Staff Engineer, Quality (r4744)

Shield AI Shield AI · Defense · Dallas, TX · Quality

Staff Quality Engineer at Shield AI, a defense tech company building autonomous aircraft. The role focuses on ensuring product performance, reliability, and safety by leading quality initiatives across the product lifecycle, developing quality systems (AS9100), leading root cause investigations, and partnering with engineering and manufacturing teams. This role supports NPI, establishes control plans, and uses data-driven methods to improve manufacturing performance. It involves shaping quality strategy and influencing cross-functional decisions.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead quality initiatives across the product lifecycle, driving improvements from early design and new product introduction through full-rate production.
  2. Develop and maintain robust quality systems in alignment with AS9100 standards, leading root cause investigations and implementing effective corrective and preventive actions.
  3. Partner closely with engineering, manufacturing, and supplier teams to identify risks, improve process capability, and ensure consistent product quality.
  4. Support NPI efforts, establishing control plans and inspection strategies, and using data-driven methods to monitor and improve manufacturing performance.
  5. Play a key role in shaping quality strategy, mentoring team members, and influencing cross-functional decisions without direct authority.

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience)
  • 5+ years of experience in Quality, Manufacturing, or Process Engineering roles
  • Demonstrated experience leading root cause analysis and implementing effective corrective and preventive actions (RCA/CAPA)
  • Strong knowledge of quality systems and standards (AS9100 or similar)
  • Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) and scaling production in a manufacturing environment
  • Proficiency in statistical analysis and process control methods (SPC, capability analysis, etc.)
  • Proven ability to work cross-functionally and influence engineering, manufacturing, and supplier teams

Nice to have

  • Experience in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries
  • ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Lean Six Sigma certification, or equivalent
  • Knowledge of design for quality principles, including DFMEA, tolerance analysis, and design reviews
  • Experience working with quality and manufacturing systems (QMS, MES, PLM) and data analysis tools
  • Familiarity with advanced inspection or test methods (metrology, NDT, automated inspection, etc.)

What the JD emphasized

  • AS9100 standards
  • root cause investigations
  • corrective and preventive actions
  • NPI
  • scaling production
  • statistical analysis
  • process control methods