Quality Engineering Manager II

Sierra Nevada Corporation; Sparks (NV); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual incentive pay

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) with 150% match up to 6%

Life insurance

3 weeks paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Sierra Nevada Corporation is seeking a Quality Engineering Manager II to provide technical and managerial leadership across multiple programs. You will own quality execution strategies, champion process improvements, and interface with customer quality reps, program leadership, and cross-functional partners.

The role requires leading a QE team, ensuring early design involvement, and delivering critical quality artifacts to meet schedules and customer requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field required.
• Higher level relevant degree may substitute for experience.
• Knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001 and related standards required.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis and quality management systems (QMS).
• Experience leading a QE team in electronics manufacturing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Quality Engineers.
• Involve QE early in design: DFMEA, manufacturability input, key characteristics.
• Own quality deliverables: first article, PFMEA, control plans, data packages.
• Drive root cause and corrective actions for nonconformances and failures.
• Analyze yield, defect, test, and supplier data to set quality metrics.
• Serve as primary QE contact for leadership and customer/government reps.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Design, Test, and Supply Chain to resolve issues.
• Define QE team roadmap, staffing, and succession planning.
• Champion lean and Six Sigma improvements; drive process enhancements.
• Coordinate with QMS and Audit teams to align with AS9100 and contracts.

Skills

Leadership

Quality engineering

Data-driven culture

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Advanced degree may substitute for experience

Tools

AS9100/ISO 9001 knowledge

QMS / Statistical analysis

8D problem solving

Job description

Higher level relevant degree may substitute for experience.

The Quality Engineering Manager II provides technical and managerial leadership across multiple programs or a larger QE team. Owns quality execution strategies, champions process improvements, and interfaces regularly with customer quality representatives, program leadership, and cross-functional partners.

The Mission Solutions and Technologies (MST) business area provides affordable, turn-key command/control, communications, integrated ISR, force protection and security solutions worldwide. The MST team has a long legacy of supporting the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, commercial and international customers with years of experience in platform operations, engineering and full lifecycle management across domains – air, land, sea, space and cyber.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Quality Engineers, building a proactive, data-driven engineering culture that moves beyond reactive, execution-only support.


• Establish Quality Engineering as an early partner in the design process. This includes design and drawing reviews, DFMEA, design-for-manufacturability/test input, and key characteristic identification before release to production.


• Own product and program quality deliverables, including first article inspection, PFMEA, control plans, acceptance data packages, and build readiness, to meet program schedules and customer requirements.


• Drive root cause and corrective action for nonconformances, test failures, and customer escapes. Lead MRB dispositions and verify that corrective actions are effective and sustained.


• Analyze yield, defect, test, and supplier performance data using SPC and capability analysis. Use it to set and report quality metrics, reduce cost of poor quality, and guide engineering decisions.


• Serve as a primary quality point of contact for program leadership and customer or government quality representatives. Manage product acceptance, deviations/waivers, and customer notifications.


• Partner with Manufacturing, Design/Systems Engineering, Test, and Supply Chain to resolve electronics assembly, integration, and test issues. Support supplier quality engineers on supplier issues that affect program deliverables.


• Define the QE team’s strategic roadmap and resourcing across programs, including skills development, workload balance, and succession planning.


• Champion continuous improvement, including lean and Six Sigma projects, error‑proofing, and test and inspection strategy improvements. Challenge legacy practices where better approaches exist.


• Coordinate with the QMS and Audit teams to keep product and program execution aligned with AS9100 and contractual flow-down requirements.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.


• 9+ years of quality engineering experience, including 2+ years of leadership.


• Relevant experience can be considered as a substitute for the required educational qualifications. In the absence of a degree, a minimum of 13 years of related experience is required.


• Higher level relevant degree may substitute for experience.


• Knowledge and utilization of AS9100, ISO 9001, and other applicable standards.


• Proficiency in statistical analysis and quality management systems (QMS).


• Strong leadership and project management skills.


• Demonstrated quality engineering experience in electronics manufacturing, such as PCBA, cable/wire harness, or box-level assembly and test.


• Hands‑on experience with core QE methods: FMEA (design and process), control plans, first article inspection (AS9102 or equivalent), and root cause and corrective action (8D or equivalent).


• Experience with nonconformance management and MRB, including disposition decisions and customer or supplier communication.


• Experience working directly with Design/Systems Engineering and Manufacturing to influence product quality. Examples include design reviews, DFM/DFT input, or requirements and drawing review.


• Experience mentoring or leading engineers, with demonstrated ability to develop team capability.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience in the aerospace and defense industry.


• Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) and/or Six Sigma Black Belt.


• Experience leading or influencing design-phase quality activities, such as design reviews, key characteristic or variation management (AS9103), or APQP/PPAP (AS9145).


• Familiarity with defense program requirements, including DCMA interface, customer source inspection and acceptance, and contract quality flow‑downs.


• Experience with workmanship standards for electronics, such as IPC‑A‑610 and J‑STD‑001, or NASA‑STD‑8739 equivalents.


• Experience with test data analysis, yield improvement, and test strategy for electronic assemblies.


• Track record of introducing new quality practices or tools and changing how a QE team operates, with measurable results.

Essential Functions

• Ability to work at a computer workstation for extended periods.


• Visual acuity to review technical documents and engineering artifacts.


• Occasional standing and walking on production floor (up to 30%).


• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs occasionally.


• Manual dexterity for handling components and documentation.


• Ability to travel up to 20% to support program or supplier needs


• Ability to work in an office, production, or hybrid environment.

This posting will be open for application for a minimum of 5 days and may be extended based on business needs.

Benefits

• SNC offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.


• SNC offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

Important Notice

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance. The Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF), a federal government agency, handles the adjudicative aspects of the security clearance eligibility process for industry applicants. Adjudicative factors which affect the outcome of the eligibility determination include, but are not limited to, allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations and illegal drug use.

Learn more about the background check process for Security Clearances.

SNC is a global leader in aerospace and national security committed to moving the American Dream forward. We’re known and respected for our mission and execution focus, agility, and disruptive and rapid innovation. We provide leading edge technologies and transformative solutions that support our nation’s most critical security needs. If you are mission‑focused, thrive in collaborative environments, and want to make our country stronger with state‑of‑the‑art technologies that safeguard freedom, join our team!

SNC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an environment free of discrimination. Employment decisions are made based on merit without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.