Manufacturing Quality Engineer

About the Role

We are seeking a Staff Quality Engineer to establish and lead the quality program for our prototype assembly line supporting next-generation autonomous food-delivery robots. Reporting directly to the Head of Manufacturing, you will architect the quality systems, processes, and supplier partnerships required to transition our platform from prototype to scalable production. This role demands deep experience in supplier quality, manufacturing process development, and translating system-level requirements into robust controls on the factory floor. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment, is passionate about building high-reliability products, and holds an uncompromising commitment to operational excellence.

This role is based in Fremont, CA, with periodic travel to suppliers and manufacturing partners as needed.

You're excited about this opportunity because you will...

• Build the end-to-end quality program for a prototype robotic assembly line, including process documentation, traceability requirements, and manufacturing control plans.
• Define quality standards and inspection criteria for our parts and sub-assemblies.
• Establish and manage the supplier quality function, including qualification, audits, PPAP/APQP alignment, and ongoing supplier performance monitoring.
• Collaborate with systems engineering to derive PFMEAs, connecting system-level risks to process-level controls, inspection steps, and mitigation strategies.
• Develop in-line quality control processes, including incoming inspection, in-process checks, and end-of-line validation for prototype builds.
• Lead the Material Review Board (MRB) to drive disposition of non-conformining material (NCM)
• Lead root-cause analysis (RCA) for build issues, field failures, and supplier-related nonconformances; drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Partner closely with manufacturing, design, systems, and test teams to ensure that quality requirements are integrated from concept through deployment.
• Support supplier visits and on-site investigations, ensuring build quality, reliability, and conformance to specifications.
• Manage the transfer of internal quality practices to external partners

• You hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• You have 8+ years of quality engineering experience in hardware, robotics, automotive, aerospace, or another complex electromechanical domain.
• You bring direct experience standing up supplier quality programs, including initial qualification, auditing, scorecarding, and issue resolution.
• You have designed and implemented quality control plans, inspection standards, and process controls for prototype or low-volume lines.
• You're skilled in root-cause analysis, CAPA development, and statistical process control (SPC).
• You are fluent with tools and frameworks such as APQP, PPAP, MSA, GR&R, control plans, and digital quality management platforms.
• You have a working knowledge of QMS integration into ERP systems

• Experience supporting robotics, autonomous systems, mobility platforms, or complex mechatronic assemblies.
• Background working directly with contract manufacturers (preferably IATF-16949 certified) and early-stage production environments.
• Exposure to functional safety and risk-based engineering for mobile or safety-critical platforms (ISO 26262, ISO 13849, or similar).
• Demonstrated ability to scale a prototype program toward manufacturable, repeatable processes.

• For salaried roles: flexible paid time off/vacation, plus 80 hours of paid sick time per year.
• For hourly roles: vacation accrued at about 1 hour for every 25.97 hours worked (e.g. about 6.7 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 3.4 hours/month if working 20 hours/week), and paid sick time accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (e.g. about 5.8 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 2.9 hours/month if working 20 hours/week).