Quality & Test Engineer

Medium; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Last Energy in Austin, TX is seeking a Quality & Test Engineer to manage quality processes as we scale manufacturing. This role sits at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing, and supplier quality, applying mechanical, manufacturing, or systems engineering fundamentals to root cause analysis, inspection planning, and process control.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in an engineering field and 2–5 years of engineering experience, with strong GD&T, statistics, and experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Aerospace, or related field.
• 2–5 years engineering experience; quality experience not required.
• Strong GD&T, statistics basics, and root cause methods.
• Able to read and annotate engineering drawings and CAD models.

Responsibilities

• Support inspection plans, acceptance criteria, and work instructions.
• Lead or support CAPA for nonconformances in receiving, fabrication, or assembly.
• Collaborate on tolerance stack-up, process capability (Cpk), and SPC.
• Support supplier quality activities including source inspections and audits.
• Develop and execute test programs for verification beyond standard receiving inspection.
• Contribute to building Last Energy's quality management system per ASME NQA-1 and 10 CFR 50 Appendix B.
• Maintain quality records and traceability for safety-related components.
• Translate quality data into actionable engineering recommendations.

Skills

GD&T

Statistics

Root cause analysis

Engineering drawings

Communication

Quality mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Aerospace, or related field

Tools

CAD

Process capability (Cpk)

FMEA

Job description

Last Energy is seeking a Quality & Test Engineer to help manage the quality processes underpinning our manufacturing scale-up. This role operates at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing, and supplier quality. A strong engineering generalist who can apply core mechanical, manufacturing, or systems engineering fundamentals to root cause analysis, inspection planning, and process control will thrive in this role.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Support inspection plans, acceptance criteria, and work instructions for fabricated and assembled components
• Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) for nonconformances found in receiving, fabrication, or assembly
• Partner with manufacturing and design engineering on tolerance stack-up, process capability (Cpk), and statistical process control (SPC)
• Support supplier quality activities, including source inspections, supplier audits, and first article inspection reviews
• Help develop and execute test programs for procured or fabricated items requiring additional verification beyond standard receiving inspection (e.g., functional, performance, or environmental testing)
• Contribute to build-out of Last Energy's formal quality management system, including alignment with ASME NQA-1 and 10 CFR 50 Appendix B expectations
• Participate in design and process FMEAs alongside engineering counterparts
• Maintain quality records, documentation control, and traceability for safety-related components
• Translate quality data into practical engineering recommendations for the manufacturing and development teams

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Aerospace, or a related engineering discipline
• 2-5 years of engineering experience - this may be in design, manufacturing, test, or process engineering; formal quality experience is not required
• Solid grounding in engineering fundamentals: GD&T, basic statistics, and root cause methodologies (5-Why, fishbone, etc.)
• Comfort reading and marking up engineering drawings and CAD models
• Genuine interest in moving into (or further into) quality engineering as a discipline
• Strong written communication skills for documenting findings and driving corrective actions across teams
• Experience in a highly regulated manufacturing environment is a plus