Senior Materials Engineer - Mission-Critical Defense

Robin Sahr is a Strategic Client Partner within the Sales Organization at Quest Defense Systems and Solutions (QDSS). He brings over 25 years of experience in business development and client success across sectors including aerospace, defense, healthcare, and government. Before joining QDSS, he served as Vice President at Trissential (an Expleo Company) and H&A Consulting, where he led consulting practices focused on healthcare, government, and Fortune 500 clients. A retired Army Officer, Sahr spent 21 years in the Army National Guard in various leadership roles. He commissioned as a Civil Engineer Officer, later transitioned to Aviation, and served as Airfield Commander of Minnesota’s military training base. He is a graduate of the Army Command & General Staff College and a multiple recipient of the Army Commendation Medal. Sahr holds a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology from North Dakota State University, with minors in Military Science and Religion. At QDSS, he leverages his military and commercial experience to build strong client partnerships and deliver mission‑critical engineering solutions. Ryan Goodwin is the Facility Security Officer for Quest Defense Systems and Solutions, supporting the organization’s compliance with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) and other Department of Defense and federal security initiatives. Goodwin has a background in personnel and physical security, working with both GE Aerospace and the U.S Navy, where he continues to serve as a reserve law enforcement officer (Master‑at‑Arms). Goodwin has a combined 19 years of experience in security, emergency, and project management. His focus is on ensuring every employee and customer feels their needs are heard, met, and followed up on. His goal is to ensure that QDSS exemplifies the qualities of an organization that leads the industry in security compliance and innovation. Goodwin is an avid flyfisher, SCUBA diver, karting racer, sim and road racer, motorcyclist, and plays most sports. His philosophy is that one of the greatest ways to connect with people is to try new things that can help build common ground with a diverse range of people. Stuart Hogan As the Quality Manager and Management Representative at Quest Defense Systems and Solutions (QDSS), Stuart Hogan is responsible for driving Business Excellence across the organization. He oversees the maintenance and continual improvement of the Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with AS9100 standards, meeting customer requirements, and enabling continuous improvement and innovation. With 17 years of experience in Engineering and Quality, Hogan joined Quest Global in 2017 as a Regional Quality Manager. In 2022, he was appointed Quality Manager for all QDSS. His primary focus remains the ongoing enhancement of the Quality Management System. Hogan holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology (BSME) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Peter Messerle is a Strategic Client Partner within the Sales Organization at QDSS. He is an expert on building strong partnerships across his clients’ organizations to understand both strategic goals and tactical needs. He collaborates closely with key stakeholders, both internally and externally to develop customized service solutions grounded in seamless execution, full accountability, and transparent delivery. Messerle joined QDSS at the beginning of 2020 in his current role. Previously he worked at GE Aviation for 21 years in various engineering and customer operations roles. In his last few years at GE, he led teams in Aftermarket Spares for both Military and Commercial operations, working closely with customers, supply chain, and engine programs to effectively manage these critical business units. Messerle holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University, a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from University of Cincinnati, and a MBA from Xavier University. As Head of People and Culture, Sarah Morari is accountable for shaping and executing Quest Defense Systems & Solutions’ people and culture strategy to enable business growth, cultural alignment, and operational excellence. Her role spans the full spectrum of the People function, including leadership and talent development, organizational design, and HR operations. Morari brings more than 20 years of global HR leadership and operations experience from purpose‑driven, sustainability‑focused, and technology‑driven companies across the biopolymer, manufacturing, and industrial automation industries. She spent over a decade at NatureWorks, where she held roles including Vice President of Global Human Resources and led people strategies through significant growth, international expansion, and cultural transformation. Her earlier career included HR leadership roles at Cargill, Emerson, and Wellbridge, supporting functions across sales, operations, supply chain, and engineering. Her foundational leadership experience began with her service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Moldova, where she led community development initiatives focused on small business development, financial sustainability, and women’s entrepreneurship. Morari holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. As Director of Delivery, Alexandra Christy is responsible for the delivery organization including leadership development, engineering capability, performance to our customer contracts, and working with Solutions and Sales on new opportunities. Christy has held technical and leadership roles in many functions of the business, rising from mechanical design engineer at the start of her career. With over 15 years in engineering management and leadership, she strives to lead with empathy and push both herself and the team to learn and raise the bar of excellence. Engineering in Aerospace is a fertile industry to start and continue careers for curious minds and drive for precision. