Quality Director

Capstone Energy+•Van Nuys, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Capstone Energy+ is seeking a Quality Director to own and advance the company’s quality management function across manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and field operations. This is a senior leadership role responsible for establishing Capstone’s reputation as a quality leader in commercial ultra-low-emission, high-reliability microturbine systems, protecting that reputation through rigorous systems, proactive problem-solving, and a culture of continuous improvement. The Quality Director will develop and execute quality strategy, lead and develop a high-performing quality team, manage supplier quality performance, drive Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) reduction, and ensure Trouble Free Startup and customer satisfaction across Capstone’s product and service portfolio. Reporting to the VP of Operations, this individual will serve as a cross-functional quality leader, partnering with Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Customer Service, and Aftermarket teams to embed quality at every stage of the product lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Quality Management, or a related technical field required; Master’s degree or advanced technical degree preferred.
Minimum 10 years of progressive quality management experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing a quality team in a manufacturing or production environment.
Demonstrated experience in a high-tech, precision-engineered product environment; prior experience with turbomachinery, power electronics, or distributed energy systems strongly preferred.
Proven track record of driving continuous improvement, reducing COPQ, and building quality systems that scale.
Deep expertise in RCCA methodologies including Fishbone/ Ishikawa, and 5-Why; able to lead and coach others in structured problem-solving.
Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management systems, including implementation and certification management.
Experience managing supplier quality through scorecards, corrective action processes, and supplier development programs.
Proficiency in RMA process management and COPQ measurement, analysis, and reduction.
Ability to establish, track, and communicate quality KPIs to both technical teams and executive leadership.
Executive presence and communication skills: able to represent the quality function with authority and clarity at the executive staff level and, as required, to the Board of Directors — translating complex quality data, risks, and strategic priorities into narratives that drive decisions at the highest level of the organization.
Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills; able to influence without authority and maintain credibility across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams.
Calm, decisive, and solutions-focused under pressure — able to manage competing priorities and unforeseen circumstances without losing momentum or team confidence.

Nice To Haves

Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification strongly preferred.
ASQ Certified Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) preferred.
Prior experience in distributed power generation, energy, or aerospace/defense industries.
Lean manufacturing experience and familiarity with Lean/Six Sigma integration in a quality management context.
Experience with regulatory certifications for electromechanical systems: UL, cUL, CE, CSA, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of quality professionals, setting clear expectations, building individual capability, and driving team performance against objectives and key results.
Foster a culture of accountability, urgency, and continuous improvement across the quality organization and beyond.
Promote Quality’s function as a critical contributor to Capstone’s competitive position and customer satisfaction, not a back-office compliance function.
Establish clear daily, weekly and monthly KPI’s for our internal team and flow down customer feedback throughout the organization.
Apply Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) methodologies, including Fishbone, Ishikawa, and 5-Why analysis, to resolve quality issues at their source and prevent recurrence.
Own outgoing quality and escape containment: ensure that no nonconforming product leaves the facility.
Implement robust inspection, hold, and disposition processes that intercept defects before they ship, every quality escape to the field is a failure of the system, not just the product.
Manage and improve the Return Material Authorization (RMA) process, ensuring timely and effective resolution of product returns and clear feedback into design and manufacturing.
Monitor and systematically reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ): identify inefficiencies, quantify their impact, implement corrective actions, and track results.
Interface with Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Test Engineering, and Supply Chain to resolve cross-functional quality issues and establish robust data collection and reporting.
Develop and implement quality strategies, policies, and procedures that enhance product and process quality across manufacturing, engineering, and field operations.
Maintain and continuously improve Capstone’s ISO 9001 certification; stay ahead of evolving ISO requirements and ensure the organization is always audit-ready.
Lead internal audit activities to ensure a zero findings environment
Identify and track applicable international, federal, state, and local regulatory certification requirements including UL, cUL, CE, CSA, and others relevant to Capstone’s microturbine applications.
Establish, monitor, and report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure quality performance, drive accountability, and inform executive decision-making.
Own the closed-loop corrective action process; ensure root cause analysis and corrective actions are completed accurately, on time, and with sustainable outcomes.
Develop and maintain supplier scorecards and performance metrics; hold suppliers accountable to Capstone’s quality standards through structured performance reviews and escalation processes.
Partner with the Supply Chain and Strategic Sourcing organizations to build and maintain a strong, quality-capable supplier base.
Lead supplier quality investigations, corrective action requests, and qualification activities for new and existing suppliers.
Embed supplier quality requirements into procurement and new product introduction processes to prevent quality failures upstream.
Ensure the implementation of relevant quality processes and checkpoints on all new product development programs; embed quality gates into the NPI process rather than inspecting quality in after the fact.
Partner with Engineering to assure product reliability improvement efforts meet Capstone’s reliability goals for turbine mechanical systems and high-power electrical components.
Drive Trouble Free Startup as a measurable outcome of quality excellence in both manufacturing and field commissioning.
Interface directly with customers as required; conduct material failure analyses and incident investigations in partnership with Aftermarket and Customer Service teams.
Ensure field-derived quality data flows back into manufacturing and design processes, closing the loop between field performance and product improvement.
Collaborate with Aftermarket Regional Service Managers and Technical Services to address recurring field quality issues with urgency and rigor.