Senior Supplier Quality Engineer

Senior Supplier Quality Engineer

Join to apply for the Senior Supplier Quality Engineer role at Firestorm
. 1 day ago – Be among the first 25 applicants.

At Firestorm, we’re on a mission to revolutionize how defense solutions are designed and delivered. Our goal is to empower U.S. ally nations to effectively deter aggressors—regardless of their defense budget—through innovative, cost‑efficient technologies. We call this vision “democratized deterrence.” As a VC‑backed company at the intersection of defense and Silicon Valley, we’re pioneering the development of mission‑adaptable aerial vehicles that put power back into the hands of operators, prioritizing operator effectiveness and upending the traditional defense procurement model.

Firestorm Labs seeks a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer to join our growing team in San Diego. You will be a key technical leader responsible for building a high‑performing, reliable, and scalable supply base that supports Firestorm’s rapid growth and production demands. The 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 (NPI) teams to ensure that supplier capabilities align with evolving technical requirements and production volume goals. 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 identify risks early, drive continuous improvement, and shape supplier quality practices that support Firestorm’s long‑term manufacturing strategy.

• 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 NPI 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.

• 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 and ability to travel up to 40% of the time throughout the 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).
• Clear and professional…