Product Quality Engineer - Dive-XL
Anduril Industries · Costa Mesa, CA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Quality
- Travel
- 30%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt preferred
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 2 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level quality role at Anduril Industries (aerospace & defense) in Costa Mesa, CA. Develop, maintain, and improve inspection plans, quality control procedures, and acceptance criteria aligned with engineering drawings and specifications.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required · Black Belt preferred
- Tools it names
- Six Sigma, Black Belt, Root cause, SPC, GD&T, ISO 9001
- Day to day
- about 30% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $100k–$153k.
Median of the low and high ends of 119 live postings that list pay, out of 239 quality engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 238 other live quality postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $100k–$149k, from 115 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 76%
- FMEA 48%
- Supplier quality 43%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 41%
- ✓ AS9100 41%
- ✓ ISO 9001 35%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for SAP, MES, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at Anduril Industries
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Jonathan → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- The posting says about 30% travel. Between which sites?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa
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Product Quality Engineer - Dive-XL at Anduril Industries in other locations
Anduril Industries lists this title in 2 places. Pick the plant you can get to.
- Quonset, RI · $74k–$129k
Full description from Anduril IndustriesAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Position Summary
The Product Quality Engineer is responsible for ensuring that manufactured products meet all engineering specifications, contractual requirements, and regulatory standards throughout the full product lifecycle — from initial production through field deployment and sustainment. This role places particular emphasis on field operations quality, requiring the engineer to deploy to operational sites, conduct in-field inspections and root cause investigations, and drive corrective actions that bridge the gap between factory and field performance. The successful candidate combines hands-on technical depth with strong communication skills to serve as the quality voice across production, engineering, and field operations teams.
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or related discipline).
- ✓Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in a product quality, quality engineering, or quality assurance role within a manufacturing or production environment.
- ✓Demonstrated experience conducting quality activities in field or operational environments — not solely factory-based.
- ✓Working knowledge of root cause analysis methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa) and statistical quality tools (SPC, Pareto, capability analysis).
- ✓Familiarity with quality management system standards (AS9100, ISO 9001, or equivalent).
- ✓Proficiency in reading and interpreting engineering drawings, GD&T, and technical specifications.
- ✓Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce clear investigation reports and present findings to cross-functional stakeholders.
- ✓Willingness and ability to travel up to 30%, including to remote or austere field sites.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Experience in defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated industry.
- ✓ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.
- ✓Hands-on experience with CMM, optical measurement, or other metrology equipment.
- ✓Prior experience supporting government or military customers in field environments.
- ✓Familiarity with MIL-STD inspection and sampling standards (e.g., MIL-STD-1916, ANSI/ASQ Z1.4).
- ✓Experience with PLM, MES, or ERP-based quality modules (e.g., SAP QM, Windchill, Arena).
Work Environment and Physical
Requirements
- ✓Combination of office, factory floor, and field site environments. May include exposure to outdoor conditions, confined spaces, or elevated work areas at field locations.
- ✓Ability to stand, walk, and perform hands-on inspections for extended periods. Occasional lifting up to 35 lbs.
- ✓May require the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
This position description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to amend and change
responsibilities
to meet organizational needs.
$117,000 — $154,000 USD
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
Production Quality
- •Lead and execute product inspection, verification, and acceptance activities throughout the manufacturing process.
- •Develop, maintain, and improve inspection plans, quality control procedures, and acceptance criteria aligned with engineering drawings and specifications.
- •Conduct first article inspections (FAI), in-process inspections, and final acceptance testing; document results and disposition nonconforming material.
- •Analyze production quality data (defect rates, yield, SPC trends) to identify systemic issues and drive continuous improvement.
- •Collaborate with manufacturing engineering on process capability studies and design-for-quality initiatives.
Field Operations Quality
- •Deploy to customer and operational field sites to perform quality assessments, product inspections, and failure investigations on fielded hardware.
- •Serve as the on-site quality representative during integration, test, and acceptance events at field locations.
- •Lead root cause and corrective action (RCCA) investigations for field failures, including 8D, fishbone, and 5-Why analyses; drive timely closure of corrective actions.
- •Establish and maintain field quality feedback loops to ensure lessons learned are incorporated into production processes and design changes.
- •Coordinate with field service, logistics, and customer support teams to triage quality escapes and prioritize resolution.
Quality Systems and Compliance
- •Support and sustain the Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with AS9100, ISO 9001, or equivalent standards.
- •Participate in internal and external audits; own audit findings and drive corrective actions to closure.
- •Author and revise quality procedures, work instructions, and inspection records as needed.
- •Ensure compliance with applicable government, customer, and regulatory quality requirements.