Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manager

QA/QC Manager

Leidos' Undersea Systems Division is seeking a QA/QC Manager in San Diego, CA to join a fast-paced R&D engineering group. This role is a unique opportunity to drive innovation in underwater vehicle systems, maritime sensors, subsea telemetry, and ISR solutions that support critical defense and national security missions at Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific (NIWC PAC).

Leidos' USD is a recognized leader in C4ISR technologies, delivering innovative, mission-critical solutions across sensor networks, unmanned systems, and tactical platforms. We're known for achieving "industry firsts" in the most challenging maritime domains.

The selected candidate will be part of an elite, top-notch group and will be responsible for establishing, documenting, and enforcing a Quality Management System (QMS) across a multi-disciplinary project that integrates specialized sensor payloads into unmanned systems. This individual will bridge the gap between rapid Research & Development (R&D) cycles and disciplined, repeatable low-volume production requirements within a demanding Navy laboratory environment.

The successful candidate must operate as an architect of process—able to assess current workflows, identify critical risk points (technical, procedural, and regulatory), and develop comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Quality Assurance plans that ensure both mission compliance and scalability under extremely aggressive timelines.

Join us and be part of a world-class team delivering unmatched solutions for today's most pressing maritime missions.

This position will require the candidate to maintain a Secret Clearance.

This position will require the candidate to work onsite at NIWC Pacific on a 9/80B schedule (80 hours of work into nine days over a two-week period, allowing for every other Friday off) to align with the NIWC government team.

Key Responsibilities & Duties:

I. Process Development and Standardization (The Core Function)

• System Documentation: Design, evaluate, and write process documentation, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Work Instructions (WIs), Test Plans, Acceptance Criteria Matrices, and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEAs).
• Bridging R&D to Production: Develop scalable quality checkpoints that transition a system from the exploratory state (R&D prototype) into controlled, repeatable manufacturing processes. This requires creating robust "gates" of quality control.
• Process Optimization: Implement Lean/Six Sigma methodologies and root cause analysis techniques to identify inefficiencies in testing, assembly, and integration workflows, ensuring rapid improvement without compromising military specifications.

II. Quality Assurance & Compliance (The Auditing Function)

• Compliance Oversight: Ensure adherence of all project activities—from initial design reviews through final deployment—to relevant Navy/DoD standards, internal guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Technical Assessment: Oversee the quality assurance framework for two distinct systems:
• Vehicle Systems: Sub-system integration, subsystem testing, and operational readiness verification for both at-sea test events and final deliverable.
• Sensor Payloads: Calibration procedures, data fidelity testing, environmental survivability testing, and interfacing with host systems (vehicle).
• Auditing & Reporting: Conduct systematic internal audits of both processes and finished goods/systems. Maintain an auditable trail of all quality deviations, corrective actions, and preventive measures.

III. Leadership and Training

• Quality Mentorship: Lead the training curriculum for technical personnel on newly established QA/QC procedures and compliance requirements.
• Cross-Functional Mediation: Serve as the central resource regarding "how things are built and tested." Work directly with the Production Leads and technical SMEs to mediate between the pressures of fast R&D progress and the necessary rigor demanded by production quality standards.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify single points of failure (SPOF) in both hardware design and procedural execution, mitigating risks through systemic controls before issues impact mission readiness or schedule milestones.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

Technical Expertise:

• Deep understanding of Quality Management Systems (QMS) theory and practical implementation (e.g., ISO 9001/AS9100) within low-rate production environments.
• Expert knowledge in structured engineering methodologies (e.g., V-Model, Agile, MIL-STD lifecycle processes).
• Demonstrated familiarity with advanced electronics, mechanical assemblies, and mission-critical hardware integration.
• Proficiency in drafting technical documents, including procedure manuals, schematics overlays, and traceability matrices.

Leadership & Process Skills:

• Exceptional ability to structure complex, ambiguous information into simple, actionable, and documented procedures.
• Strong experience managing high-tempo projects with aggressive timelines where established processes are lagging or non-existent.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills; must be able to write documentation suitable for highly technical personnel while communicating risk levels effectively to senior executive leadership.
• Demonstrates a proactive, actionable mindset. Leads in resolving complex quality control challenges, moving beyond identification to actively implementing solutions and drive lasting process improvements alongside cross-functional teams.
• Ability to apply quality standards flexibly and judgmentally within dynamic, rapidly evolving R&D environments, prioritizing systemic risk mitigation over rigid adherence to static procedures when mission requirements dictate a deviation (the ability to think critically outside the SOP).
• Possesses a holistic process view that links initial R&D design decisions directly to final production outcomes. The ability to analyze integrated workflows beyond mere end-product inspection to identify systemic bottlenecks and improve the entire value chain.
• Exhibits an intense, non-negotiable focus on detail and quality while possessing the resourcefulness to rapidly reorganize testing setups, deploy specialized tools, and reallocate personnel based on urgent mission requirements and shifting priorities. The ability to maintain standards without sacrificing operational tempo.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of 7+ years' experience in Quality Assurance/Quality Control management within the Defense, Government Contractor, or specialized high-tech manufacturing sector.
• Sector Experience: Direct, demonstrable experience supporting integrated systems projects involving both advanced R&D prototypes and production-scale hardware units.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field.
• ASQ Certified Quality Manager/Engineer (CQE/CQA)
• Six Sigma Green or Black Belt.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and teamwork abilities.
• Highly organized and able to prioritize tasks for team members.