Director of Quality

About Mach Industries Founded in 2022, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next‑generation autonomous defense platforms. With a workforce of approximately 220 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition. The Role Build and lead a world‑class quality organization that ensures every product we design, manufacture, and test performs flawlessly in mission‑critical environments. This role owns quality across the full lifecycle, from incoming materials to flight readiness, and is responsible for establishing the systems, culture, and execution rigor required to scale production without sacrificing reliability. Key Responsibilities Lead all aspects of quality across manufacturing, receiving inspection, quality engineering, and reliability engineering. Establish a single, unified quality operating system across development and production. Build and manage a high‑performing team of inspectors and quality leads embedded in production. Define inspection strategies (risk‑based, critical feature‑driven versus blanket inspection). Drive transition from inspection‑heavy to process‑capable manufacturing. Own receiving inspection and supplier acceptance strategy, define supplier qualification, audit, and performance systems. Drive supplier quality improvement through SCARs, on‑site audits, and process validation. Reduce incoming inspection burden via supplier certification and trust models. Lead root‑cause and corrective action (RCCA) processes across the factory. Own nonconformance management (NCR/MRB systems). Drive statistical process control (SPC) and process capability (Cp/Cpk). Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to eliminate variation, improve yields, and scale processes to rate. Define clear quality ownership boundaries between engineering and production. Lead failure investigations from test and flight anomalies and ensure rapid feedback loops from test to design to manufacturing. Define and enforce flight readiness quality criteria. Build a pragmatic, high‑velocity QMS—not bureaucratic, but disciplined—including change control systems, configuration management alignment with engineering, and traceability. Establish clear quality gates tied to TRL/MRL and production readiness, and ensure audit readiness for internal and external audits. Build a culture of accountability over blame, speed with rigor, and data‑driven decision making. Recruit, develop, and retain top‑tier quality and reliability talent. Serve as a strong cross‑functional partner to Manufacturing, Design Engineering, Test & Flight Ops, and Supply Chain. Basic Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field. 8+ years of experience in manufacturing quality, quality engineering, or reliability engineering. 5+ years of experience leading high‑performing technical teams in a production environment. Experience operating in high‑reliability industries (aerospace, defense, automotive, energy, etc.). Preferred Qualifications Experience scaling from prototype to production (NPI through rate production). Deep experience in RCCA / 8D / 5 Whys, SPC and process capability, and failure analysis (mechanical, electrical, or systems‑level). Familiarity with AS9100 / ISO9001 frameworks (without over‑reliance on bureaucracy) and digital quality systems / MES integration. Demonstrated ability to stand up quality organizations from scratch and to drive measurable improvements in yield, reliability, and cost. Experience working tightly with manufacturing engineering and design teams in fast‑paced environments. Disclosures This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Offer of employment may be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these laws without sponsorship for an export license. Benefits The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Highly competitive equity grants are included in many offers and are considered part of the total compensation package. Benefits include health insurance, retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development. Equal Opportunity Employer Mach is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law. Mach complies with all applicable E‑Verify and Form I‑9 requirements. #J-18808-Ljbffr Mach Industries