Aerospace Program Quality Assurance Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Join Barber-Nichols to Elevate Mission-Critical Hardware

Barber-Nichols (BN) designs and builds custom turbomachinery that propels the Defense, Aerospace, Cryogenics, and Energy sectors. Our engineers and makers partner with elite customers to push boundaries—from the blower for NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Titan to key components for the U.S. Navy’s MK‑48 program. If you’re energized by complex, high-impact programs and a culture that rewards results, growth, and innovation, you’ll thrive here.

A day in this role

You’re the program’s quality backbone—embedded with Manufacturing, Engineering, Procurement, Program Management, and Sales. You translate contracts into actionable quality criteria, set the guardrails on routers and drawings, and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with customers during audits and source inspections. By afternoon, you’re reviewing test data for compliance, steering MRB decisions, and driving corrective actions that safeguard product safety and zero-defect performance. You close the day aligning internal stakeholders on improvement plans and preparing data packages that make delivery seamless.

What you’ll own

• Own program quality to ensure all quality and contractual obligations are achieved.
• Interpret contracts and cascade precise flow‑down requirements to internal teams and suppliers.
• Provide quality leadership on engineered programs from design through full‑rate production.
• Oversee quality for contract‑manufactured products across the production lifecycle.
• Validate that contract‑related purchase orders fully capture and communicate requirements to suppliers.
• Plan, coordinate, and host customer source inspections.
• Support customer audits with objective evidence that demonstrates compliance.
• Review production route cards to confirm correct quality checkpoints, customer steps, and hold points.
• Review drawings and guide route‑card creation for parts, subassemblies, and top‑level assemblies to meet contract expectations.
• Serve as the quality representative in customer meetings.
• Manage required customer documentation throughout the program lifecycle.
• Create Certificates of Conformance (CoC) and comprehensive data packages per contract.
• Verify and report as‑built conditions in alignment with customer contract requirements.
• Monitor and elevate quality in design, programs, in‑process production, inspection, and assembly to maintain requirements.
• Oversee in‑process assembly and test execution to program standards.
• Review test results to ensure full compliance with customer specifications.
• Approve inspection plans prior to incoming and in‑process quality control activities.
• Coordinate incoming inspection to meet contract and internal criteria.
• Review certifications and data packages accompanying incoming materials and assemblies, when applicable.
• Document nonconformances and elevate to the Material Review Board (MRB) for disposition.
• Develop improvement plans that prioritize product safety and compliance; define countermeasures and corrective actions.
• Lead implementation of corrective and preventive actions to sustain improvements.
• Conduct internal process audits to verify process and contract adherence.
• Continuously refine procedures, processes, and methods to achieve zero defects/escapes, measured by targeted initiatives.
• Identify and escalate process/product quality improvement opportunities tied to contract needs to the Management Team.
• Partner with continuous improvement (CI) teams to drive company‑wide gains.
• Review drawings for manufacturability, inspectability, contract compliance, and process enhancement opportunities.
• Develop, track, and update the data required for internal BN and customer communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline—or a comparable blend of education and experience.
• 3+ years in quality engineering or quality assurance.
• 3+ years working within recognized quality systems (ISO, AS, QA, TS).

Additional details

• Overtime may be required.
• Travel up to 20%.

Preferred

• Quality certifications such as CQE, CQA, or CQT.
• Experience in complex metal manufacturing; aerospace background preferred.

Compensation and benefits

The salary range for this role is $80,000-$95,000 and is commensurate with the applicant’s experience. This range represents the anticipated minimum and maximum base for this position. The final compensation for this position will be set based on the applicant’s qualifications (education, training and/or experience related to this role), and therefore, may fall outside the range shown, depending on the circumstances.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• FSA and HSA with company paid HSA quarterly contributions
• Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance
• 401(k) with 4% Company Match and Profit Sharing
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (NYSE: GHM)
• Generous PTO and Paid Holidays with an option to purchase additional PTO
• Tuition reimbursement
• Performance-based bonus program
• Paid Parental Leave, Military Leave, Jury Duty, and Bereavement Leave

To view our full list of benefits, please visit Careers - Barber-Nichols .

Compliance and notices

*ITAR Requirements:To conform to U.S. Government commercial space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), applicants for employment at Barber-Nichols must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawfully admitted for permanent residence into the U.S. (i.e., current green card holder), or lawfully admitted as a refugee or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1157-1158. Security clearance is not required for this position

Equal Opportunity Employer:

*Barber-Nichols is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status as defined by law. Barber-Nichols will ensure individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. *

Barber-Nichols participates in E-Verify, the federal program for electronic verification of employment eligibility.