Director of Quality Engineering, Hardware
About the role
This is a Hybrid position—candidate is located within commutable distance to San Antonio, TX. Travel is expected to suppliers, manufacturing sites, and partner locations up to 25%-40%.
Responsibilities
- Build and scale Darkhive’s hardware quality and supplier quality engineering capabilities
- Own supplier quality management activities, including supplier qualification, AVL/ASL management, supplier audits, supplier scorecards, SCAR management, and supplier development initiatives
- Lead cross-functional root cause investigations, containment activities, corrective actions, and continuous improvement efforts
- Partner closely with hardware engineering teams to influence design quality, manufacturability, reliability, and scalability through DFx methodologies
- Drive Product Quality Planning (PQP/APQP) activities across hardware development and manufacturing introduction
- Evolve scalable inspection, traceability, nonconformance, and manufacturing quality processes
- Support contract manufacturers and external manufacturing partners through process qualification, quality oversight, and operational risk management
- Lead audit readiness activities, including internal audits, supplier audits, and external certification audits
- Build operational quality metrics, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to support data-driven decision-making
- Develop quality standards and operational controls for PCBA, compute hardware, and electro-mechanical assemblies
- Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to reduce supplier risk, improve incoming quality, and strengthen production readiness
- Help establish configuration management, revision control, and hardware traceability best practices
- Mentor and help grow future quality engineering talent as the organization scales
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical field
- 10+ years of experience in hardware quality engineering, supplier quality engineering, manufacturing quality, or related disciplines
- Experience applying Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies in hardware manufacturing and supplier quality environments
- Supplier quality engineering experience, including supplier qualification, supplier audits, SCAR management, root cause analysis, supplier performance management, incoming quality, process validation
- Strong DFx background, including Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Test (DFT)
- Experience supporting contract manufacturers and external manufacturing operations
- Operational mindset with the ability to move fluidly between strategic leadership and hands-on execution
- Comfortable operating in startup environments with evolving priorities and high ownership expectations
- Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills
- Able to influence engineering, operations, and leadership teams through data-driven decision-making
Preferred Qualifications
- Auditor certification or formal training in ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 auditing strongly preferred (e.g., ASQ CQA, ASQ CSQP, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, or AS9100 Lead Auditor)
- Experience with PCBA, compute hardware, embedded systems, or electronics manufacturing
- Experience in defense, aerospace, automotive, robotics, or high-reliability hardware environments
- Familiarity with AS9100, IPC standards, ESD controls, configuration management, or special process controls
- Familiarity with traceability, supplier flowdowns, and hardware lifecycle management
Benefits
Darkhive Offers Welcoming and collaborative work environment
Mission-driven team and product
Opportunity to build and shape a growing organization
Respect for work-life balance
Exposure to cutting-edge robotics and defense technology
Pay
TBD
Schedule
Hybrid
Skills
Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement methodologies in hardware manufacturing and supplier quality environments
Supplier quality engineering experience, including supplier qualification, supplier audits, SCAR management, root cause analysis, supplier performance management, incoming quality, process validation
Strong DFx background, including Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Test (DFT)
Experience supporting contract manufacturers and external manufacturing operations
Operational mindset with the ability to move fluidly between strategic leadership and hands-on execution
Strong communication and cross-functional leadership skills
Able to influence engineering, operations, and leadership teams through data-driven decision-making
Benefits
Darkhive Offers Welcoming and collaborative work environment
Mission-driven team and product
Opportunity to build and shape a growing organization
Respect for work-life balance
Exposure to cutting-edge robotics and defense technology