Senior Quality Engineer

Who we are

Helsing develops artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities to protect and defend democracies. We are growing our US operations, cultivating an ambitious and committed team of mission-driven professionals to apply their skills to solve challenging problems. 

The role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Quality Engineer to help stand up our brand-new manufacturing facility in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and to help write the next chapter of our company's growth story. 

This is more than a job; it's a rare opportunity to build a quality management system from the ground up. As a founding member of our quality engineering team, you'll own the design and implementation of quality processes, control plans, and supplier quality programs that will ensure our products meet the highest standards working hands-on from concept through startup and steady-state production. 

The day-to-day

Quality Process & Control Development 

• Lead and support PFMEA studies to identify process risks and translate findings into robust control plans. 

• Develop and implement receiving inspection plans to ensure incoming materials and components meet quality requirements. 

• Specify, procure, and qualify inspection equipment needed to support in-process and final inspection activities. 

• Establish in-process controls, inspection points, and validation steps that meet product and regulatory requirements. 

• Build and maintain corrective action reporting processes (CAPA) to drive root cause analysis and effective, sustainable resolutions. 

Factory Standup & Production Support 

• Manage the timeline and budget for quality engineering workstreams as part of the broader factory standup effort. 

• Set up and configure MES (Manufacturing Execution System) processes from a quality data and process control perspective, including quality data capture, traceability, and reporting. 

• Support the startup, ramp, and stabilization of production lines, including troubleshooting quality issues in real time. 

• Partner with Supply Chain and suppliers to establish supplier quality control programs, including supplier audits, qualification, and ongoing performance monitoring. 

• Support AS9100 documentation, implementation, and internal/external auditing to ensure the site achieves and maintains certification. 

• Work closely with Manufacturing Engineering and Production to ensure quality requirements are built into process designs and translate into safe, efficient, and scalable operations on the floor. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Serve as a key technical point of contact between Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production teams throughout the factory standup. 

• Support continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies) as the factory matures from startup to full-rate production. 

• Document quality processes, control plans, and lessons learned to build institutional knowledge as the site scales. 

You should apply if you

• BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field 

• 5-10 years of experience in quality engineering, ideally within aviation or automotive manufacturing environments 

• Demonstrated experience supporting PFMEA studies and developing control plans 

• Experience developing receiving inspection plans and procuring inspection equipment 

• Hands-on experience with supplier quality control and support, including supplier audits and qualification 

• AS9100 experience, including documentation support and auditing 

• Experience setting up MES systems from a quality data and process control perspective 

• Strong project management skills, with experience managing timelines and budgets in a fast-paced environment 

• Comfortable working cross-functionally with Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production teams 

• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills 

• U.S. citizenship required 

Note: We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarized in a few bullet points. 

Nice to Have

• Prior experience in drone, UAS, or aerospace/defense manufacturing 

• Experience standing up quality management systems at a greenfield manufacturing facility 

• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement certifications 

• CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, CATIA, or similar) for reviewing part prints and inspection criteria 

• Familiarity with IATF 16949 quality systems in addition to AS9100 

• ASQ certifications (CQE, CMQ/OE, or similar) 

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields 

• Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

• The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

• Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defense industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

• In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

• We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practice responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer

• A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking

• A generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to base salary) that includes, but may not be limited to, insurance coverage (medical and travel), flexible paid time off, paid holidays, and remote and/or hybrid work available depending on position. All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable and as may be amended, terminated or superseded from time to time.

The base salary offered to the successful candidate will be determined by a variety of factors including relevant experience, qualifications, education, skill level, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.   

Helsing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.  Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.