Sr. Production Quality Engineer

Supermicro; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Supermicro is seeking a senior Quality Engineer to own production quality for server and rack production, driving defect reduction and yield improvements across manufacturing. You will partner with Production, Test Engineering, and Quality Assurance to ensure products meet quality requirements before shipment.

The role requires 8+ years in quality, hands-on hardware manufacturing experience, and strong problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 8+ years in Quality Engineering or related hardware manufacturing roles.
• Hands-on electronics/server hardware manufacturing experience.
• Led root-cause analysis and CAPA (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto).
• Experience analyzing production and test data with factory teams.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, inspection methods, and controls.
• Excellent communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Own quality performance for server and rack production; monitor defects, yield, FPY, DPPM and KPIs.
• Establish quality metrics and dashboards; provide regular updates to leadership.
• Audit production processes for compliance; improve inspection methods and controls.
• Lead 8D, RCA, CAPA investigations and verify corrective actions.
• Drive continuous-improvement projects with measurable quality gains.
• Collaborate with Production and Manufacturing Engineering to reduce variation and rework.
• Interface with customers on quality concerns and reports.

Skills

Quality Engineering

Root-cause analysis

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

SPC

Power BI

SQL

Python

Job description

Job Req ID: 29183

About Supermicro:

Supermicro is a Top Tier provider of advanced server, storage, and networking solutions for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Hadoop/ Big Data, Hyperscale, HPC and IoT/Embedded customers worldwide. We are the #5 fastest growing company among the Silicon Valley Top 50 technology firms. Our unprecedented global expansion has provided us with the opportunity to offer a large number of new positions to the technology community. We seek talented, passionate, and committed engineers, technologists, and business leaders to join us.

Job Summary:

Own and drive factory quality improvement for Supermicro server and rack production by reducing defects, improving yield, strengthening production controls, and leading complex quality problems from detection through verified corrective action.

This factory-facing role identifies and resolves production quality issues, improves manufacturing processes, and ensures products consistently meet quality requirements before shipment. The engineer partners with Production, Production Engineering, Test Engineering, Quality Assurance, and other factory teams-and serves as a technical quality interface with customers when required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Includes the following essential duties and responsibilities (other duties may also be assigned):

• Production Quality, Metrics & Control

  • Own quality performance for assigned server and rack-level production areas; monitor defects, test failures, rework, scrap, yield, FPY, DPPM, and related KPIs.
  • Establish and maintain quality metrics and dashboards; provide regular performance updates to Production, Quality, and management.
  • Audit production processes for compliance; improve inspection methods and process controls; support quarantine, material review, and disposition of nonconforming product.
  • Ensure failed or nonconforming units are controlled and dispositioned before shipment.

  Problem Solving, CAPA & Process Improvement

  • Lead investigations of complex production quality issues using 8D, RCA, 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto, CAPA, and other structured methods.
  • Drive containment, root-cause identification, corrective and preventive action through verified, sustainable closure; address systemic issues to prevent recurrence.
  • Partner with Production and Manufacturing Engineering to reduce process variation, defects, human error, rework, and scrap.
  • Improve work instructions, inspection methods, fixtures, tooling, and procedures; promote error-proofing, automation, and source-level defect prevention.
  • Lead continuous-improvement projects with measurable quality and productivity results.

  Production Test Quality

  • Work with Production Test and Engineering to improve test effectiveness and reliability across functional test, burn-in, and other production tests.
  • Analyze test data for trends, abnormal conditions, and recurring failures; distinguish product, process, equipment, software, and operator causes.
  • Improve test coverage and screening while reducing false failures and test escapes; promote automation and data-driven detection.

  NPI and Production Readiness

  • Support NPI, pilot builds, FAI, production qualification, and ramp from a factory-quality perspective.
  • Review processes, inspection requirements, test coverage, and quality controls before mass production; identify risks and establish quality gates before release.

  Customer Quality Interface

  • Serve as the primary factory quality contact for assigned customer complaints and factory-related quality concerns.
  • Lead cross-functional investigations; prepare and communicate 8D, RCA, CAPA, and corrective-action reports; present findings, status, and effectiveness to customers.
  • Translate customer quality requirements into practical factory processes and controls; participate in customer quality reviews, audits, and process-improvement discussions.
  • Present quality performance (DPPM, FPY, yield, defect trends, complaints, CAPA status) to management and customers; track commitments and follow-up actions.

  Leadership

  • Serve as a senior quality engineering resource; lead cross-functional problem-solving without requiring direct authority over participating teams.
  • Mentor junior Quality Engineers and factory quality personnel; communicate quality risks, priorities, and results clearly to management and factory teams.

Qualifications:

• Required

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or Quality Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
  • 8+ years in Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, Production Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related hardware-manufacturing discipline.
  • Hands-on experience in electronics, computer/server, PCBA, system assembly, or high-volume hardware manufacturing.
  • Demonstrated leadership of root-cause analysis and CAPA; strong knowledge of 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto, SPC, and CAPA.
  • Experience analyzing production and test data; working directly with factory Production and Manufacturing Engineering teams.
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, inspection methods, and production controls.
  • Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills; able to work independently, prioritize multiple issues, and close problems in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment.

  Preferred

  • Experience with server, rack, PCBA, GPU, CPU, memory, storage, or networking hardware; production test systems (functional test, burn-in, system test, automated platforms).
  • Experience with NPI, FAI, pilot builds, and production ramp; SPC, process capability (Cp/Cpk), and statistical analysis.
  • Six Sigma certification or equivalent quality-improvement experience.
  • Quality-data analysis using Excel, SQL, Python, Power BI, or similar; automated quality reports, dashboards, or defect-trending tools.
  • Process improvement through error-proofing, automation, and reduced manual inspection; high-volume data-center, server, electronics, or semiconductor manufacturing.
  • Direct response to customer quality complaints, 8D requests, and CAPA requirements; presenting quality KPIs to customers or senior management.
  • Participation in customer quality reviews, factory audits, or process-improvement meetings.

Please note that this position requires regular in-office attendance. The successful candidate is expected to be present in the office during standard working hours as determined by the company. In-office collaboration and participation in team meetings, training sessions, and other on-site activities are essential aspects of this role. Candidates should consider the commuting distance and be prepared to fulfill their responsibilities in the designated office location.

Salary Range

$100,000 - $138,000

The salary offered will depend on several factors, including your location, level, education, training, specific skills, years of experience, and comparison to other employees already in this role. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation, such as participation in bonus and equity award programs.

EEO Statement

Supermicro is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity in our employee population. It is the policy of Supermicro to provide equal opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or special disabled veteran, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status.