Quality Engineering Lead

Swarm Aero•Fayetteville, AR

1d•$115,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

Swarm Aero is redefining air power by building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network globally. The company is rapidly progressing towards launching its first purpose-built swarming aircraft, along with Command & Control software to manage swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets. This technology empowers human operators to achieve unprecedented results. The team comprises individuals with a track record of creating and exiting multiple startups, negotiating multi-billion dollar defense deals, and designing/building over 30 novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from prominent companies like Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic. We are constructing a new type of aircraft and the factories to produce it. We are seeking a Quality Engineering Lead to transform early builds into a high-rate, repeatable manufacturing operation where quality is integral from the outset. This role offers the opportunity to influence manufacturing processes during critical decision-making phases. The successful candidate will collaborate across design, manufacturing, materials and processes, and operations to establish company-wide quality standards. As the first quality hire, this individual will be responsible for building the team, the quality system, and obtaining necessary certifications.

Requirements

Quality engineering experience in aerospace, automotive, composites, or another complex hardware manufacturing environment
Hands-on experience establishing facility certifications such as ISO 9001, AS9100, and/or Nadcap
Experience with composite materials and processes, including the inspection methods used to verify them
Experience building and leading a quality engineering team
Working knowledge of core quality tools such as SPC, FMEA, root cause analysis, and first article inspection
The judgment to put structure in place where it helps, without slowing down the team doing the work
Must be a U.S. person due to ITAR requirements
Able to work on-site in Fayetteville, AR

Nice To Haves

Standing up quality for a new facility or a greenfield production line
Scaling composite production from prototype to rate
Supplier quality experience across a growing, multi-tier supply base
ASQ certification (CQE or CMQ/OE)

Responsibilities

Build and lead the Quality Engineering department: hire the team, set priorities, and define how quality engages with every part of the build
Design and implement our quality management system, and lead the company through ISO 9001 and AS9100 certification
Define quality control processes and procedures across the company, from incoming material through final acceptance
Integrate quality requirements into production processes and workflows alongside Manufacturing Engineering and Materials and Process Engineering
Establish supplier quality requirements, including source inspection, first article inspection (AS9102), and supplier qualification
Stand up the core quality toolkit: nonconformance and material review, corrective and preventive action, root cause analysis, and configuration of quality records
Identify bottlenecks early, test improvements on the floor, and use production data to improve throughput, quality, and predictability
Partner directly with the people designing and building the aircraft to solve problems before they become permanent features of the manufacturing and quality processes