Manufacturing Quality Engineer, Data Center Equipment

OpenAI

9d•$165,000 - $290,000

About The Position

The Manufacturing Quality Engineer will oversee the quality of data center equipment at supplier factories. The role uses production data, audits, and test results to identify systemic, recurring, or safety-related issues, then works with suppliers to address them through Closed Loop Learning (CLL). The engineer partners with suppliers and internal teams to define inspections and factory tests, coordinate issue resolution before shipment, and manage deviations across suppliers and project sites. The position monitors production progress, quality controls, inspection results, and test readiness; audits products and processes; coordinates production checkpoints and testing requirements; develops supplier and product scorecards; and leads continuous improvement through root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions. It also standardizes Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) requirements, test formats, and critical-to-quality (CTQ) criteria; ensures auditable supplier records and controlled documentation; and conducts periodic supplier audits. For Factory Witness Testing (FWT), the engineer develops checklists with relevant stakeholders, reviews reports and supporting records, and confirms before shipment that witness-test issues are resolved or covered by documented deviations. The role also assesses short shipments and missing or failed tests, coordinates supplier support at project sites, and tracks deviations and agreed actions through closure. Travel to supplier manufacturing facilities and data center project sites is approximately 40–60% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or industrial engineering.
At least 10 years of data center industry experience spanning quality engineering and project management.
Experience coordinating FAT and FWT with suppliers and resolving equipment quality issues.
Ability to develop test checklists, define CTQs, review test results, and maintain auditable quality records.
Experience monitoring supplier production, auditing products and processes during and after production, and using scorecards to improve supplier and product quality.
Experience managing controlled documents and deviations.
Ability to coordinate supplier schedules and plan inspections and tests across multiple pieces of equipment.
Ability to communicate quality requirements and coordinate decisions across suppliers and engineering, commissioning, sourcing, supply chain, manufacturing, operations, quality, and construction teams.
Willingness and ability to travel approximately 40–60% of the time to supplier manufacturing facilities and data center project sites.

Nice To Haves

Technical knowledge of data center infrastructure, including mechanical, electrical, and controls systems.
Experience in supplier performance management for mission-critical facilities.
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Quality Manager, or Quality Auditor.
PMP or equivalent project management certification.
Experience in industrial or high-volume manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

Monitor production progress, quality controls, inspection results, and test readiness with Manufacturing Operations; flag emerging risks and coordinate responses with suppliers.
Audit products and processes during and after production against engineering requirements, CTQ characteristics, approved procedures, and quality standards; document findings and track corrective actions to closure.
Coordinate production checkpoints and inspection and testing requirements with suppliers and engineering, sourcing, supply chain, commissioning, and quality teams; escalate risks to equipment acceptance or delivery.
Develop supplier and product scorecards with Manufacturing Operations and review audit findings, test results, recurring defects, and open issues with suppliers to prioritize improvements.
Lead the CLL process with suppliers; track root-cause analyses and corrective and preventive actions in a shared register, and verify that actions address underlying problems before closure.
Develop product-specific FAT requirements and standard test formats with suppliers and internal engineering, commissioning, quality, and Manufacturing Operations teams.
Document CTQ characteristics for each test in an OpenAI-accepted format and use CLL findings to revise FAT procedures to cover known failure modes.
Require suppliers to retain test results and make them available for OpenAI audits.
Review final FAT records and audit reports for each piece of equipment and maintain controlled revision history.
Conduct periodic supplier audits to verify compliance with approved test procedures and the accuracy of supplier test records.
Develop standard FWT checklists with subject matter experts, installing contractors, and the construction management team, and align requirements before testing begins.
Collect and review final witness-test reports and supporting records from participants.
Before shipment, confirm each witness-test issue is resolved or covered by a documented deviation; log systemic, recurring, or safety-related findings in the CLL tracker and verify corrective-action effectiveness with suppliers.
Assess short shipments and missing or failed tests with Manufacturing Operations.
Coordinate supplier support to resolve issues at project sites.
Document each deviation and track agreed actions through closure.
Coordinate supplier schedules and plan inspections and tests across multiple pieces of equipment.
Travel approximately 40–60% of the time to supplier manufacturing facilities and data center project sites.