# Staff Engineer, Quality Assurance

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** Wichita, KS
**Role:** QA Engineering
**Salary:** $110k – $160k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** quality engineering, Root Cause Analysis, corrective action, nonconformance management, as9100, iso9001, fmea, first article inspection, aerospace systems, configuration management
**Posted:** 2026-07-30

> Lead quality assurance for Shield AI's X-BAT weapons system program, performing inspections, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and process improvements for hardware, manufacturing, suppliers, and flight testing in a fast-paced aerospace environment. Requires 5-10+ years in aerospace quality or test engineering, strong analytical skills, and cross-functional collaboration.

## Job Description

## What you'll do

- Support quality planning, inspections, readiness, and acceptance activities for the weapons system and subsystems
- Review engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, inspection plans, and acceptance criteria
- Develop and maintain quality documentation, including inspection plans, control plans, first article inspections, nonconformance reports, corrective actions, and quality records
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action efforts for manufacturing defects, supplier issues, test failures, process/procedure failures, and any other quality concerns
- Support material review board activities, disposition of nonconforming material, and implementation of containment actions
- Work with manufacturing and engineering teams to build process capability and product reliability
- Analyze quality data, defect trends, performance, and escape rates to identify improvement opportunities
- Participate in supplier quality activities, including issue resolution, corrective actions, and quality flow-down requirements
- Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace, defense, customer, and internal quality requirements
- Promote a culture of safety, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement

## Required qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in science, Engineering, Technology, and Math (STEM), Quality Engineering or related field, or similar experience levels supporting developmental test operations
- 5-10 years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned/manned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
- Experience in quality engineering, ground and flight test execution, maintenance, manufacturing engineering, supplier quality, production support, or aerospace hardware
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, bills of materials, work instructions, and inspection requirements
- Proven experience with nonconformance management, root cause analysis, corrective action, trend analysis, and quality documentation
- Familiarity with inspection methods, measurement tools, and manufacturing processes used in aerospace or complex hardware integration and development test environments
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, test operations, supply chain, and program leadership
- Maintains liaison with manufacturing, engineering, material management, suppliers to resolve quality problems
- Detail-oriented approach with a strong commitment to product quality and process discipline
- Ability to work in a fast-paced ground and flight test environment
- Willingness to travel and work outdoors at test ranges and other program requirements
- Overtime and weekend coverage as required

## Preferred qualifications

- 10+ years of experience with developmental and/or operational ground and flight test, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft integration, or aerospace systems engineering
- Knowledge of AS9100, ISO9001, FAA, DoD, and other aerospace and defense quality standards
- Experience with first article inspections
- Experience supporting prototype aircraft, weapon systems, or mission critical aerospace systems
- Familiarity with configuration management, drawing release processes, and engineering change processes
- Experience using quality tools such as 8D, 5 Why’s, Fishbone diagrams, FMEA, control plans, or process capability analysis
- Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, or related certification

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