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from University of Connecticut. At home, she and her husband Sam enjoy taking care of their animals, fostering dogs, and are active in the volunteer fire department. She is a certified professional life coach in private practice. Peter Schwartzbauer brings over two decades of technology and strategic leadership to his current role as VP of Technical Solutions at Quest Defense Systems & Solutions. In this role, he leads customer solutioning and services strategy, driving innovation and thought leadership to strengthen partnerships with those customers. Having held leadership roles at QDSS for the past five years, Schwartzbauer has focused on technical solutions that enhance service delivery and business outcomes. Prior to that, he served as Director of BI Services at SUPERVALU, where he shaped analytics and data science initiatives, managing data warehousing, business intelligence projects, and large‑scale distributed analytics implementations. Schwartzbauer holds a degree in Philosophy and Literature from the University of St. Thomas and possesses deep experience in analytics platforms, BI tools, and software development methodologies. His career has been dedicated to driving strategy, innovation, and business growth across large and small companies, leveraging his expertise to create impactful solutions and drive. As Chief Financial Officer, Dave Sommerness is responsible for the overall success and profitability of the company’s finances, human resources, service delivery, information technology, and administration functions. Sommerness has held a variety of leadership roles at both large and small companies in his career. As Co-Founder, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer of GovDelivery, Inc., a SaaS‑based government communications company, he spent 14 years building the company into a successful international business and was instrumental in completing the sale of GovDelivery to Actua. Prior to this, he managed multiple manufacturing plants for H.B. Fuller, a Fortune 500 company. In addition to his civilian career, Sommerness was a Major in the U.S. Army and served in numerous leadership positions as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers. A combat veteran, he was awarded the Bronze Star for his service during Operation Desert Storm. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the United State Military Academy and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Chad Iverson As General Manager, Chad Iverson is responsible for the delivery organization and the support functions that ensure the quickly growing team operates efficiently and effectively and delivers with high quality on‑time and on‑budget for our customers. He also supports development of new services and solutions in support of solving our customer’s most challenging engineering problems. Iverson joined Quest Global in 2006, specializing in advanced modeling and simulation for multiple verticals and customers and becoming a technical lead for computational fluid dynamics. He has held several leadership positions within the delivery organization since his joining, leading multiple teams through periods of high growth and developing many new innovative services and solutions. Before taking on ownership of Operations for QDSS, he managed the Cincinnati Modeling & Simulation Center of Excellence. Iverson studied Materials Science at MIT, and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He holds a certificate in Global Business Leadership from GlobalNxt University, as well as a MicroMasters Certificate in Statistics and Data Science from MITx. Chris Schwartzbauer is an ‘ideapreneur’, engineer, and strategic innovator with over two decades of leadership experience driving technology companies to new heights. He currently serves as President and CEO of Quest Defense Systems and Solutions, combining his entrepreneurial spirit and engineering expertise to bring novel mission‑critical solutions to the most exacting OEMs. His unique ability to scale businesses, as demonstrated by his leadership at EXB Solutions, where he over‑tripled the company’s revenue and expanded its workforce, showcases his business foresight, drive, and deep understanding of market needs. Schwartzbauer’s leadership journey has been marked by his success in transforming companies, launching startups, and guiding high‑stakes mergers and acquisitions. His P&L expertise allows him to steer organizations with precision, maximizing profits and minimizing losses, all while delivering cutting‑edge, cost‑effective engineering solutions. Beyond his corporate accomplishments, he is deeply committed to his community. He serves on the executive boards of Lead the Way Foundation and Folds of Honor, making a meaningful impact on families and individuals in Minnesota. His commendable career as an Army Officer and his service in the Gulf War earned him the prestigious Bronze Star for his exemplary contributions. Schwartzbauer believes in and embodies the “1+1 = 3 mentality” and continues to shape and lead successful ventures, leaving an indelible mark on the technology industry. Chris Hardgrave Chris Hardgrave joined Quest Defense in April 2024 as Vice President for Strategic Accounts. He is responsible for sales, growth, and development of strategic relationships for new business development efforts in the Aerospace and Defense sector. Chris works in the Washington, D.C. office. Prior to joining Quest Defense, Chris served as Vice President at EXB Solutions (a Quest Defense subsidiary as of Aug 2022). He was responsible for strategic growth efforts and strategic OEM relationships for major USG contracts. Prior to EXB Solutions, Chris was Director of Business Development for Textron Systems Weapon and Sensor business unit responsible for the growth of both domestic and international markets for both production and developmental weapons. Chris gained tremendous experience with Other Transaction Authority (OTA) at Textron and brought that work to both Quest Defense and EXB Solutions