Senior Quality Technician

Rocket Lab•Albuquerque, NM

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Quality Technician supports product quality assurance for assigned product lines at Rocket Lab’s Albuquerque, New Mexico site. The role ensures purchased raw materials, substrates, metals, and components meet specification requirements before release to production. It performs incoming inspections, laboratory testing, and documentation reviews, and collaborates with manufacturing, engineering, and quality teams to prevent nonconforming materials from entering production.

Requirements

High school diploma.
Eight or more years of manufacturing experience or direct quality-related experience.
Experience with quality assurance processes.
Familiarity with ISO-9001 and/or QS-9000, metrology equipment, and engineering drawing concepts or GD&T.
Exposure to design and manufacturing environments and protocol implementation.
Detail-oriented, able to work independently, and able to meet deadlines.
Ability to read and comprehend instructions, correspondence, and memos, and write simple correspondence.
Basic math proficiency, including arithmetic, rates, ratios, percentages, and interpreting bar graphs.
Computer proficiency.
Ability to stand and walk for an entire shift of eight or more hours on various work surfaces.
Ability to climb ladders and work at elevated heights, in small spaces, awkward positions, and tight areas as needed.
Ability to perform repetitive motions including bending, twisting, reaching, grasping, pushing, pulling, and stooping.
Ability to use hands precisely to handle, control, and operate tools, instruments, and equipment.
Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and equipment up to 25 pounds.
Ability to work in varied environments, including production floors, equipment areas, and field locations, with exposure to noise, temperature variations, and moving machinery.
Flexibility to work extended hours, weekends, and varied shifts as operational needs require.
For U.S. office candidates, must meet applicable U.S. Government space technology export-control eligibility requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience with semiconductor or aerospace materials inspection.
Familiarity with ERP/MES systems.
Experience with AS9102 First Article Inspection.
Exposure to cleanroom protocols and NASA Vision exam requirements.
Experience supporting counterfeit and suspect material prevention programs.

Responsibilities

Perform receiving inspections of semiconductor materials and components using approved procedures and sampling plans, such as ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 and c=0.
Inspect materials including Germanium and GaAs substrate wafers, coverglass, adhesives, interconnects, aerospace electrical components, and precious metals.
Conduct laboratory measurements and inspections for surface defects, particles, contamination, and dimensions using optical microscopy, high-intensity light inspection, calipers, micrometers, height gauges, optical comparators, and vision systems.
Verify supplier Certificates of Conformance and Certificates of Analysis against purchase orders, material specifications, and drawings, including lot traceability, shelf life, and expiration dates.
Perform First Article Inspections on new or changed purchased parts as required, using the AS9102 format.
Conduct visual and packaging inspections for labeling, handling, ESD protection, and contamination-free packaging.
Disposition incoming lots as accepted, rejected, or quarantined and update material status in the ERP/MES system.
Identify, tag, and segregate nonconforming material; initiate Nonconformance Reports and support Material Review Board activities.
Support counterfeit and suspect material prevention according to company procedures.
Accurately record inspection and test results in quality databases and maintain inspection records for full lot traceability.
Assist in writing and revising inspection instructions, test methods, and sampling plans.
Deploy the Quality Management System within the scope of work.
Implement protocols, reject or quarantine material, recommend improvements, and stop processes that threaten employee wellbeing or involve a nonconformance.