Customer Quality Engineer

Ethernovia is developing the future of Ethernet-based networks to realize the full potential of software-defined and autonomous vehicles, robotics and other intelligent machines. Founded in 2018, the company’s breakthrough data transport and acceleration technology is ushering in a new era of connectivity and capabilities in the vehicle and at the edge, including highly reliable autonomy, over-the-air servicing and AI-backed applications.

Ethernovia's co-founders are serial technology entrepreneurs with multiple prior successful ventures together. We are well-funded and backed by some of the worlds’ leading technology investors, having secured $154M ($90+M Series-B and $64M Series-A) in total funding to date:

• (financial backers include: Porsche SE, Qualcomm, AMD, Western Digital, Maverick Silicon, Socratic Partners, Conduit Capital, and CDIB-TEN Capital)

Ethernovia has been recognized in EE Times' prestigious list of the Top 100 Startups for 2025.

With talented employees on 4 continents, we have filed 50+ patents to date.

Join Ethernovia’s team to make a lasting impact on the future of packet processor-centric networking solutions to support the real-time sensor, Physical AI, and control data demands of software-defined autonomy across vehicles, robots and intelligent machines. Come share in our success with pre-IPO shares, competitive compensation, and great benefits while growing your knowledge and career with world class talent. We are looking for talented engineers and leaders who have an entrepreneurial spirit and want to drive cutting edge designs from concept to silicon to the future of mobility.

Customer Quality Engineer

Summary:

Ethernovia is building the high-speed automotive Ethernet silicon — PHYs, switches and networking SoCs — that connects the zonal, software-defined vehicles of the next decade. Our customers are global OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers who expect zero-defect quality.

The Customer Quality Engineer is the voice of the customer inside Ethernovia and the voice of Ethernovia's quality inside the customer. You will own quality performance for assigned automotive accounts, lead failure analysis and 8D problem solving on field and line returns, and drive AEC-Q100 and IATF 16949–compliant processes from design-in through production ramp.

Location: San Jose, CA (on-site/hybrid) Level: Senior / Staff / Principal Reports to: VP of Operations

Key responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary quality contact for assigned OEM and Tier-1 automotive customers, from design-win through end of life.
• Lead customer quality reviews, scorecards and audits; own customer-specific requirements (CSRs) and supplier quality manual compliance.
• Prepare and submit PPAP packages (PSW, control plans, PFMEA, MSA, capability studies) and support customer qualification of new products.

Problem solving and failure analysis

• Own customer complaints and returned material (RMA) end to end, meeting containment within 24 hours and 8D closure targets.
• Direct failure analysis with internal FA labs, foundry and OSAT partners: electrical verification, ATE retest, curve trace, X-ray, CSAM, decap, SEM/FIB.
• Drive root cause using 8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa and fault tree analysis; verify corrective actions are effective and permanent.

Quality systems and continuous improvement

• Maintain IATF 16949, AS9100 and ISO 9001 processes for the customer quality function; support certification and surveillance audits.
• Work with product, test and reliability engineering on AEC-Q100 qualification, PCN/PDN management and ISO 26262 functional-safety work products.
• Track and reduce DPPM, field failure rates and cost of poor quality; deploy outlier screening (PAT, DPAT, GDBN) with test engineering.
• Feed lessons learned back into design (DFMEA), test coverage and supply-chain controls at foundry and OSAT.

Required qualifications:

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or a related field.
• 10+ years in semiconductor quality, with at least 5 years in a customer-facing quality role.
• Hands-on experience with automotive semiconductor requirements: AEC-Q100, IATF 16949, AS9100, PPAP, APQP and the VDA 6.3 / Formel Q framework.
• Proven record leading 8D investigations and failure analysis on mixed-signal or high-speed digital ICs.
• Working knowledge of fabless supply chains: foundry, wafer sort, assembly and final test at OSATs.
• Strong grasp of SPC, MSA, FMEA and statistical tools (JMP, Minitab or equivalent).
• Clear, confident communicator who can present root cause and corrective action to customer executives.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%, including to customer sites in Europe and Asia.

Preferred qualifications:

• MS or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience with automotive Ethernet (100BASE-T1, 1000BASE-T1, multi-gig) PHYs or switch products.
• Familiarity with ISO 26262 functional safety and zero-defect programs for ASIL-rated devices.
• Prior experience at a fabless startup or in scaling a quality function through a production ramp.
• Certifications such as ASQ CQE, Six Sigma Black Belt or IATF 16949 internal auditor.
• Experience with German, Japanese or Korean OEM quality systems; a second language is a plus.
• Knowledge of AS9100, DO-254, MIL-STD-883, ESCC, counterfeit-part avoidance and radiation testing.

What You Can Expect From Ethernovia:

• Technology depth and breadth expansion that can’t be found in a large company
• Opportunity to grow your career as the company grows
• Pre IPO stock options
• Cutting edge technology
• World class team
• Flexible hours
• Medical, dental and vision insurance for employees

Salary Range:

• The actual offered base salary for U.S. locations will vary depending on factors such as work location, individual qualifications, specializations, years of experience, skills, job-related knowledge, and internal equity. The annual salary range for this position is $155,000 - $2xx,000. The compensation package will also include incentive compensation in the form of pre-IPO ISO options, in addition to base salary and a full range of medical and other benefits.