Description
We are seeking a Senior Quality Engineer to support flight line operations in Victorville, CA before relocating to Arsenal-1 in Q1 2027. This role is on the Quality Engineering team and will focus on quality assurance and process integrity for aircraft operations, integration, and testing directly on the flight line. You will have direct involvement with diagnosing and resolving issues as they arise in the field, providing critical support to the aircraft's final integration, troubleshooting, and operational readiness.
In this role as a Senior Quality Engineer, the ideal candidate would support operations at our Victorville, CA facility before joining our rapidly growing team in Ashville, OH. This is a dynamic and hands-on position with opportunities in managing flight-line quality assurance activities and driving improvements in the aircraft integration process. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a high-stakes environment, loves to implement innovative solutions, and takes ownership of ensuring precision and quality during critical phases of aircraft ground and flight operations.
Key responsibilities include:
- Personifying quality oversight and support during aircraft maintenance, ground testing, and flight testing. Monitoring flight line activities to ensure adherence to stringent quality standards, safety protocols, and detailed technical procedures.
- Conducting thorough pre-flight checks and audits to verify the readiness of systems, structures, and components. Developing and executing inspection systems tailored to flight line and operational support requirements.
- Leading RCCA initiatives specifically targeting issues arising during test and maintenance, and sustainment. Addressing in-field non-conformance issues and resolving immediate defects impacting operational readiness.
- Partnering closely with manufacturing engineers, test engineers, field operations teams, and pilots to resolve technical and quality issues. Evaluating system & process performance directly within operational environments.
- Providing real-time technical and quality support during flight testing, ensuring data is accurately captured, defects are analysed, and adjustments are rapidly implemented in subsequent iterations.
- Driving continuous improvement of flight line processes, testing protocols, and operator procedures to mitigate risks and enhance operational efficiency.
- Supporting quality documentation efforts specific to flight-line activities, including inspection logs, NCR metrics, pre-flight investigation reports, and detailed performance summaries.
Required qualifications include:
- A bachelor's degree in Engineering or similar technical field
- 5+ years of experience in Quality, Manufacturing, flight test, sustainment, or Engineering roles with direct involvement in aircraft testing activities
- A strong working knowledge of aviation systems, subsystems integration, and mechanical/electrical manufacturing processes
- Familiarity with flight-line processes, operational readiness requirements, and troubleshooting under time constraints
- Experience working directly with DCMA and military customers from enlisted to senior officers
- Knowledge of government regulations affecting aviation systems, defence contracts, and flight certification
- Experience with quality management of complex systems such as propulsion, flight controls, avionics, mission systems, fuel, hydraulics, and structural components
- Hands-on experience with pre-flight and post-flight inspection guidelines, quality audits, and troubleshooting processes
- Expertise in product quality methodologies such as FMEA, APQP, and FAI
- Knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) applied to aerospace systems
- Experience working with measurement tools
- A demonstrated ability to drive projects to completion in fast-paced environments requiring quick decision-making
- Eligibility to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
Preferred qualifications include:
- 7+ years of experience with military aircraft flight line operations, quality systems, or production processes
- Working knowledge of AS9100, AS6500, and ISO 9001-based quality management systems
- Familiarity with IPC standards for electronics and MIL standards for aerial vehicle integration
- Experience with Manufacturing Readiness Levels
- Hands-on experience using Teamcenter, SolidWorks/NX, Jira, and manufacturing execution systems