Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manager
About The Position
Leidos’ Undersea Systems Division is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manager to support a fast-paced R&D engineering group at Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific (NIWC PAC) in San Diego, California. The group supports underwater vehicle systems, maritime sensors, subsea telemetry, and ISR solutions. This is a hands-on quality leadership and process architecture role focused on creating, documenting, implementing, and continuously improving quality management processes in an evolving environment where established frameworks may be limited or nonexistent. The manager will establish scalable quality processes and controls while balancing mission requirements, compliance, and project timelines. The role supports integrated vehicle systems and sensor payloads, and helps transition R&D prototypes to disciplined, repeatable low-volume manufacturing. Work is onsite at NIWC Pacific on a 9/80B schedule: 80 hours over nine days in a two-week period, with every other Friday off.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field.
- At least 8 years of Quality Assurance/Quality Control management experience in defense, government contracting, or specialized high-tech manufacturing.
- Must be a U.S. citizen and possess an active Secret security clearance, with the ability to maintain it.
- Experience establishing, developing, or significantly improving Quality Management Systems and procedural frameworks where formal processes were limited, immature, or nonexistent.
- Hands-on experience authoring, implementing, and standardizing SOPs, work instructions, quality plans, and process controls.
- Direct experience supporting integrated systems projects involving advanced R&D prototypes and production-scale hardware units.
- Strong understanding of QMS, including practical implementation of ISO 9001/AS9100 principles in R&D and low-rate production environments.
- Expert knowledge of V-Model, Agile, and MIL-STD lifecycle processes.
- Familiarity with advanced electronics, mechanical assemblies, and mission-critical hardware integration.
- Proficiency in technical documentation, including procedure manuals, schematic overlays, and traceability matrices, and ability to translate complex technical information into clear, repeatable processes.
- Experience managing fast-paced projects with aggressive timelines, shifting priorities, and evolving or undefined procedures.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including communicating quality risks and recommendations to senior leadership.
- Problem-solving skills, including identifying systemic quality issues, implementing corrective actions, and driving sustainable improvements across multidisciplinary teams.
- Technical judgment and adaptability in applying quality standards in dynamic R&D environments while balancing compliance, risk mitigation, and mission requirements.
- Understanding of end-to-end engineering and production workflows, with ability to identify inefficiencies and improve processes beyond final product inspection.
- Exceptional attention to detail, resourcefulness, and ability to maintain quality standards amid changing project demands.
- Ability to work onsite at NIWC Pacific on a 9/80B schedule.
Nice To Haves
- ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
Responsibilities
- Create, develop, and implement quality management processes, procedures, and controls in an evolving R&D environment.
- Author, document, and maintain SOPs, work instructions, test plans, acceptance criteria matrices, FMEAs, and other quality documentation.
- Assess engineering, testing, assembly, and integration workflows; identify process gaps; formalize practices; and establish repeatable procedures.
- Design and implement scalable quality checkpoints and control gates to support transition from R&D prototypes to low-volume manufacturing.
- Apply Lean/Six Sigma methodologies and root cause analysis to improve operational efficiency, reduce quality risks, and strengthen process reliability.
- Establish and oversee quality controls to ensure project activities comply with applicable Navy/DoD standards, internal guidelines, and industry best practices.
- Develop and oversee quality assurance processes for vehicle systems and sensor payloads.
- Establish and conduct internal audits of processes and finished systems.
- Maintain traceable documentation of quality deviations, corrective actions, and preventive measures.
- Develop and lead training initiatives on QA/QC procedures, documentation standards, and compliance requirements.
- Collaborate with production leads, engineers, and technical subject matter experts to establish practical quality processes.
- Identify technical, procedural, and operational risks, including single points of failure, and implement systemic controls.
- Resolve complex quality challenges, implement sustainable improvements, and adapt processes as program requirements evolve.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
