Sr. Quality Engineer

TrendAI; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental & Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

TrendAI is seeking a Sr. Staff Quality Engineer to own quality oversight of contract manufacturing partners for hardware appliance lines and NPI initiatives. You will drive corrective actions on escapes, lead root cause analysis, and make hold/release decisions in partnership with Supply Chain.

This backfill role supports an upcoming retirement transition with knowledge transfer. The ideal candidate has 8+ years in hardware QE, strong IPC/PLM experience, and a proven track record with EMS

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years in quality engineering within electronics/hardware manufacturing.
• Experience guiding contract manufacturers or EMS providers.
• Strong knowledge of PCBA/SMT processes and IPC standards.
• Hands-on PLM systems and ECO/BOM change control.
• Proven root cause & CAPA methodologies; 8D.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary QE contact for contract manufacturers; manage SCARs and closure.
• Review, release, and verify ECOs and BOMs with partners and internal teams.
• Lead root cause investigations on field returns and in-process failures; define disposition.
• Maintain AML/AVL and qualify alternate part sources with technical reviews.
• Assess quality risk and authorize production holds/releases with Supply Chain/Engineering.
• Create and maintain quality docs; ensure training for updated builds.

Skills

Quality engineering

EMS oversight

Root cause analysis

PLM experience

Supplier collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Agile PLM

ECO/BOM change control

Job description

TrendAI™, the global AI security leader and enterprise business unit of Trend Micro, empowers organizations with full AI visibility and consolidated security that inspires confidence, drives innovation, and eliminates risk.

At TrendAI™, we’re always seeking exceptional talent; people who want to collaborate with the best and push boundaries together. Here, your work goes beyond building a career. You will help protect what matters and play a vital role in shaping a safer, more trustworthy AI-powered future.

AI Fearlessly.

Position Summary

TrendAI is seeking a Sr. Staff Quality Engineer to own quality oversight of the company's contract manufacturing partner(s) supporting its released hardware appliance product lines and New Product Introductions (NPI). This role is the primary quality engineering interface to Trend's electronics manufacturing services (EMS) partner, driving corrective action on process and quality escapes, ensuring continuous improvements are implemented and validated, leading root cause and failure analysis, and making production hold/release decisions in partnership with Supply Chain. This is a backfill position supporting a planned retirement transition, with an overlap period intended for hands‑on knowledge transfer from the incumbent prior to current QE’s last day.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary quality engineering point of contact for Trend's contract manufacturer(s); issue, manage, and drive closure of Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) in response to process escapes, nonconformances, or incomplete implementation of engineering changes.
• Review, release, and verify field-level implementation of Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) and Bills of Materials (BOMs) within PLM; resolve part-revision and BOM discrepancies with manufacturing partners and internal engineering.
• Lead root cause investigations and failure analysis on field returns and in-process failures (board- and system-level); determine appropriate disposition — rework, scrap, or salvage — and author corresponding rework/work instructions.
• Maintain and validate the Approved Manufacturer List (AML) / Approved Vendor List (AVL); evaluate and qualify alternate part sources, including technical review of supplier RFQ and quote packages.
• Assess quality risk and authorize production holds or releases on affected hardware lines in coordination with Supply Chain and Dev Engineering.
• Author, release, and maintain quality documentation (work instructions, rework instructions); ensure contract manufacturer personnel complete required training prior to production of updated builds.
• Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Development Engineering, Sustaining Engineering, and Procurement to resolve quality escapes and drive continuous improvement in contract manufacturer performance.
• Represent Quality in supplier/contract manufacturer business reviews and escalations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 8+ years of quality engineering experience in electronics/hardware manufacturing, including direct experience overseeing contract manufacturers or EMS providers.
• Strong working knowledge of PCBA/SMT manufacturing processes and industry standards (IPC-A-610, J-STD-001).
• Hands‑on experience with PLM systems (Agile PLM or equivalent) and ECO/BOM change control processes.
• Demonstrated experience with structured root cause and corrective action methodologies (8D, CAPA).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience managing difficult supplier conversations professionally and constructively.
• Willingness to travel to contract manufacturer site(s) as needed, but typically one 3day stay per month.

Preferred

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt certification.
• Experience supporting network security or enterprise hardware appliance product lines.
• ISO 9001 internal audit experience.

What We Offer You

You’re important to us. What matters to you, matters to us too. Trend Micro provides benefit options for you and your family.

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Pre-partum, maternity, parental and medical leave
• Mental Health Wellness Program
• Adoption Assistance
• Wellness Incentive
• Pet Insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off
• 14 Annual Holidays
• Tuition Assistance
• Employee Resource Groups

We offer competitive compensation with bonus opportunity tied to company performance, along with room to enhance your skills through ongoing learning and broad technological opportunities. Achieving work-life balance is a priority, complemented by team activities, fostering an environment rooted in equity, inclusion, and collaboration, that is reflected in both our culture and our work.

Be Passionate. Be Innovative. Be a Trender.

This position does not offer sponsorship for work permit applications or renewals, either now or in the future. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment‑based visa sponsorship, both currently and moving forward. The company will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this role (including, but not limited to, H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT, or any other employment‑based visa).

At Trend Micro, we embrace change, empower people, and encourage innovation in a connected world. Our diversity and multicultural workforce are key contributing factors to our success across the globe. Trend Micro provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. Trend Micro does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy and childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care leave status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

At Trend Micro, we embrace change, empower people, and encourage innovation in a connected world. Our diversity and multicultural workforce are key contributing factors to our success across the globe. Trend Micro provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. Trend Micro does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy and childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care leave status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.