Quality Engineer II

Astra • Alameda, CA

16d • $92,248 - $122,979

About The Position

This is a hands-on quality engineering role designed for an early-career engineer who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will support production by driving inspection rigor, investigating hardware nonconformances, and implementing process improvements that protect mission success.

The ideal candidate has aerospace manufacturing exposure, strong blueprint interpretation skills, and experience supporting inspection or production quality activities.

You will work closely with Manufacturing, Design Engineering, and Supply Chain teams to ensure hardware meets drawing requirements, process controls, and aerospace quality standards.

Fast-Paced Innovation
Work in a dynamic environment where solving difficult engineering and manufacturing challenges is part of everyday life.

Growth & Ownership
Early-career engineers at Astra are trusted with real responsibility and have the opportunity to work directly on flight-critical hardware.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 2-5 years of experience in a high-reliability manufacturing environment such as aerospace, defense, automotive, or medical devices.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Familiarity with inspection techniques and quality documentation practices.
• Exposure to RCCA, CAPA, or structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for documenting technical findings and collaborating across engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident due to ITAR/export control requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in aerospace or propulsion hardware manufacturing.
• Familiarity with AS9100 or ISO 9001 quality management systems.
• Experience supporting inspection, MRB, or production quality activities.
• Knowledge of cleanroom protocols and ESD handling practices.
• Experience with digital manufacturing systems such as MES, PLM, or ERP platforms (e.g., Teamcenter, ION, Odoo).
• Exposure to Lean, Six Sigma, or ASQ quality methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Partner with manufacturing teams on the production floor to ensure hardware is built and inspected to engineering and industry requirements.
• Support in-process inspections and verification activities for propulsion and structural hardware and systems.
• Interpret engineering drawings and specifications, including GD&T, to verify hardware compliance.
• Support incoming inspection, in-process inspection, and final acceptance activities.
• Develop and refine inspection criteria, inspection plans, and acceptance documentation.
• Document and investigate hardware nonconformances and support Material Review Board (MRB) activities.
• Coordinate containment actions and ensure proper documentation and traceability.
• Support Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) investigations using structured methodologies such as 5-Why, Fishbone, and 8D.
• Help implement corrective actions that improve manufacturing quality and reduce defect recurrence.
• Analyze quality and production data to identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for yield improvement.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance manufacturing consistency and hardware reliability.
• Work closely with Manufacturing, Design Engineering, and Supply Chain to resolve quality issues and support production readiness.
• Contribute to Manufacturing Readiness Reviews (MRR), Test Readiness Reviews (TRR), and quality assessments as required.

Benefits

• We're competitive in compensation and offer equity as part of the package.
• We have great benefits that include health, vision, dental, and 401K in comparison to other startups.
• We provide lunch and there's plenty of snacks and drinks to get you through the day.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees