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Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company developing autonomous systems, aircraft, and simulation technologies for military and civilian protection. This role leads the quality function for the X-BAT aircraft program at Shield AI's Seattle facility, spanning prototype development through production launch and rate ramp.
You will own three interconnected areas:
**Build Quality into Prototype and Launch:** Lead quality planning and execution for X-BAT prototype and development builds, establishing inspection protocols, test evidence, and build records as designs evolve. Partner with Engineering and Manufacturing to identify product and process risks, define critical controls, and embed quality requirements into tooling and test plans. Establish configuration and traceability controls to track each aircraft's build status, deviations, and nonconformances. Capture lessons from build, integration, and test issues and drive their incorporation into design changes and future builds. Define quality readiness criteria for pre-series builds and production launch, validating inspection methods, process controls, workforce competence, and closure of significant risks.
**Establish the Seattle Quality Operation:** Recruit, develop, and lead the quality team, building technical capability and frontline support as aircraft production grows. Establish and maintain a lean, effective Quality Management System (QMS) for X-Forge 3, aligned with Shield AI's framework, AS9100, ISO 9001, and customer requirements. Lead certification readiness and internal, customer, and external audits, driving timely closure and sustained effectiveness of corrective actions. Set up receiving, in-process, and final inspection capability, including measurement equipment, calibration, training, and quality records.
**Deliver Quality at Rate:** Own production quality performance using first-pass yield, defects, rework, and escapes to focus action where it improves aircraft quality and production flow. Lead containment, root cause analysis, and corrective action for manufacturing quality issues with clear functional ownership and verification that fixes prevent recurrence. Own the nonconformance and Material Review Board (MRB) process, ensuring disposition decisions follow approved technical authority and hardware remains controlled. Partner with Supply Chain and supplier quality teams to resolve incoming quality issues and improve supplier performance. Work with Engineering and Production to define acceptance evidence and ensure aircraft meet approved requirements before release. Use digital quality tools and manufacturing data to strengthen traceability, expose trends, and reduce manual administration as production scales. Provide leadership with clear visibility of quality performance, product risks, and readiness; escalate or stop affected work when requirements or product integrity cannot be assured.
**Requirements:**
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, quality, or a related technical field
- 10+ years of leadership experience in quality, product assurance, or reliability within aerospace, defense technology, or high-reliability manufacturing
- Demonstrated success leading quality through prototype or new product introduction and into sustained production
- Proven ability to build and scale quality teams and systems while supporting fast-paced development and manufacturing operations
- Deep expertise in containment, root cause analysis, MRB, corrective and preventive action, and continuous improvement
- Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and ISO 9001, with practical implementation and audit leadership experience
- Experience with complex assembly, inspection, configuration control, traceability, and product acceptance
- Ability to influence and challenge senior leaders constructively across Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain
- Hands-on leadership style and sound technical judgment, balancing timely execution with clear quality standards and accountability
**Preferred Qualifications:**
- Direct experience taking a new aircraft program from prototype through production launch and rate ramp
- Experience establishing quality capability at a new manufacturing facility or transferring production between sites
- Experience in aircraft final assembly, systems integration, production test, and reliability improvement
- Experience deploying digital quality systems, statistical process controls, and data-driven defect prevention
- Advanced degree in engineering, quality, or a related technical discipline
