Quality Engineer Electro-Mechanical Assembly

Who we are

Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America’s drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands-on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.

As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems the West needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter the adversaries of democracy.

What you will be doing

As a Quality Engineer at Neros, you’ll own electro-mechanical build quality across the factory as we scale production, from motors, harnesses, and mechanisms through the finished vehicle. You’ll be the first call when an assembly or integration issue shows up on the line, working with manufacturing and engineering to contain it, find the root cause, and make sure every unit survives and performs in contested environments.

We’re looking for a hands-on engineer with electro-mechanical hardware manufacturing experience, a proactive, ownership-driven approach to solving problems, and a proven ability to perform in fast-moving production environments.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day electro-mechanical build quality across the factory as the go-to engineer for any assembly and integration issue that surfaces, from components and sub-assemblies such as motors, harnesses, and mechanisms through final vehicle assembly

• Act as first responder for quality issues on the line: disposition defects, contain suspect product, and run MRB for electro-mechanical nonconformances

• Lead root cause investigations on electro-mechanical defects in partnership with engineering, and verify that fixes hold on the line

• Track line metrics (FPY, defect Pareto, scrap and rework, escapes) and use SPC to catch drift before it becomes a failure

• Run regular build quality reviews on defect trends and drive the top issues to closure

• Partner with manufacturing and engineering to add in-line checks and error-proofing where the data calls for it, reducing inspection as processes prove capable

• Drive design for quality (DFQ) by feeding line defect data and inspection findings back to engineering to improve manufacturability and reduce defects

• Create and maintain inspection plans and first article inspections for new builds, design revisions, and process changes

• Review work instructions and inspection criteria to keep requirements clear, objective, and verifiable

• Certify inspectors and operators to workmanship standards, and own and audit the measurement and calibration program, including gauges, torque tools, and Gage R&R, across the factory

You should have the following

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering

• 2+ years in a quality, manufacturing, reliability, or design engineering role on electro-mechanical hardware

• Experience with GD&T and hands-on metrology, including calipers, height gauges, CMM, and visual inspection

• Experience with electro-mechanical assembly processes, such as fastening and torque control, thread locking, connector mating, harness routing and strain relief, potting and staking, and adhesive bonding, and their common defect modes

• Proficiency in SQL and Python, including querying production databases and analyzing manufacturing and test data

Nice to have

• Experience supporting high-volume production of electro-mechanical systems such as drones, robotics, automotive, or consumer hardware, ideally during a production ramp

• Working knowledge of RCCA and structured problem solving (8D, 5 Whys, fishbone), PFMEA, control plans, FAI (AS9102 or similar), and SPC

• Strong working knowledge of IPC/WHMA-A-620 as it applies to cable, harness, and connector workmanship

• Familiarity with brushless motors, including bearings, balancing, winding and lead termination, and common failure modes

• Understanding of vibration, shock, and thermal effects on assembled hardware and how to design inspections and screens around them

• Comfort on the bench with multimeters, power supplies, and basic motor and continuity testing

• Familiarity with composites, machining, injection molding, and additive manufacturing processes and their common defect modes

• Experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality systems in a defense or aerospace environment

• Familiarity with drones, RC aircraft, or FPV hardware. If you’ve built quads from a bare frame and tracked down why one kept losing a motor mid-flight, we want to hear about it

US Salary Range

$100,500 - $162,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.