Senior Quality Engineer (Electronics)

Location: Torrance, California, United States

Department: Production

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 electronics build quality across the factory as we scale production, from PCBAs and harnesses to battery packs. You'll be the technical authority on electronics quality, leading the response when 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 electronics hardware manufacturing experience, a proactive, ownership-driven approach to solving problems, and a proven ability to lead in fast-moving production environments.

Responsibilities

• Own electronics quality across the factory as the technical authority on workmanship and acceptance, from PCBA and soldering to harnesses, cables, and battery packs
• Act as first responder for quality issues on the line: disposition defects, contain suspect product, and drive electronics nonconformances through MRB to closure
• Lead MRB for electronics nonconformances and lead containment on high-impact escapes
• Lead root cause investigations on electronics defects in partnership with engineering, and verify that fixes hold on the line
• Define the electronics 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 electronics: 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 boards and assemblies before they reach production
• Own the factory ESD control plan and IPC 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 electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or physics
• 5+ years in a quality, manufacturing, reliability, or electrical design engineering role supporting electronics production
• Experience with SMT processes and inspection (solder paste, reflow, AOI, X-ray, ICT or flying probe) and their common defect modes
• Experience with secondary and post-SMT processes, such as through-hole soldering, component preparation (lead forming, tinning, de-golding), and conformal coating, 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 supporting high-volume electronics production, ideally during a production ramp; experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality systems in defense or aerospace
• Working knowledge of RCCA and structured problem solving (8D, 5 Whys, fishbone), PFMEA, control plans, FAI (AS9102 or similar), and SPC
• Strong working knowledge of IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and IPC/WHMA-A-620; knowledge of ESD control programs (ANSI/ESD S20.20)
• Familiarity with lithium-ion cells and battery pack quality requirements, including cell matching, weld inspection, and BMS verification; comfort with oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, and basic RF test equipment
• Familiarity with drones, RC aircraft, or FPV hardware. If you’ve soldered your own ESCs and debugged your own video feed, 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.