Senior Supplier Quality Engineer

Firestorm • San Diego, CA

13d • Onsite

About The Position

Firestorm Labs is seeking a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer to join our growing team in San Diego. At Firestorm Labs, we are building the future of distributed, mission-adaptive airpower for the modern warfighter. The Senior Supplier Quality Engineer is a key technical leader responsible for building a high-performing, reliable, and scalable supply base that supports Firestorm’s rapid growth and production demands. This role ensures that every material, component, and service delivered by suppliers meets stringent quality, performance, and regulatory expectations. You will lead the development of supplier quality systems from the ground up, including supplier selection and qualification, audit programs, risk mitigation strategies, defect prevention methods, and corrective action processes. You will collaborate closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Production, and New Product Introduction teams to ensure that supplier capabilities align with evolving technical requirements and production volume goals. You will evaluate supplier readiness, guide suppliers through qualification activities, and establish controls that support early development builds through full-rate production. Your work will directly influence Firestorm’s ability to scale efficiently, maintain product reliability, and ensure mission readiness across all platforms. This role is hands-on and highly collaborative, suited for someone who thrives in dynamic environments, excels at technical problem solving, and can influence both internal teams and external partners. You will be responsible for identifying risks early, driving continuous improvement, and shaping supplier quality practices that support Firestorm’s long-term manufacturing strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Aerospace, Electrical, or a related engineering discipline..
• 7+ years of progressive experience in quality and manufacturing.
• U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.
• Willingness & ability to travel up to 40% of the time throughout calendar year.
• Demonstrated experience with FMEAs, control plans, PPAPs, and ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or AS9100 quality systems.
• Audit credentials such as ASQ CQA or ISO 9001 or AS9100 auditor certification.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong background in root cause analysis tools including 8D, 5 Why, and DMAIC.
• Excellent communication abilities and effective cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Solid working knowledge of aerospace or industrial quality, inspection, and audit systems and familiarity with quality engineering techniques such as ISO 9001, AS9100, AS9102, AS9145, and ASQ CQE.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities
• Clear and professional communication with technical and non-technical users

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience with Costpoint ERP and Arena PLM.
• Prior experience in an early-stage, high-growth tech or hardware startup environment.
• Ability to influence change and adapt quality processes as business needs evolve.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, fast-paced operations in a dynamic environment

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the supplier quality management system including audits, quality flow-down requirements, scorecards, and corrective actions.
• Evaluate and qualify new suppliers through assessments, audits, and technical reviews.
• Partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, and New Product Introduction teams to gather product requirements and ensure that appropriate quality specifications are communicated to suppliers.
• Review first piece samples and first article submissions with Engineering and NPI teams as part of the supplier qualification process.
• Establish and lead the defect management and corrective action process for supplied product non-conformities.
• Support NPI projects by ensuring supplier readiness and effective supplier quality planning.
• Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement activities into future NPI programs.
• Provide training and guidance on supplier quality practices to cross-functional teams.

Benefits

• We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
• Equity grants for new hires
• Unlimited PTO
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November, & December.
• Generous Parental Leave
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• FSA
• DCFSA
• HSA
• Hospital Indemnity insurance
• Critical Illness insurance
• Accident insurance
• Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
• Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level