Head of Aircraft Quality (R6146)

About the role

Shield AI, a defense technology company, is looking for a hands-on quality leader to take its X-BAT aircraft from early prototype builds through production launch and into rate production. You will build the aircraft quality organization and set up the quality capability for the new Seattle-area production facility, X-Forge 3, owning product and process quality across prototype, pre-series and production builds.

Key responsibilities

• Lead quality planning for prototype and development builds, setting inspection, test evidence and build records
• Partner with Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering to define critical controls and embed quality requirements in tooling, work instructions and test plans
• Set up configuration and traceability controls, and capture lessons learned from builds and tests
• Define quality readiness criteria for pre-series builds and production launch
• Recruit, develop and lead the quality team, and establish a lean QMS aligned with AS9100, ISO 9001 and customer requirements
• Lead certification readiness and audits, and set up receiving, in-process and final inspection, calibration and quality records
• Own production quality performance, containment, root cause analysis and corrective action, and the nonconformance and MRB process
• Work with supply chain and suppliers to resolve incoming quality issues, and use digital quality tools to strengthen traceability

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, quality or a related technical field
• 10+ years of leadership experience in quality, product assurance or reliability in aerospace, defense technology or high-reliability manufacturing
• Proven track record of leading quality through prototype and new product introduction to sustained production
• Ability to build and scale quality teams and systems under fast-paced development and manufacturing
• Experience influencing and challenging senior leaders across Engineering, Production and Supply Chain

Required skills

• Containment, root cause analysis, MRB, corrective and preventive action, and continuous improvement
• AS9100 and ISO 9001, with audit leadership experience
• Complex assembly, inspection, configuration control, traceability and product acceptance
• Preferred: experience with aircraft final assembly, systems integration, production test, reliability improvement, and digital quality systems and statistical process control