Senior Quality Engineer Electro-Mechanical Assembly

Who we are

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America’s drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands-on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems the West needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter the adversaries of democracy.

What you will be doing

As a Senior Quality Engineer at Neros, you'll own electro-mechanical build quality across the factory as we scale production, from motors, harnesses, and mechanisms through the finished vehicle. You'll be the technical authority on electro-mechanical quality, leading the response when assembly or integration issues show up on the line and working with manufacturing and engineering to contain them, find the root cause, and make sure every unit survives and performs in contested environments.

We're looking for an experienced, hands-on engineer with deep electro-mechanical hardware manufacturing experience, a proactive, ownership-driven approach to solving problems, and a proven ability to lead in fast-moving production environments.

Responsibilities

• Own electro-mechanical quality across the factory as the technical authority on workmanship and acceptance, from components and sub-assemblies such as motors, harnesses, and mechanisms through final vehicle assembly
• Act as first responder for quality issues on the line: disposition defects, contain suspect product, and drive electro-mechanical nonconformances through MRB to closure
• Lead MRB for electro-mechanical nonconformances and lead containment on high-impact escapes
• Lead root cause investigations on electro-mechanical defects in partnership with engineering, and verify that fixes hold on the line
• Define the electro-mechanical quality metrics and SPC strategy, and work with software teams to build them into production systems and dashboards
• Run build quality reviews with production and engineering leadership, setting priorities based on risk and impact
• Set the inspection and test strategy for electro-mechanical assembly: where to inspect, sample, or error-proof, and when to remove inspection as processes prove capable
• Drive design for quality (DFQ) during new product introduction and design changes so line data and lessons learned shape new components and assemblies before they reach production
• Own the factory measurement and calibration program, including gauges, torque tools, and Gage R&R, and the workmanship certification program, including audits and compliance
• Mentor quality engineers and technicians and help build the quality team as production scales

You should have the following

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering
• 5+ years in a quality, manufacturing, reliability, or design engineering role supporting electro-mechanical hardware production
• Experience with GD&T and hands-on metrology, including calipers, height gauges, CMM, and visual inspection
• Experience with electro-mechanical assembly processes, such as fastening and torque control, thread locking, connector mating, harness routing and strain relief, potting and staking, and adhesive bonding, and their common defect modes
• Track record leading root cause and corrective action (RCCA) to closure on production lines, using structured problem solving (8D, 5 Whys, fishbone), PFMEA, control plans, FAI (AS9102 or similar), and SPC
• Proficiency in SQL and Python, including building queries, dashboards, or tools that others use to track production quality

Nice to have

• Experience scaling high-volume production of electro-mechanical systems through a ramp or new factory stand-up
• Experience leading MRB for electro-mechanical hardware
• Strong working knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620 as it applies to cable, harness, and connector workmanship
• Experience building or managing a measurement and calibration program
• Familiarity with brushless motors, including bearings, balancing, winding and lead termination, and common failure modes
• Understanding of vibration, shock, and thermal effects on assembled hardware and how to design inspections and screens around them
• Comfort on the bench with multimeters, power supplies, and basic motor and continuity testing
• Familiarity with composites, machining, injection molding, and additive manufacturing processes and their common defect modes
• Experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality systems in a defense or aerospace environment
• Experience mentoring engineers or technicians
• Familiarity with drones, RC aircraft, or FPV hardware. If you’ve built quads from a bare frame and tracked down why one kept losing a motor mid-flight, we want to hear about it

US Salary Range

$161,500 - $226,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.