Senior Quality Engineer, Rocket Motor Systems

Department: Manufacturing : Rocket Motor Systems Production : Quality

About the Role

Anduril's Rocket Motor Systems group is seeking a Sr Quality Engineer to join our team in McHenry Mississippi. The Rocket Motor Systems team designs, develops, and manufactures next-generation solid rocket motors for defense and space applications at Anduril.

As a Sr. Quality Engineer, you will work inside and outside the organization to define, develop and execute processes that deliver reliable products. The right person for this role has expert knowledge of manufacturing, test, quality assurance, and quality planning, with drive for continuous improvement. If you are someone who loves to build world-class Quality processes, work hands-on in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, and be accountable for results, then this role is for you.

What You'll Do

• Develop and implement scalable quality processes for new solid rocket motor programs, from initial design through qualification and acceptance testing, ensuring quality requirements are embedded at each development gate rather than applied retroactively.
• Define and own the quality framework for test operations, including static fire, component-level, and subscale motor testing - establishing standardized procedures for test readiness reviews, test execution, and post-test data review.
• Engage directly with test facility instrumentation and data acquisition systems to validate measurement chains (load cells, pressure transducers, thermocouples, strain gauges) and ensure sensor selection, placement, calibration, and sampling rates produce data with quantified measurement uncertainty.
• Lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) investigations for test anomalies, nonconformances, and off-nominal motor performance using structured methodologies (fault trees, fishbone diagrams, 8D) with an emphasis on preventing recurrence.
• Support the buildout and qualification of new test facilities and manufacturing cells by defining quality infrastructure requirements including controlled environments, calibration programs, data acquisition validation protocols, and traceability systems.
• Own the quality data architecture for test campaigns, ensuring that test parameters, environmental conditions, and material traceability are captured in a structured, searchable format that supports engineering analysis, lot acceptance, and fleet reliability trending.
• Represent quality engineering in design reviews, test readiness reviews (TRRs), and milestone gate reviews, providing independent assessment of risk and readiness with the authority to hold hardware when quality criteria are not met.
• Collaborate with design engineering during the development lifecycle to flow quality requirements into drawings, specifications, and acceptance criteria - ensuring testability, inspectability, and critical-to-quality (CTQ) characteristics are defined before hardware is built.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Aerospace, Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Manufacturing), Quality Management, or a related technical field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in Quality Engineering, with a significant portion in a Test Quality or Research & Development Quality role within the aerospace, defense, automotive, or other highly regulated hardware development and manufacturing industries.
• Demonstrated expertise in interpreting and implementing industry quality standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO9001) and customer-specific flow-down requirements.
• Strong proficiency in quality tools and methodologies including Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Corrective and Preventative Actions (CAPA), Nonconformance management, FAI (AS9102), GD&T, Control Plans, and Inspection Plans.
• Experience with Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) or equivalent qualification methodologies.
• Ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings, specifications, and contractual documents.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of an organization and with external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead, drive initiatives autonomously, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI and automation tools to streamline quality processes, reduce cycle time in documentation and analysis, and scale quality operations in a high-growth environment.
• Must be able to obtain a Federal Explosives License through the BATFE.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant certifications (e.g., ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Lean Six Sigma Green (LSSGB) or Black Belt (LSSBB), Project Management Professional (PMP), AS9100 Certified Lead Auditor).
• Direct experience interfacing with government representatives such as DCMA (Defense Contract Management Agency) Quality Assurance Representatives.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., Oracle) and PLM software.
• Experience as a Project Manager.
• Experience with statistical process control (SPC) and advanced statistical analysis.
• Experience creating quality plans, product control plans (PCP), and inspection plans (IP) from internal and external requirements.