Senior Quality Engineering Manager

Your work here has global impact. From developing sonar and radar systems to advancing unmanned and undersea platforms our technologies empower the U.S. Navy and allied forces to operate in some of the worlds most complex environments.

As the maritime and underwater battlespace evolves we continue to push boundariesdriven by innovation accountability and a shared commitment to excellence.

Join us as we shape the future of naval warfaresafeguarding the seas and strengthening navies worldwide.

Nationality Requirements

Due to the nature of the programs we support certain roles may require candidates to meet U.S. nationality requirements and be eligible to obtain a security clearance.

Position Summary

Your mission: As the Senior Quality Manager Programs you will lead Quality Assurance across an assigned portfolio of complex defense programs and product families. You will be accountable for product assurance contractual and customer compliance technical Quality Engineering program risk customer readiness and the performance and development of VSM-Aligned Quality Partners and other assigned Quality Engineers.

You will serve as the senior Quality partner to Program Management Value Stream leadership Engineering Operations Supply Chain Supplier Quality Configuration Management and our customers. You will help teams understand and meet program and business commitments while maintaining independent Quality judgment and ensuring that product conformity objective evidence and customer requirements are never compromised by schedule pressure.

This role is ideal for a seasoned Quality leader who understands how to operate in a fast-paced cross-functional defense environment; can balance technical contractual schedule cost delivery and customer priorities; and can develop Quality Engineers into true senior technical partners rather than routine inspection resources.

Job Description

What Youll Be Accountable For

• Lead Program Quality strategy and execution across assigned programs and product families ensuring Quality plans align with contract requirements customer expectations technical risk production schedules delivery commitments and business objectives.
• Serve as the senior Quality representative to Program Managers VSM leaders Engineering Operations Supply Chain Supplier Quality Configuration Management and customer or government Quality representatives.
• Maintain clear visibility of Quality risks that could affect product performance compliance cost schedule revenue delivery or customer acceptance and drive timely cross-functional recovery actions.
• Ensure contract requirements statements of work specifications drawings quality clauses data-item requirements and customer direction are correctly interpreted flowed down implemented verified and supported by objective evidence.
• Lead preparation and Quality readiness for customer and government inspections source inspections audits formal acceptance events corrective-action responses and other customer-facing activities.
• Maintain effective working relationships with DCMA Department of Defense customers prime contractors and other customer Quality organizations.
• Lead coach prioritize and develop VSM-Aligned Quality Partners and other assigned Quality Engineers as senior technical and cross-functional business partners.
• Establish clear program assignments technical expectations deliverables escalation thresholds and decision authority for Quality Engineering personnel.
• Ensure Quality Engineers focus primarily on prevention technical analysis process assurance risk reduction corrective action readiness configuration assurance and program support rather than routine inspection.
• Partner with the Quality Operations Manager to ensure routine Receiving In-Process Final and other inspection activities are properly staffed and that QE inspection support is limited to technically appropriate or temporary business-risk situations.
• Develop employees transitioning from inspection-centered work into true Quality Engineering through planned technical assignments mentoring competency reviews and progressive removal from routine inspection activity.
• Provide program-level technical leadership for significant complex recurring high-risk or customer-visible nonconformances.
• Ensure MRB inputs and dispositions are technically sound and appropriately consider form fit function performance reliability configuration contractual requirements customer impact schedule cost precedent and delegated authority.
• Ensure rework instructions repair approaches retest requirements use-as-is justifications and other dispositions are supported by adequate technical analysis and approved by the appropriate functions.
• Partner with Quality Operations to maintain an effective MRB cadence prioritize aging nonconformances remove technical barriers to disposition and escalate stalled or high-risk items.
• Lead or sponsor root-cause and corrective-action investigations for systemic or high-impact issues and verify that actions address cause prevent recurrence and are effective.
• Assess product and process risk throughout design procurement manufacturing assembly integration test inspection and delivery.
• Ensure appropriate Quality planning for new products new suppliers first articles production transfers process changes software/firmware changes facility changes and configuration changes.
• Review manufacturing inspection and test planning to verify that critical characteristics acceptance criteria special processes and required objective evidence are adequately controlled.
• Lead or support production readiness reviews first-article activities process qualification test readiness configuration reviews and customer acceptance preparation.
• Drive Quality controls upstream promote defect prevention and mistake-proofing and reduce reliance on final inspection as the primary means of assuring conformity.
• Partner with Supplier Quality and Supply Chain to identify and mitigate supplier risks ensure appropriate flow-down of customer and technical requirements and support supplier corrective-action and recovery activities.
• Establish and monitor meaningful program Quality metrics including first-pass yield cost of poor quality escapes nonconformance aging corrective-action effectiveness supplier performance audit results and customer acceptance readiness.
• Convert Quality data into analysis risk identification priorities and accountable actions rather than simply reporting counts.
• Present clear fact-based Quality status risks impacts and recommended actions during program operating readiness and leadership reviews.
• Exercise independent Quality judgment within delegated authority and recommend product hold containment additional verification corrective action customer notification or other risk-reduction measures when warranted.
• Challenge incomplete objective evidence inadequate corrective actions unsupported MRB dispositions and readiness claims that do not demonstrate conformity.
• Build a culture in which product conformity is designed and built into the process owned cross-functionally and not inspected into the product at the end.

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelors degree in Engineering Quality Manufacturing or a related technical discipline or an equivalent combination of technical education and relevant experience.
• Typically 10 years of progressive experience in Quality Engineering Program Quality Manufacturing Engineering Supplier Quality Systems Engineering or a regulated production environment including demonstrated leadership responsibility.
• Proven experience leading senior technical professionals and influencing complex cross-functional technical or manufacturing organizations.
• Strong working knowledge of nonconformance control MRB root-cause analysis corrective action configuration-controlled manufacturing product acceptance and objective-evidence requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret engineering drawings specifications contracts statements of work quality clauses and other technical and contractual requirements.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 Quality Management Systems.
• Demonstrated ability to balance product integrity and contractual compliance with program schedule cost delivery revenue and customer commitments.
• Strong written verbal and presentation skills with the ability to communicate risk impact decisions and corrective actions to technical teams business leaders customers and government representatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence create accountability across organizational boundaries and resolve difficult issues without unnecessary escalation.
• Ability and willingness to travel approximately 1020% based on program and customer needs.

Desired Qualifications

• Defense aerospace maritime electronics sonar radar torpedo undersea systems or complex electromechanical manufacturing experience.
• Experience supporting DCMA Department of Defense customers prime contractors government source inspection or formal customer acceptance.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Lean Six Sigma or equivalent credentials.
• Experience with first-article inspection special processes supplier quality statistical analysis test readiness configuration management and production transfer.
• Experience leading and developing senior Quality Engineers or equivalent technical professionals.
• Active DoD Secret clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

Why This Role Matters

The products supported by this organization are delivered into demanding operational environments where quality reliability configuration control and customer confidence matter. As the Senior Quality Manager Programs you will shape how Quality supports the businessmoving the organization from inspection-centered execution toward stronger prevention technical ownership risk management and cross-functional accountability.

You will have the opportunity to influence program decisions develop the next generation of senior Quality professionals strengthen customer and government confidence and ensure that the products we deliver are supported by sound engineering judgment and complete objective evidence.

Expected Compensation: The expected compensation range for this role is

$184288.00 - $230256.00.

Please note this represents the expected range. Ultra Maritime considers multiple factors when determining final compensation including the scope and responsibilities of the role a candidates relevant experience and education certifications and training as well as current business and market conditions.

What Ultra Maritime Offers You

At Ultra Maritime we invest in our employees and their well-being:

• Climate controlled well-lit and clean work environment!

• Work/life balance that includes up to 140 hours PTO for first year

• 8 Paid Holidays with 3 floating holidays

• 401k Plan with Company Match

• Educational Assistance Program (Tuition Reimbursement)

• Wellness Program and incentives

• Company HSA contributions

• Insurance Benefits that start 1st of the month following hire

• Eligibility in Company Performance-based bonuses annually

• Additional Employee Discounts and Perks

Company-Paid Benefits:

• $75 monthly student loan repayment program

• Basic Life Insurance

• Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance

• Short Term Disability

• Long Term Disability

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Voluntary Employee-Paid Benefits:

• Medical and Prescription insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• Supplemental Life Insurance Plans

• Supplemental AD&D insurance for Employee and Family

• Accident Plan

• Critical Illness Plan

• Hospital Indemnity Plan

• Pet Insurance

• Identity Theft

Reasonable accommodation statement: if you need an accommodation for any part of the application process please email

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ultra Maritime is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing a workplace that is fair respectful and inclusive and we make employment decisions based on qualifications merit and business needs.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex (including pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions) sexual orientation gender identity age national origin ancestry ethnicity marital status disability genetic information protected veteran status citizenship status or any other status protected by applicable federal state or local law.

As a U.S. defense contractor Ultra Maritime maintains strict standards related to integrity compliance and security.

We operate a drug-free workplace and where permitted by law may conduct pre-employment background checks and substance-abuse screening based on role requirements.

Company: Ultra Maritime

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