ABOUT THIS ROLE The Director of Hardware Quality leads the end-to-end quality strategy for our software-enabled security systems, managing a dedicated team of a dozen quality professionals. This role requires a leader with a pedigree from world-class, highly regulated manufacturing environments (such as aerospace, defense, automotive, or medical devices) who knows how to successfully adapt and right-size those sophisticated principles for an agile, mid-sized company.
With a heavy emphasis on supplier quality management, you will ensure external components meet rigorous standards before reaching assembly. You will oversee quality assurance across product development, global component sourcing, factory assembly, and field performance, bridging traditional mechanical ruggedness with advanced electronic and software integration.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES - Supplier Quality Management: Drive vendor qualification, conducting rigorous audits of external suppliers manufacturing custom, made-to-spec components.
- Electronics & Electro-Mechanical Focus: Establish incoming quality standards, inspection protocols, and testing criteria specifically for printed circuit boards (PCBs), custom wiring harnesses, and solar power components.
- Specification Alignment: Partner with Engineering to translate complex engineering drawings, schematics, and technical specifications into actionable supplier quality requirements.
- QMS Maturity: Elevate our existing ISO 9001 systems by injecting world-class quality frameworks (e.g., AS9100 or ISO 13485 mindsets) optimized for a mid-sized footprint.
- Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of a dozen quality and reliability engineers and inspectors.
- New Product Introduction (NPI): Partner with Product Management, Hardware Engineering, Software Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Sourcing to embed supplier reliability testing and First Article Inspections (FAI) during early-stage product design.
- Factory Operations: Oversee incoming material inspections and define baseline testing protocols for the assembly floor.
- Field Reliability: Analyze warranty data to trace field failures back to supplier or manufacturing root causes.
OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE - Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Experience: 8+ years in hardware quality engineering, with 3+ years managing multi-disciplinary quality teams.
- Environmental Pedigree: Direct experience working within a world-class manufacturing sector characterized by rigorous quality standards, such as aerospace (AS9100), medical devices (ISO 13485), or automotive (IATF 16949).
- Mid-Sized Adaptability: Proven track record of scaling or implementing these structured quality principles within a less mature, fast-paced, mid-sized company without introducing corporate paralysis.
- Supplier Management: Comprehensive experience managing global supply chains, vendor corrective actions (SCARs), and supplier audits.
- ISO 9001 Mastery: Direct experience maintaining and auditing compliance within an ISO 9001 certified environment.
- IoT/Software Familiarity: Working knowledge of how hardware interacts with embedded firmware and cloud-connected software.
- Methodologies: Advanced mastery of Root Cause Analysis (8D), FMEA, Lean Six Sigma, and supplier statistical process control (SPC).
- Travel: Ability to travel up to 15% to visit domestic and international supplier sites.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- Six Sigma Black Belt or ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) / Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP).
- Experience with solar power budgets, battery storage systems, or cellular/satellite telemetry hardware.
BENEFITSWe believe you do your best work when your whole life is supported. We invest in our crew's health, families, and financial futures with a benefits package designed to support you inside and outside the office. Full-time benefits include, but not limited to: Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits (401k match up to 4%), and flexible PTO.