where he was instrumental in setting up the EXB Innovation Lab for prototyping innovative solutions for the USG and OEM’s to rapidly get to market to assist warfighters. Chris spent nearly 25 years in the United States Air Force (USAF) where he achieved the rank of Colonel. Chris’ last position was as the Continental NORAD Region interagency liaison in Washington, DC where he actively coordinated defense activities between the FAA, DHS, TSA, US Secret Service, US Capitol Police, OSD Policy, and Joint Staff on issues affecting Operation NOBLE EAGLE and Homeland Defense. He also spent several years on the Air Staff working as a Country Director at the Deputy Undersecretary for the Air Force, International Affairs. He was responsible for building partnership capacity at 7 Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Vietnam. Chris Hardgrave was commissioned through the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps program in 1991. He served as a fighter pilot and has over 2500 hours in the F-15C and F-16C including nearly 200 combat hours in Operation SOUTHERN WATCH and IRAQI FREEDOM. Chris also served in a variety of leadership positions from fighter squadron to the Headquarters Air Force staff levels and was stationed overseas for 7 years in Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), and the United Kingdom (UK). Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Florida State University and a Master’s of Science in International Relations from Troy University. Chris is married and has one daughter. Steve Gerber is President and CEO of QuEST Defense Systems and Solutions business and is responsible for providing the leadership and growth of this venture. Steve is a 40 year veteran of the Aerospace, Power Generation and Oil and Gas industries and brings a diverse background of executive leadership in areas of business development, sales, program management, operations management and engineering. Prior joining QuEST, Steve’s most recent assignment was leading the sales efforts for TechnoSoft, Inc., a Cincinnati based engineering software technology concern. Steve had a 21 year career with Pratt & Whitney in various roles including: JSF Concept Demonstrator Program Manager, Turbine Module Center Product Director and Aftermarket Repair Engineering Director. After leaving Pratt & Whitney, Steve led the UTC corporate account for the Belcan Corporation. Steve and his wife Kathy have 4 grown children, 1 grandchild and reside in Saline Michigan. Steve holds a B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, 1982 and an MBA., Sloan Fellows Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999 Jon King As Chief Engineer for Quest Defense, Jon is responsible for ensuring that sound engineering processes are maintained and followed by our employees working in a diverse set of services and disciplines across all verticals. In this role he also leads Quest Defense’s efforts to develop new methods and technologies to help grow the business through innovation, as well as building and promoting the technical reputation of the company in the public sphere. During his 20+ year career in engineering services, Jon came to Quest Global via the acquisition of ASE Technologies in 2008. He has since held several positions of leadership within the company, while working directly with customers in an engineering role as a heat transfer engineer, focused primarily around gas turbine technology. Prior to becoming part of Quest Defense, he represented Quest Global’s Technology Excellence Group, responsible for innovation and engineering processes for the North American region of the company. Jon holds a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from Trine University in Angola, IN, and achieved a certificate in global business leadership from GlobalNxt University. Jeff Fischer serves as a board member for Quest Defense Systems and Solutions business. Additionally Jeff is the Operations Leader for the Quest Global Aerospace and Defense Industry. Jeff has held numerous leadership positions in Quest Global including Sales Operations Leader, North America Sales Business Unit Head, HiTech Industry Business Head, Strategic Client Partner for Quest Global’s largest account and other relevant leadership positions in pricing and project management. A majority of Jeff’s 38 years of experience have been in in the Aerospace Industry working for OEMs or outsourced engineering companies. Jeff had full P&L responsibility as President Belcan Engineering and led a rapid growth from $60M to $220M over only 5.5 years. Jeff began career at GE Aviation, and worked as an engineer performing design, analysis, and test functions. Jeff holds BS degree in Physics from Thomas More University, and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Jeff is passionate in continuous improvement in all aspects of his personal and professional life. He enjoys contributing at all levels from strategic to granular. As the President of Quest Global, Bob is responsible for establishing and maintaining senior customer relationships, catalysing new business development, and overseeing innovative and transformational deals. In this role, he also assists in building relationships with strategic acquisitions for the company. Bob has over 40 years of experience, and through his career he held senior domestic and international executive roles and P&L responsibility for multi‑billion business at General Motors and Pratt & Whitney. He began career as a product development engineer for General Motors, moved on to corpor and operational finance roles and subsequently to major operating positions. When he left General Motors a run th f ent assign eng at P W t p th he flin .. Bob holds +     … Joe support Special Missions across Quest Global to include decisive and strategic business solutions, M&A, and culture endeavors. He joined Quest in 2007 and held roles leading Strategic Business Units and global sales operations and integration of a large acquisition in India ‑ ?? … ... #J-18808-Ljbffr Quest Defense