Quality Manager eBOS Manufacturing

Nextpower•San Jose, CA

About The Position

The Quality Manager leads the quality management system and manufacturing quality for Nextpower’s eBOS operations in San Jose. The role focuses on preventing production-floor defects and ensuring incoming materials, in-process work, testing, final inspection, and product release meet defined requirements. It leads containment, nonconformance management, and corrective action while maintaining the site Quality Management System (QMS) and audit readiness. The manager partners with Operations, Engineering, Supplier Quality, NPI, and Supply Chain to support production readiness and resolve product or process issues affecting manufacturing quality. The position provides hands-on production-floor quality leadership; establishes acceptance criteria and controls; maintains process FMEAs, control plans, inspection methods, and test requirements; and ensures reliable inspection and test results. It leads responses to customer complaints, product escapes, and internal quality events, from containment and root-cause analysis through corrective action and effectiveness checks. The Quality Manager maintains and improves the site QMS, supports applicable ISO 9001, customer, regulatory, and certification requirements, and leads internal, customer, and certification audits. The role defines and reports manufacturing quality KPIs, drives continuous improvement, leads and develops Quality Engineers, Technicians, and other assigned team members, and manages quality resources and budget needs. It also models safe work practices and ensures the Quality team follows applicable site safety, environmental, and housekeeping requirements. Nextpower describes itself as a clean-energy technology company supporting utility-scale power plants and says it is committed to equal opportunity, diversity, and an inclusive work environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or an equivalent combination of education, specialized training, and relevant experience.
10+ years of progressive quality experience in a manufacturing environment, including at least 5 years in a leadership role or leading significant cross-functional quality programs.
Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and experience maintaining a quality system, preparing for audits, and closing corrective actions.
Hands-on manufacturing quality experience with process controls, nonconformance management, root-cause analysis, corrective action, PFMEA, control plans, and data-based problem solving.
Experience partnering with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Quality, NPI, and Supply Chain to resolve quality issues and prepare products and processes for production.
Experience working directly with customers and coordinating with Supplier Quality and suppliers when manufacturing quality issues require investigation or corrective action.
Knowledge of applicable electrical-product, customer, and regulatory requirements; familiarity with UL 1741 and UL 508A where relevant to the product scope.
Ability to lead and develop people, influence across functions, manage multiple priorities, and communicate clearly.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, quality data analysis, and an ERP system such as Oracle Fusion, NetSuite, SAP, or an equivalent platform.

Nice To Haves

Experience with eBOS, electrical or electro-mechanical assemblies, wire harnesses, molded or potted components, and manufacturing test or laboratory operations.
Experience with ISO 14001 or ISO 45001 systems, customer audits, and certification audits.
Training or certification in quality engineering, auditing, Six Sigma, or Lean methods, such as ASQ CQA/CQE or Six Sigma Green Belt.
Experience with PPAP, APQP, product validation, and production launch support.

Responsibilities

Provide hands-on quality leadership on the production floor and partner with supervisors, operators, and Manufacturing Engineering to resolve issues and reinforce standard work.
Define acceptance criteria and controls for incoming materials, in-process operations, final inspection, testing, product release, and traceability.
Develop and maintain process FMEAs, control plans, inspection methods, and test requirements with process owners; verify controls reflect current processes and are understood at the workstation.
Lead containment and disposition of nonconforming material or product, ensuring holds, rework, deviations, and release decisions follow approved requirements.
Ensure inspection and test methods, equipment, and records produce reliable results, including appropriate calibration, validation, and measurement-system controls.
Lead responses to customer complaints, product escapes, and internal quality events through containment, root-cause analysis, corrective action, communication, and effectiveness checks.
Coordinate with Supplier Quality on supplier-related issues affecting manufacturing quality, supporting production evidence, containment, supplier corrective action, and incoming-control updates.
Coordinate with Supply Chain on supplier or incoming-material issues, assessing production impact and aligning containment, material disposition, and recovery actions.
Engage with NPI, Engineering, Operations, and Project Management to translate product and customer requirements into risk reviews, validation plans, inspection and test controls, and production-readiness criteria.
Support PPAP, APQP, first-article inspection, process validation, and customer approvals when required; coordinate the NPI-to-production handoff of approved documents, controls, training, and open quality actions.
Maintain and improve the site QMS to support manufacturing controls and applicable ISO 9001, customer, regulatory, and certification requirements.
Keep controlled quality documents current, approved, accessible, and aligned with production.
Plan and lead internal, customer, and certification audits; prepare teams, present objective evidence, coordinate corrective actions, and verify effective closure.
Coordinate quality risk reviews and process assessments with Operations, Engineering, and EHS, ensuring product and site requirements are reflected in manufacturing controls.
Define and report manufacturing quality KPIs, including first-pass yield, internal defects, scrap and rework, supplier-related defects, customer escapes, and audit or corrective-action closure.
Lead cross-functional quality reviews, assign actions and owners, and promptly escalate significant product, customer, or production risks.
Lead improvements to reduce defects, variation, scrap, rework, and cost of poor quality; promote corrective action at the source and verify improvements are sustained.
Lead, coach, and develop Quality Engineers, Technicians, and other assigned team members; set expectations, build technical capability, and maintain coverage for production support and site needs.
Ensure employees are trained in quality procedures, inspection and test methods, customer-specific requirements, and problem-solving tools, and maintain applicable training records.
Manage quality resources and budget needs, including staffing, training, external services, and inspection or test equipment; recommend investments based on risk and business need.
Model safe work practices and ensure the Quality team follows applicable site safety, environmental, and housekeeping requirements.