Director of Quality

Sun Test Systems Inc.•Huntsville, AL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Sun Test Systems (STS), quality is more than compliance—it is a commitment to the Warfighters who rely on the products we manufacture. STS has designed, manufactured, and supported mission-critical aviation ground support equipment and advanced testing systems for the U.S. Department of War and allied military partners worldwide. Every product we build contributes to military readiness and operational success. Today, we are investing in our people, processes, and technology as we continue building a world-class manufacturing organization. We are seeking a visionary quality leader who wants the opportunity to shape the future of our company and establish a best-in-class quality organization. If you're passionate about operational excellence, continuous improvement, and building a culture where quality drives every decision, we invite you to join us. The Director of Quality serves as a key member of the Management Team and is responsible for developing, implementing, and leading the company's Quality Management System while fostering a culture of quality throughout the organization. This role extends well beyond traditional quality assurance. The Director of Quality will partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Executive Leadership to ensure quality is integrated into every aspect of our business—from proposal development through product delivery and customer support. The successful candidate will lead the maturation of our quality organization while ensuring compliance with ISO 9001, preparing the company for future AS9100 certification, supporting government and customer audits, and driving continuous improvement across the enterprise.

Requirements

U.S. Citizen
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, Quality, or related discipline
Minimum 10 years of progressive quality leadership experience
Minimum 5 years leading quality organizations within aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or another regulated industry
Demonstrated experience implementing and maintaining ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
Experience supporting Department of Defense programs

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree
ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE)
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent
Experience implementing or maintaining AS9100
Experience leading organizational quality transformations

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the company's long-term Quality Strategy.
Align quality objectives with corporate business goals.
Advise executive leadership on quality risks, trends, and strategic initiatives.
Foster a culture of accountability, customer focus, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Own and continually improve the company's Quality Management System.
Ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and prepare the organization for future AS9100 certification.
Establish and maintain quality policies, procedures, standards, and governance.
Lead Management Reviews and communicate organizational quality performance to executive leadership.
Ensure successful execution of customer, government, registrar, and internal audits.
Maintain organizational audit readiness at all times.
Provide leadership for: Incoming Inspection, In-Process Inspection, Final Inspection, Product Testing, First Article Inspection, Calibration Systems, Verification and Validation Activities, Nonconformance Management, Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA), Root Cause Analysis, Product Acceptance Processes
Partner with Supply Chain to: Develop supplier qualification programs, Evaluate supplier performance, Conduct supplier audits, Develop supplier scorecards, Lead supplier corrective action initiatives, Reduce supplier risk throughout the supply chain.
Serve as the company's senior quality representative by: Building trusted customer relationships, Supporting proposal development and contract execution, Leading customer quality investigations, Managing customer corrective actions, Supporting Program Management during contract execution, Ensuring customer requirements are effectively translated into manufacturing processes.
Ensure compliance with: ISO 9001, Future AS9100 requirements, FAR and DFARS, ITAR, CMMC, Customer-specific contractual requirements, Defense industry quality standards
Lead enterprise quality risk management initiatives and ensure proactive identification and mitigation of quality risks.
Champion a culture of operational excellence by: Leading Lean Manufacturing initiatives, Applying Six Sigma methodologies, Developing meaningful quality metrics and dashboards, Reducing defects and waste, Improving first-pass yield, Driving process efficiency, Increasing customer satisfaction through measurable improvements.