Quality Engineer

Location: Woodland, California, United States

Department: Corporate Ops

Workplace: on_site

Description

What we do

At Terabase Energy, we believe digitalization and automation will drive the next wave of innovation and cost reduction in utility-scale solar. Terabase is developing an interconnected software and construction automation platform supporting the design, optimization, construction, and operation of large solar projects around the world.

Our team includes solar-industry veterans and newcomers, engineers, software developers, product managers, project managers, and commercial professionals. We are headquartered in Northern California, with offices and employees across the United States and around the world.

About The Role

The Quality Engineer ensures quality is built in—not inspected out—across the full lifecycle of mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical products, from new product introduction and incoming material through build, release, and field performance. The Quality Engineer implements and sustains quality engineering controls that ensure Terabase products meet specifications, customer requirements, traceability standards, and ISO 9001 compliance.

The Quality Engineer implements and sustains the quality controls, inspection criteria, and procedures defined in the Terabase Quality Management System. Quality coordinates and provides oversight; Engineering, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain own execution of design, process, and supplier actions.

Accountability & Authorities:

Quality Planning & NPI

• Provide quality input in design and process reviews (manufacturability, inspectability, CTQs, lessons learned).
• Develop and maintain inspection plans, control plans, checklists, and acceptance criteria; execute First Article Inspections (FAI).
• Assess quality impact of engineering changes (ECOs in PLM) and verify effective implementation.

Incoming & Supplier Quality

• Inspect supplier-delivered materials against drawings, specifications, COCs, MTRs, and test certificates; verify part ID, serial, and lot traceability.
• Quarantine nonconforming material (physical and ERP hold) and raise NCRs in the QMS.
• Partner with the Supplier Quality Engineer on recurring supplier issues, SCARs, and supplier FAI submissions.

In-Process & Build Quality

• Conduct staged inspections at key assembly points (fit-up, torque, alignment, wiring and terminations, cable routing and labeling).
• mechanical and electrical build quality through dimensional, continuity, insulation resistance, and functional checks per approved test procedures.
• Monitor First Pass Yield (FPY), track defects through visual factory and daily walkdowns, and escalate repeat workmanship issues to CAPA.
• Confirm latest approved SOPs, drawings, and checklists are in use, and build records are fully traceable.

Release Gates & Final Dispatch

• Support FAT and SAT for assemblies and integrated systems.
• Authorize handover to FAT only when assembly is complete, no NCRs or inspections are open, BOM/revision and hardware/software versions are verified, and build records are uploaded.
• Release products for dispatch after verifying labeling, packaging, customer requirements, FAT approvals, and NCR closure; maintain the dispatch record in the QMS.

Field & Customer Quality

• Support investigation of field failures, installation issues, customer complaints, and warranty returns; feed findings back into design, process, and supplier controls.
• Support customer and owner’s engineer audits and site inspections.

NCR, CAPA & Risk Management

• Log NCRs with full evidence and traceability, coordinate MRB dispositions, and track quarantines.
• Lead root cause analysis (5-Why, Ishikawa, 8D) and verify CAPA effectiveness before closure.
• Maintain PFMEAs and process risk assessments; recommend preventive actions from data trends without owning full preventive strategy.
• Support cost of quality reporting (scrap, rework, warranty).

QMS Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Keep quality records current in the QMS, ERP, and PLM (inspections, NCRs, CAPAs, FAT documentation, approvals) and maintain QMS dashboards for FPY, NCR trends, and CAPA aging.
• Conduct internal process and product audits and support ISO 9001, customer, and supplier audits; maintain calibration control of inspection equipment.
• Drive Lean/Kaizen activities (5S, poka-yoke, standardization) and capture lessons learned for future builds and designs.

Performance measurements:

• Product Quality Performance (FPY, defect rates, escaped defects)
• NCR & CAPA Effectiveness (cycle time, recurrence, on-time closure)
• Build Control, Release Gate & Process Discipline
• Field & Customer Quality (complaints, warranty returns)
• Audit Performance & QMS Compliance
• Continuous Improvement Performance
• QMS / ERP / PLM Data Integrity

Requirements

Competencies & Skills

• Strong in leadership, influence without authority, and conflict management.
• Analytical, data-driven, detail- and process-oriented, with rigor.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including customer- and supplier-facing; collaborative team player.
• Mechanically and electrically inclined, strong technical understanding.
• Experience in operational activities and documentation management.

Mandatory:

• Bachelor’s degree in quality, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent.
• Familiar with quality, mechanical, and electrical standards (ISO 9001, ASME, AWS, UL, NFPA 70/NEC, IPC/WHMA-A-620, local standards, etc.).
• Fluent in English.
• Min 5 years’ experience in a Quality Engineering role in manufacturing.
• Quality experience across mechanical and electrical products (e.g., fabricated and machined parts, electromechanical assemblies, control panels).
• Experience working with QMS, ERP, and PLM systems.
• Demonstrated experience with PFMEA, control plans, FAI, root cause analysis, and CAPA management.
• Working knowledge of Quality Wall, Quality Basics, and Six Sigma tools.

Desirable:

• Master’s degree in quality or engineering, or equivalent.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.
• ISO 9001 Internal or Lead Auditor certification.
• Familiar with a variety of measurement equipment and GD&T.
• Experience across NPI and production phases of electromechanical or energy infrastructure products.
• Experience with field failure analysis, warranty, or customer quality.
• Experience with a range of mechanical, electrical, and control components (e.g., structural hardware, PLC/RTU, networking, power distribution) and their defect modes.
• Experience in internal, supplier, certification, or UL audits.

Benefits

Compensation And Benefits

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within each posted range, individual pay is determined (and may be greater or higher), dependent on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Terabase offers competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous time off and holiday policy

• Remote flexibility

• Flexible time off

• Comprehensive benefits package

• Career progression

• 401k match

• Stock options

• Home office set up allowance

• And much more!

Terabase is an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, hire, employ, train, promote, and compensate individuals based on job-related qualifications and abilities. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

We do not discriminate for any reason including race, color, sex, gender, age, religion or religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military/ veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We offer a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another, our products, the diverse consumers we represent, and the communities we call home.

Principles only. This role is not open to receiving agency candidates, and any contingent submissions will not be considered. Terabase Energy does not utilize third-party recruitment agencies. Please contact our Recruiting team at careers@terabase.energy with any staffing-related inquiries.