Quality Strategy Lead for High-Tech Manufacturing

xLight Inc.

Newport News (VA)

Hybrid

USD 155,000 - 190,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401k contribution with matching

Paid time off and holidays

Winter break

Flexible hybrid work model

Office snacks and breakfast in Newport

Job summary

xLight Inc. is seeking a Quality Manager to establish and drive a company-wide quality strategy as it scales into manufacturing.

You will develop and maintain the QMS, ensuring product and process quality across engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, installation, and commissioning, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You are a hands-on leader who can build scalable systems in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment, collaborating with the Head of Product Delivery and

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Physics, or a related technical field.
10+ years of experience in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Quality Engineering, or Quality Management.
Experience developing or managing Quality Management Systems in highly regulated or precision engineering environments.
Strong understanding of quality tools and methodologies, including root cause analysis, corrective action, FMEA, SPC, and risk management.
Experience with supplier quality management and manufacturing quality systems.
Demonstrated ability to work cross‑functionally with engineering, operations, and supply chain teams.
Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
Experience supporting ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, or equivalent quality systems.
Experience in aerospace, semiconductors, particle accelerators, lasers, optics, cryogenics, vacuum systems, defense, or advanced manufacturing.
Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Six Sigma Black Belt, or equivalent certification.
Experience with precision mechanical assemblies, electromechanical systems, or scientific instrumentation.
Experience with a startup or high‑growth company where quality systems were built from the ground up.

Responsibilities

Develop and continuously improve xLight's QMS, including the selection and implementation of software systems that cover quality management.
Advise senior leaders on QMS best practices and applicable consensus standards.
Define and track quality metrics and KPIs and manage reporting.
Partner with Engineering and Manufacturing to embed quality throughout the product lifecycle.
Establish inspection, validation, and acceptance criteria for products and assemblies.
Develop processes and lead root cause analysis, nonconformance management, and corrective action activities.
Support design reviews and promote quality best practices across the organization.
Oversee incoming, in-process, and final inspection programs.
Develop supplier quality requirements, qualification processes, and performance evaluations.
Conduct supplier audits and drive corrective actions.
Lead quality planning for major programs and deliveries.
Develop quality training and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
Adopt improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, or Kaizen.