factory ESD control plan

Skills

SQL

Python

Electronics QA

Education

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Physics

Job description

Who we are

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America's drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands‑on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems the West needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter the adversaries of democracy.

What you will be doing

As a Quality Engineer at Neros, you'll own electronics build quality across the factory as we scale production, from PCBAs and harnesses to battery packs. You'll be the first call when an electronics issue shows up on the line, working with Manufacturing and Engineering to contain it, find the root cause, and make sure every unit survives and performs in contested environments. We're looking for a hands‑on engineer with electronics hardware manufacturing experience, a proactive, ownership-driven approach to solving problems, and a proven ability to perform in fast-moving production environments.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day electronics build quality across PCBAs, soldering, harnesses, cables, and battery packs; act as first responder for line issues, disposition defects, contain suspect product, and run electronics MRB
• Lead electronics root cause investigations in partnership with Engineering and verify that corrective actions hold on the line
• Track FPY, defect Pareto, scrap/rework, and escapes; use SPC to detect process drift and run regular build‑quality reviews to drive top issues to closure
• Partner with Manufacturing and Engineering to add data‑driven in‑line checks and error‑proofing, reduce inspection as processes prove capable, and feed defect data back into design for quality
• Create and maintain inspection plans and first article inspections for new builds, board revisions, and process changes; review work instructions and inspection criteria for clear, objective, verifiable requirements
• Certify inspectors and operators to IPC workmanship standards and own and audit the factory ESD control plan

You should have the following

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or physics
• 2+ years in a quality, manufacturing, reliability, or electrical design engineering role
• Experience with SMT processes and inspection (solder paste, reflow, AOI, X-ray, ICT or flying probe) and their common defect modes
• Experience with secondary and post‑SMT processes, such as through‑hole soldering, component preparation (lead forming, tinning, de‑golding), and conformal coating, and their common defect modes
• Proficiency in SQL and Python, including querying production databases and analyzing manufacturing and test data

Nice to have

• Experience supporting high‑volume electronics production, ideally during a production ramp; experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality systems in defense or aerospace
• Working knowledge of RCCA and structured problem solving (8D, 5 Whys, fishbone), PFMEA, control plans, FAI (AS9102 or similar), and SPC
• Strong working knowledge of IPC‑A‑610, J‑STD‑001, and IPC/WHMA‑A‑620; knowledge of ESD control programs (ANSI/ESD S20.20)
• Familiarity with lithium‑ion cells and battery pack quality requirements, including cell matching, weld inspection, and BMS verification; comfort with oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, and basic RF test equipment
• Familiarity with drones, RC aircraft, or FPV hardware. If you've soldered your own ESCs and debugged your own video feed, we want to hear about it

US Salary Range

$100,500 - $162,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.

We're an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.