Director of Quality, Additive Manufacturing

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future

Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.

This is a hands-on leadership role for a true AM quality expert. You will own the full qualification lifecycle, from Installation Qualification (IQ) through Operational Qualification (OQ) and Material Qualification (MQ), ensuring Hadrian's processes meet or exceed the requirements of AMS 7003, AMS 7032, NASA-STD-6030/6033, NAVSEA Technical Publications, and prime customer specifications. This role spans multiple AM modalities, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes, with specific emphasis on Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) qualification for U.S. Navy and submarine industrial base applications.

What You'll Do:

• Cross-Functional Requirements Ownership: Own the AM quality requirement set across Hadrian's operations. Collaborate with the Materials and Process (M&P) team, Applications team, and Systems team to define qualification criteria, process control standards, KPV limits, material acceptance specifications, and documentation requirements. Ensure requirements are clearly communicated and properly implemented through ongoing oversight and compliance verification. Serve as the quality authority during cross-functional reviews, providing technical direction while partner teams execute implementation activities.

• Machine Qualification and Process Validation: Own the end-to-end qualification framework for AM equipment, including IQ, OQ, and MQ. Define qualification requirements, acceptance criteria, and test matrices. Collaborate with the Materials and Process (M&P) team to develop build layouts and qualification plans; M&P executes those plans while this role provides oversight and ensures compliance. Ensure all machines are maintained in a known, calibrated state with active qualification status.

• KPV Management and Process Control: Define and own the requirements for Key Process Variables including laser power, beam caustics (spot size, shape, M2, thermal shift, location of focus), scan field calibration, shielding gas flow, and oxygen content. Collaborate with M&P and Systems teams to establish tolerance bands, measurement frequencies, SPC programs, and process window studies per AMS 7003 and AMS 7032 guidance. Ensure ongoing compliance through oversight and review of KPV data.

• Laser Diagnostics and Beam Characterization: Define requirements and acceptance criteria for all laser power measurement, beam profiling, and caustic measurement activities. Collaborate with M&P to specify beam profiling equipment and define measurement protocols. Provide oversight of measurement execution and interpret results to ensure laser systems are performing within qualified parameters.

• Gas Flow Measurement and Control: Define requirements for gas flow characterization across build platforms, including measurement methods, acceptance criteria, and correlation to part quality. Collaborate with M&P on execution of anemometer-based measurements and flow mapping. Ensure airflow consistency is validated during IQ and monitored through PM.

• DED and WAAM Qualification: Own the qualification framework for Directed Energy Deposition processes, with specific focus on Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) for U.S. Navy and submarine industrial base applications. Collaborate with M&P to define process control requirements, qualification test plans, and acceptance criteria for DED/WAAM in accordance with NAVSEA Technical Publications, AWS D20.1, and applicable defense standards. Provide oversight of qualification execution and ensure methodology supports NAVSEA technical warrant holder approval for AM production.

• Standards Compliance and Regulatory Readiness: Serve as the subject matter expert on AMS 7003, AMS 7032, NASA-STD-6030, NASA-STD-6033, NAVSEA Technical Publications for PBF and DED, AWS D20.1, and applicable prime customer specifications. Maintain awareness of evolving AM standards from SAE, ASTM, ISO, AWS, and Nadcap. Ensure Hadrian's quality systems and process control documents align with current and anticipated requirements.

• NIAR Qualification Framework, JAQS-SQ, and Navy AM COE Alignment: Stay current with NIAR's work on AM machine qualification, OQ guidance, the Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment, Supplier Qualification (JAQS-SQ) program, and the U.S. Navy's Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM COE) activities. Leverage these frameworks to inform Hadrian's internal qualification strategy and ensure alignment with DoD and Navy supplier readiness expectations.

• Powder Quality and Material Control: Own the requirements for feedstock quality across both powder and wire processes, including incoming inspection criteria, lot control standards, storage and handling requirements, reuse methodology, and contamination prevention. Collaborate with M&P to develop and implement procedures aligned with AMS 7002 and alloy-specific powder specifications. For wire feedstock, collaborate with M&P to ensure chemistry, surface condition, size tolerance, and traceability requirements are met. Provide oversight of powder reuse procedures, sampling plans, and sieve management protocols to ensure ongoing compliance.

• Material Qualification and Testing: Define target material properties, acceptance criteria, and testing requirements. Collaborate with M&P to develop test plans and manage mechanical testing campaigns (tensile, fatigue, compression, metallography, chemistry). Provide oversight to ensure OQ builds meet material specification requirements across all qualified orientations and build areas.

• Quality Systems and Documentation: Own the requirements for AM-specific process control documents (PCDs) including facility control plans, operator training programs, work instructions, digital file configuration control, PM plans, calibration verification plans, machine requalification plans, and KPV plans. Collaborate with M&P, Applications, and Systems teams on document development. Ensure all documentation is compliant and integrated into Hadrian's Quality Management System.

• Supplier Quality Oversight: Collaborate with Supply Chain and M&P to define technical quality requirements for AM suppliers. Provide oversight of qualification audits, process reviews, nonconformance management, SCAR issuance, and CAPA verification. Ensure suppliers maintain compliant quality systems and produce material that meets Hadrian's requirements.

• Requalification and Verification Management: Own the requalification framework, including triggers and verification event criteria. Collaborate with M&P and Systems teams to assess the impact of machine changes, maintenance activities, software updates, component replacements, and environmental changes on qualification status. Determine appropriate response levels (full OQ, partial OQ, or verification) and ensure compliance through oversight of remediation activities.

• Preventative Maintenance Program: Define PM requirements for all AM equipment, including verification items, intervals, measurement protocols, and documentation requirements. Collaborate with Operations on PM plan development and execution. Ensure PM activities are traceable and that any findings are assessed for impact to qualification status.

• New Product Introduction (NPI): Collaborate with Applications and M&P teams to support launch of new AM components through APQP, PPAP, and AS9102 First Article Inspection. Define quality requirements and acceptance criteria for NPI. Ensure process readiness, qualification completeness, and compliance prior to production ramp-up.

• Design for Additive Manufacturability (DfAM): Collaborate with engineering teams to provide quality and manufacturability input, including build orientation, support strategy, downskin parameter effects, and as-built surface finish implications. Represent process capability and quality risk during design reviews.

• Continuous Improvement: Define quality improvement priorities across AM operations. Collaborate with M&P and cross-functional teams on execution of improvement initiatives using Six Sigma, FMEA, SPC, and Lean methodologies. Ensure gaps in process capability, measurement systems, and documentation are identified and closed.

• Team Leadership: Build and lead a team of AM quality engineers. Set execution cadence, coach technical development, and ensure fast, rigorous response to quality issues.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Materials, Industrial, or related); Master's degree is a plus.

• 8+ years of experience in additive manufacturing quality engineering, with direct, hands-on experience qualifying equipment and processes for aerospace, defense, or spaceflight applications.

• Deep expertise in at least one of the following AM modalities, with working knowledge of the other: (a) Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB), including machine qualification, laser diagnostics, and powder management; or (b) Directed Energy Deposition (DED), including WAAM process qualification, arc-based process controls, and wire feedstock management. This role will be responsible for qualification across both modalities.

• Demonstrated experience executing IQ, OQ, and MQ on AM machines, including build layout