Software Quality Engineer 4 - 30929

HII's Mission Technologies division•Pocasset, MA

12d•$103,940 - $148,485

About The Position

HII Unmanned Systems (UxS), a business group within HII’s Mission Technologies division, is seeking an experienced Software Quality Engineer to support the design, fabrication, testing, and sustainment of unmanned systems, including unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vessels, payloads, and supporting equipment. The role helps establish and mature software quality assurance processes across UxS, ensuring internally developed software, autonomy frameworks, and supplier-delivered software and firmware meet standards for reliability, safety, and mission readiness. The engineer oversees the Software Quality Management System for UUV and USV programs; develops and champions quality processes; collaborates across software, systems, autonomy, and hardware engineering; and works with subcontract management and external partners to define and evaluate software quality requirements. The role conducts supplier and internal process audits, tracks quality metrics, supports root cause analysis and corrective actions, and advises teams on secure coding, configuration management, and documentation. It also supports software verification and validation, test planning and witnessing, compliance with applicable standards and policies, and long-term software quality objectives for the UxS business. The position develops, modifies, applies, and maintains standards and procedures for software systems quality. It evaluates software requirements, design, development, documentation, integration, testing, verification, and validation; defines measures and operating criteria for product quality; checks project and process documentation against contractual and process requirements; and provides or directs verification of requirements, traceability, and testability. Travel to supplier and partner sites may be required. The role may involve office, industrial, shipboard, or laboratory environments.

Requirements

9 years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree in a related field; 7 years with a master’s degree; 4 years with a Ph.D. or Juris Doctorate; or 13 years with a high school diploma or equivalent.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a government clearance.

Nice To Haves

Understanding of project management and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) requirements.
Understanding of IEEE 730 Software Quality Assurance Plans requirements.
Understanding of autonomy, embedded systems, or real-time software architectures used in unmanned or autonomous systems.
Experience with software development lifecycle models used in defense or aerospace programs.
Experience collaborating with subcontractors or external partners on software delivery, quality gate criteria, and acceptance processes.

Responsibilities

Oversee the Software Quality Management System for UUV and USV programs, including software planning, controls, metrics, and compliance.
Establish, document, and promote software quality assurance processes across the UxS business.
Collaborate with software, systems, autonomy, and hardware engineering teams to incorporate software quality requirements early in system and product lifecycles.
Work with Subcontract Management to define, negotiate, and verify software and firmware quality requirements in supplier Statements of Work and technical specifications.
Conduct software-focused supplier audits, including process maturity assessments, configuration management evaluations, cybersecurity posture checks, and reviews of software development lifecycle practices.
Travel to supplier and partner locations as needed to clarify requirements, evaluate technical capability, assess risk, and resolve software performance issues.
Support software process audits, readiness reviews, code quality spot assessments, and independent test witnessing.
Monitor and improve software quality metrics, including defect density, test coverage, requirements traceability completeness, and supplier delivery performance.
Collaborate with mission and strategic external partners to establish a consistent software quality framework across UxS programs.
Maintain and update the software supplier audit schedule and related tracking systems.
Lead or support root cause analysis of software defects, integration failures, configuration mismatches, and regression issues, and ensure corrective actions prevent recurrence.
Guide engineering teams and suppliers on secure coding expectations, software configuration management, and documentation quality.
Support software verification and validation strategies, including test plan development, test witnessing, and assessment of autonomy behaviors and mission-critical software.
Help define long-term software quality goals aligned with organizational objectives and industry practices.
Ensure compliance with applicable standards, policies, regulations, IEEE software standards, cybersecurity requirements, and internal HII processes.
Initiate action to prevent software, firmware, configuration management, and software quality system non-conformities.
Identify, record, and communicate software-related issues, and participate in developing and implementing solutions.
Develop, modify, apply, and maintain standards, operating methods, processes, and procedures for software systems quality.
Evaluate software systems activities, including requirements, design, development, documentation, integration, testing, verification, and validation.
Define measures and operating criteria to implement software quality programs according to project, process, and contract requirements.
Ensure project and process control documentation complies with requirements, objectives, and contracts.
Review software system designs, change specifications, and plans against contractual and process requirements, including applicable specifications, materials, tools, techniques, and methodologies.
Provide or direct verification and validation of software system requirements, traceability, and testability.