At Vatn Systems, we design and build cutting-edge Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) that redefine what’s possible in undersea exploration and defense. Our vehicles combine high-performance electro mechanical systems, precision sensors, and advanced software to operate in some of the most demanding environments on Earth.

We are seeking a Quality Manager to build, lead, and scale our quality function as we transition from low rate builds to production at scale. This role owns the quality system end to end, from design through manufacturing, test, supplier quality, and field reliability, ensuring every vehicle we ship performs reliably where failure is not an option.

This is a hands on leadership role for someone who can set strategy, establish systems, and still dive into root cause analysis on the shop floor. You will partner closely with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain to embed quality into how we design and build.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve the company’s quality management system across design, manufacturing, test, and supplier operations
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (RCA/CAPA) for internal, supplier, and field issues
• Define and enforce inspection, test, and acceptance criteria for electro-mechanical assemblies, integrated systems, and final vehicle integration
• Partner with engineering to drive design for manufacturability, reliability, and compliance with defense and marine standards
• Build and manage supplier quality programs, including supplier audits, incoming inspection, SCARs, and first article inspections
• Establish, track, and report key quality metrics such as yield, defect rates, rework, escapes, and reliability trends
• Author and maintain quality documentation including control plans, inspection procedures, test protocols, and work instructions
• Train and mentor technicians, engineers, and supervisors on quality tools, standards, and best practices
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce variation, improve reliability, and enable production scale
• Lead preparation for and support of quality certifications and compliance efforts (ISO 9001, AS9100, defense/marine standards)

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or related engineering discipline
• 7+ years of experience in quality engineering or quality management within a complex electromechanical, robotics, defense, aerospace, or regulated manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience owning quality systems and leading RCA/CAPA efforts in production environments
• Strong working knowledge of inspection methods, measurement systems, and quality tools (GD&T, CMM, IPC, SPC, etc.)
• Solid understanding of ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 quality management systems; defense or marine experience strongly preferred
• Proven ability to work cross functionally with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and test teams
• Strong data driven mindset with the ability to define, analyze, and communicate quality metrics
• Clear communicator who can operate effectively with shop-floor teams and executive leadership
• Comfortable operating in a fast paced environment where processes are being built in parallel with production

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Quality, or related field
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, or equivalent certification
• Experience implementing or scaling ISO 9001 / AS9100 systems in a growing manufacturing organization
• Familiarity with defense, aerospace, or marine standards (e.g., MIL-STD, IPC-J-STD)
• Direct experience with supplier quality management, including audits, PPAP, and first article inspections
• Background in statistical process control, reliability engineering, and failure analysis
• Experience with digital manufacturing systems (ERP/MRP, MES, Palantir Foundry, or similar)
• Track record of building quality organizations in startups or rapid-growth production environments