Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manager

Leidos•San Diego, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Leidos’ Undersea Systems Division is seeking a QA/QC Manager to join a fast-paced R&D engineering group supporting underwater vehicle systems, maritime sensors, subsea telemetry, and ISR solutions for defense and national security missions at Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific (NIWC PAC). The position is responsible for establishing, documenting, and enforcing a Quality Management System across a multidisciplinary project integrating specialized sensor payloads into unmanned systems. The role connects rapid R&D cycles with disciplined, repeatable low-volume production in a Navy laboratory environment by assessing workflows and risks, developing SOPs and quality assurance plans, and ensuring mission compliance and scalability. The position works onsite at NIWC Pacific in San Diego, California, on a 9/80B schedule: 80 hours across nine days in a two-week period, with every other Friday off. The selected candidate must maintain a Secret Clearance.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience in QA/QC management within the defense, government-contractor, or specialized high-tech manufacturing sector.
Direct, demonstrable experience supporting integrated-systems projects involving both advanced R&D prototypes and production-scale hardware units.
Deep understanding of Quality Management System theory and practical implementation, such as ISO 9001/AS9100, in low-rate production environments.
Expert knowledge of structured engineering methodologies such as the V-Model, Agile, and MIL-STD lifecycle processes.
Familiarity with advanced electronics, mechanical assemblies, and mission-critical hardware integration.
Proficiency in drafting technical documents, including procedure manuals, schematic overlays, and traceability matrices.
Ability to turn complex, ambiguous information into clear, actionable, documented procedures.
Experience managing high-tempo projects with aggressive timelines where processes are lagging or have not been established.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare technical documentation and communicate risks to senior executive leadership.
Proactive and action-oriented approach to resolving quality-control challenges and implementing lasting improvements with cross-functional teams.
Ability to apply quality standards with judgment in dynamic R&D settings, prioritizing systemic risk mitigation when mission requirements warrant a deviation from static procedures.
Ability to analyze integrated workflows and identify systemic bottlenecks and value-chain improvements beyond end-product inspection.
Strong attention to detail and quality, with resourcefulness to reorganize testing setups, deploy specialized tools, and reallocate personnel as mission requirements and priorities change.
Must maintain a Secret Clearance.
Must work onsite at NIWC Pacific on a 9/80B schedule.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field.
ASQ Certified Quality Manager, Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and teamwork abilities.
Highly organized and able to prioritize tasks for team members.

Responsibilities

Design, evaluate, and write process documentation, including SOPs, work instructions, test plans, acceptance criteria matrices, and FMEAs.
Develop scalable quality checkpoints and quality gates to transition systems from R&D prototypes into controlled, repeatable manufacturing processes.
Apply Lean/Six Sigma methodologies and root-cause analysis to improve testing, assembly, and integration workflows while maintaining military specifications.
Ensure project activities, from design reviews through final deployment, comply with relevant Navy/DoD standards, internal guidelines, and industry best practices.
Oversee quality assurance for vehicle-system integration, subsystem testing, and operational readiness verification for at-sea test events and final deliverables.
Oversee sensor-payload calibration, data-fidelity testing, environmental-survivability testing, and integration with host vehicle systems.
Conduct internal audits of processes and finished systems, and maintain auditable records of quality deviations, corrective actions, and preventive measures.
Lead training for technical personnel on QA/QC procedures and compliance requirements.
Work with Production Leads and technical subject-matter experts to balance rapid R&D progress with production quality standards.
Identify single points of failure in hardware design and procedural execution, and mitigate risks through systemic controls before they affect mission readiness or schedule milestones.