Senior Build Reliability Engineer

Los Angeles, CA Area – Relocation Assistance Provided

The Company

Our client is a rapidly growing startup defense company that brings a new and innovative approach to the development and production of defense systems. They focus on short, iterative design cycles, with rapid developmental testing and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale.

The Job

Our client is seeking a Senior Build Reliability Engineer to lead initiatives aimed at continuous improvement in the reliability and quality of their products. You will develop and implement internal processes and manufacturing software to optimize development and production workflows and ensure high-quality output. You will guide teams in conducting reliability assessments, implementing preventative measures, and addressing quality issues through root cause analyses and corrective actions, all while ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Functions

Design and Manufacturing

• Work closely with design, manufacturing, and operations teams to ensure reliability and quality considerations are integrated into all phases of the product lifecycle.
• Participate in Design and Build Reviews to ensure design for manufacturability and inspectability.
• Reviews and approves Process Plans, specifications, and build documentation for completeness, accuracy, regulatory compliance, and quality objectives.
• Support the development and implementation of internal processes and manufacturing software to optimize production efficiency, product quality, and change control.
• Facilitate the engineering change control process (ECR/ECO) with a focus on traceability and impact alignment to maintain clean configuration genealogy.

Inspection and Test Process

• Ensure appropriate test validation methods and inspection techniques have been considered to validate design and manufacturing processes.
• Develop and implement Quality Control Processes, and Standards, and Planning, ensuring compliance with internal and external standards and regulations.
• Design or procures new measurement equipment as required to achieve required inspections with maximum efficiency.
• Validates measurement and tests methods using process capability and measurement systems analysis (MSA) statistical tools. Propose solutions to remove the need to verify product conformance through measurement, e.g. poka-yoke.

Evaluates and analyzes production quality landscape

• Utilize reliability and quality data to generate reports, identify trends, and recommend improvements to enhance product and process reliability and performance.
• Uses data to make landscape transparent and drive project prioritization. Responsible for ensuring that issues related to product reliability are primary focus.
• Drives achievement of quality targets through a review hierarchy with appropriate levels of management.

Corrective Action Preventive Action

• Utilize reliability and quality data to generate reports, identify trends, and recommend improvements to enhance product and process reliability and performance.
• Leverage tools like FMEA and statistical analysis to identify and prevent quality and reliability issues.
• Leads, facilitates, and participates in root cause investigations and ensure appropriate action to prevent recurrence.

Nonconformance Management

• Support review of all nonconformance conditions for adequate resolution and rationale prior to closure.
• Lead containment functions to include impact and risk analysis.
• Oversee control of all non-conforming hardware

Compliance and Training

• Support efforts to implement and adhere to Quality Management System policies and other regulatory requirements.
• Facilitate creation of training plans and materials for technician and inspector competency.
• Develop training materials and provide support to end-users to ensure effective utilization of manufacturing and management system software.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing product reliability and risk mitigation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4+ years in reliability and/or quality engineering role

Preferred Skills

• Experience in aerospace or defense/government programs is highly desirable.
• Experience with implementation and enhancement of Manufacturing Enterprise Software.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical information to diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a track record of implementing effective solutions to complex reliability and quality challenges.
• Experience supporting diverse, high volume, production teams during production ramp-up.
• Knowledge of quality tools such as Lean principles, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action, Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Metrology, Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Control Plans, and various problem-solving approaches.
• Dedicated to adopting a Lean approach to quality without compromising safety or reliability.