Quality Engineering Manager

Summary

The Quality Engineering Manager is responsible for leading and managing Quality Engineering resources in support of design, development, manufacturing, and sustainment of complex defense products. This role ensures effective application of AS9100 requirements, customer and regulatory standards, and internal quality processes throughout the product lifecycle. The Quality Engineering Manager provides technical leadership, people management, and cross‑functional influence to drive product conformity, risk reduction, and continuous improvement.

This position reports to the Director of Quality and manages Quality Engineers and assigned quality personnel supporting programs and operations.

Karman Space & Defense provides concept‑to‑production solutions for mission‑critical systems on spacecraft, launch vehicles, missiles, hypersonics, and integrated defense systems. We believe that solving the industry’s most complex and mission‑critical challenges requires relentless determination and a willingness to push the boundaries of possibility. Karman Space & Defense brings to bear unparalleled production capabilities, unmatched engineering expertise, and unflinching analysis to render the impossible, possible.

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement*

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of Quality Engineers and assigned quality personnel supporting design, manufacturing, and program execution.
• Assign resources to programs and functional activities based on risk, complexity, and customer requirements.
• Ensure effective communication and escalation of quality risks to the Director of Quality and program leadership.
• Ensure quality engineering involvement in design and development activities in accordance with AS9100 and internal procedures.
• Support design reviews, risk assessments, configuration management, and design change control.
• Support qualification, first article inspection (FAI), and transition from development to production.
• Support production readiness reviews, process capability, control plans, and manufacturing risk assessments.
• Provide quality engineering oversight for nonconformance management, root cause analysis, and corrective action.
• Support internal, customer, and third‑party audits as a subject matter expert.
• Use data‑driven analysis to identify improvement opportunities and reduce cost of poor quality.
• Drive QMS continuous improvement initiatives.

• Required:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years’ experience in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering or related roles within aerospace and defense.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in collaboration with cross‑functional teams.
• Expert knowledge of GD&T and Statistical Process Control implementation.
• Expert knowledge of AS9100 QMS.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must hold or be able to obtain a DoD SECRET clearance.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Karman is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform service member status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.

Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.