Senior Quality Engineer — DoD Hardware & Software Lead

Pacific Defense; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

401(k) match

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Paid time off and federal holidays

Job summary

Pacific Defense in Sunnyvale, CA, is seeking a seasoned Senior Quality Engineer to provide technical leadership and end-to-end ownership of quality across programs and the supply base. You will drive QMS development, supplier quality initiatives, and ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory, and government requirements.

The role requires hands-on leadership, cross-functional influence, and mentoring, with responsibilities spanning design reviews, production readiness, audits, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Operations, or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in Quality Engineering, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, or Operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading quality initiatives, cross-functional teams, audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 Quality Management Systems and practical experience implementing or improving QMS processes.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead quality strategy, planning, and execution for assigned programs, products, and the supply base.
• Serve as the primary quality authority on IPTs, design reviews, production readiness reviews, and customer or government engagements.
• Ensure quality requirements are defined, flowed down, verified, and maintained throughout development, design, test, transition to production, product acceptance, and post-delivery support.
• Lead the implementation, maturation, and continuous improvement of the Pacific Defense Quality Management System (QMS), including procedures, work instructions, controls, audits, and quality records.
• Act as the business owner for Supplier Quality Management and Incoming Quality Control (IQC) processes.
• Establish supplier quality expectations, qualification criteria, audit plans, performance measures, and escalation processes.
• Lead supplier quality audits, source inspections, supplier development activities, and risk-based supplier surveillance.
• Develop and maintain supplier scorecards and KPIs, and present supplier quality performance and improvement plans to stakeholders.
• Lead investigations involving nonconforming material, escapes, defects, and supplier nonconformances; ensure containment, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and verification of effectiveness.
• Own or chair MRB/FRB activities and ensure disposition of nonconforming product.
• Provide technical leadership for NCMRs, SCARs, RCCA, and CAPA.
• Lead cross-functional problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and statistical methods.
• Develop predictive and proactive quality metrics to identify trends and strengthen program performance.
• Partner with Engineering and CM to ensure configuration control and traceability of hardware, software, firmware, drawings, and quality records.
• Provide quality leadership during audits and ensure timely closure of findings and corrective actions.
• Interpret contractual, industry, and government quality requirements and translate them into compliant processes.
• Mentor and provide guidance to quality personnel and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Communicate quality status, risks, decisions, and actions clearly to teams and leadership.

Job description

Pacific Defense in Sunnyvale, CA, is seeking a seasoned Senior Quality Engineer to provide technical leadership and end-to-end ownership of quality across programs and the supply base. You will drive QMS development, supplier quality initiatives, and ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory, and government requirements.

The role requires hands-on leadership, cross-functional influence, and mentoring, with responsibilities spanning design reviews, production readiness, audits, and