Senior Staff Quality Engineer, Manufacturing

Sila Nanotechnologies; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 156,000 - 197,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Total Rewards package

Inclusive work environment

Job summary

Sila Nanotechnologies in Alameda, CA, is looking for a Senior Staff Quality Engineer to champion the Quality Management System and ensure high standards on the manufacturing floor. Responsibilities include leading investigations of quality events and working cross-functionally to enhance product quality and compliance.

The ideal candidate should have over 10 years of experience in quality engineering within regulated environments and a solid understanding of auditing and statistical process control methods, along with excellent leadership skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of quality engineering experience within an established Quality Management System (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100, or GMP).
• Strong proficiency in data-driven Root Cause Analysis tools.
• Demonstrated expertise with ISO standards and auditing experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as an expert Root Cause Analysis facilitator for quality event investigations.
• Manage feedback loop for new product transitions into manufacturing.
• Oversee Statistical Process Control frameworks to optimize manufacturing yield.

Skills

Root Cause Analysis

Statistical Process Control

Cross-Functional Leadership

Data Analysis Proficiency

Mentorship

Education

10+ years of quality engineering experience in a regulated environment

Tools

ISO 9001

IATF 16949

JMP

Hex

Job description

Senior Staff Quality Engineer, Manufacturing

Alameda, CA

About Us

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?

Who You Are

You are an analytical problem-solver who thrives in the dynamic environment of a manufacturing floor. You champion the Quality Management System. You love figuring out why problems exist and identifying solutions to prevent them from happening again. You are a visionary Senior Staff Quality Engineer with expertise in a regulated QMS environment (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100, or GMP). You’re a natural collaborator, who knows how to speak the language of different teams–whether you’re talking tolerances with Equipment Engineers, discussing process capability with Process Engineering, aligning on data with Quality Control, or supporting the fast-paced demands of Operations. You balance a high standard for quality with a practical understanding of manufacturing throughput.

Responsibilities and Duties

Problem Solving & Investigation Stewardship

• Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Leadership: Serve as an expert Root Cause Analyses (RCA) facilitator and own end-to-end stewardship of major manufacturing quality event investigations.
• R&D & Internal Customer Interface: Serve as the core Quality partner for R&D and NPI teams, managing the feedback loop to smoothly transition new products/process into stable, high-yield manufacturing.

Operational Quality & Data Governance

• SPC and SQC Governance: Oversee Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Statistical Quality Control (SQC) frameworks, leveraging data reviews to proactively optimize manufacturing yield.
• Cross-Functional Operations: Partner with Manufacturing Process Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Quality Control, and Operations teams to lead Material Review Board (MRB) dispositions and align daily production with quality standards.

Manufacturing Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Proactive Floor Governance & Cleanliness: Establish a systematic routine for manufacturing floor walks and process audits to identify risks early.
• Workflow Simplification & Yield Optimization: Lead continuous improvement projects to streamline Sila’s manufacturing and QC systems/workflows, balancing strict compliance with operational throughput to maximize quality yield.

QMS, Compliance & Leadership

• Audit & QMS Leadership: Execute Sila’s internal audit program and lead/support readiness efforts for external quality certification and surveillance audits.

Executive Reporting & Culture

• Track and report key quality performance metrics while driving quality culture and QMS awareness training to Manufacturing teams.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 10 years of quality engineering experience within an established Quality Management System (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100, or GMP). Deep background in material or chemical manufacturing operations is highly preferred.
• Systemic Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Advanced proficiency in data driven RCA tools (8D, 5 Whys, FMEA, statistical process control) to diagnose complex variations that drive effective and lasting Corrective and Preventative Actions (CAPA).
• Standards & Auditing: Demonstrated expertise with ISO 9001 and/or IATF 16949. Auditing experience, including leading internal audits to ensure continuous site readiness.
• Statistical Software Proficiency: Strong working knowledge of advanced data analysis and statistical software, specifically JMP or Hex, to manipulate large datasets, conduct capability studies, and drive data-backed quality decisions.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Facilitation: Proven skill in leading and structuring critical meetings to ensure efficiency and clear, accountable outcomes. Must be adept at mediating conflicts and building consensus among diverse functional groups.
• Mentorship & Development: Experience in coaching and mentoring junior staff or peers on quality principles and QMS procedures, providing constructive and empathetic feedback to foster professional growth.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes.
• Move long distances (such as from building to building) and be stationary for extended periods of time.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc. in a fixed location.

The starting base pay for this role is between $156,000 and $197,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Working at Sila

We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.