Manufacturing Quality Engineer

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

We are seeking a Manufacturing Quality Engineer to build and scale the quality systems that support satellite production from first article through repeatable manufacturing. In this role, you will be the bridge between engineering intent, manufacturing execution, and product acceptance.

You will not just inspect hardware after the fact. You will define the controls, checkpoints, and response systems that allow high-reliability space hardware to be built correctly the first time. We are looking for an engineer who is equally comfortable interpreting drawings and specifications, building practical inspection strategies, driving Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA), and partnering directly with manufacturing on the floor.

What you'll Do

• Quality Strategy: Own in-process and final quality strategies for spacecraft, payload, and subsystem builds.

• Inspection Planning: Translate engineering drawings, GD&T, BOMs, and manufacturing plans into practical inspection and verification checkpoints in our digital work instructions.

• Process Controls: Develop and maintain receiving, in-process, and outgoing inspection procedures for spaceflight hardware.

• Issue Resolution: Drive nonconformance management, containment, root cause analysis, ECRs, ECOs, MRB and corrective and preventive actions.

• Manufacturing Partnership: Work with engineers to ensure assembly procedures, digital travelers, and work instructions include effective quality controls.

• Critical Characteristics: Establish critical-to-quality features, inspection frequencies, and acceptance criteria for production and NPI builds.

• MRB Support: Lead disposition support and cross-functional issue closure with design, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.

• Measurement Systems: Build measurement confidence through gage selection, method validation, and MSA / Gage R&R where appropriate.

• Trend Analysis: Analyze yield loss, defect trends, and recurring escapes to improve process stability and hardware readiness.

• Production Scaling: Help scale Xona’s quality infrastructure from early builds to repeatable production systems.

Required Qualifications:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or equivalent practical experience

• 3+ years of experience in manufacturing quality, product quality, or quality engineering in aerospace, defense, automotive, medical device, or other high-reliability industries

• Experience with mechanical assemblies, electro-mechanical systems, or spacecraft / aviation hardware

• Strong ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, and assembly documentation

• Experience with nonconformance management, RCCA, Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA), and cross-functional issue resolution

• Familiarity with receiving, in-process, and final inspection methods

• Perform PCB and machine vendor audits

• Hands-on experience with metrology tools such as calipers, micrometers, torque tools, optical systems, CMM, or portable measurement systems

• Comfortable working directly with technicians and engineers in a fast-moving production environment

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience supporting NPI and early production ramp in a startup or low-volume high-complexity environment

• Experience with PFMEA, control plans, SPC, capability analysis, and production risk reduction

• Experience with ERP / MES systems and configuration-controlled manufacturing records

• Familiarity with supplier quality, incoming inspection planning, and Supplier Corrective

• Action Request (SCAR) workflows

• Knowledge of spaceflight, avionics, battery systems, propulsion systems, or other mission-critical hardware

• Experience building quality processes where little formal infrastructure existed before

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.