Quality Engineering Manager
L3Harris · San Diego, CA
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Quality
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 9+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 28 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management quality role at L3Harris (aerospace & defense) in San Diego, CA. Promotes a customer-support mindset and positions Quality Engineering as a trusted resource that partners with all areas of the business to improve overall organizational quality.
- They ask for
- 9+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Root cause, AS9100, Supplier quality
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
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 117 live postings that list pay, out of 227 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 226 other live quality postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (9+ vs 5+)
Typical $100k–$152k, from 114 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 75%
- FMEA 49%
- ✓ Supplier quality 44%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 42%
- ✓ AS9100 41%
- ISO 9001 35%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention 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 L3Harris
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.
- 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?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 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: L3Harris in San Diego
3 other open roles at this site.
- Quality Technician C · Quality · Technician
- Engineering Technician C · Manufacturing
- Specialist, Quality Engineer · Quality
Full description from L3HarrisAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
requirements
are clearly defined, effectively deployed, measured, and continuously improved. Leads root cause analysis and corrective action efforts to address product and process nonconformances and prevent recurrence.
Drives early cross-functional engagement to ensure quality is designed into products and embedded within processes from initial ideation through production. Leads team to function as an effective resource to improve overall quality and drive improvement initiatives.
Develops and manages budgets, monitors expenditures, and leads an engineering organization that includes Supplier Quality Engineering and Quality Engineering.
Oversee program and project quality execution through proposal reviews, risk assessments, and participation in gate reviews to ensure quality
requirements
are integrated throughout the product lifecycle.
Essential Functions
- ◆Lead, direct and review the work of professionals in Quality Engineering and Supplier Quality Engineering
- ◆Ensure that manufacturing engineering, operations and design engineering interact sufficiently throughout the product planning and design phases to ensure a seamless hand-off during product transition to production.
- ◆Develop and implement quality plans and programs promoting sound and effective principles as set forth in company procedures, government standards and directives, and commercially proven methodology, ensuring that the department conforms to these principles.
- ◆Review and verify compliance of all contractual flow-downs issued for quality tasks for proposals and ongoing contracts/projects.
- ◆Perform design gate reviews and facilitate design and concurrent Quality Engineering.
- ◆Manage supplier performance for general materials and subcontracts including flow-down of quality
requirements
and verification of supplier compliance and performance.
- ✓Verify subcontractor inspection or technical document preparation procedures to verify compliance with contract requirements.
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience; or a Graduate Degree with a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience.
- ✓3+ years Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations or Quality leadership experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 9 years of sector experience; or a Graduate Degree with a minimum of 7 years of sector experience.
- ✓Knowledge of quality control processes, procedures, and policies.
- ✓Familiarity or experience managing root cause corrective action (RCCA) investigations.
- ✓Experience with customer failure review board (FRB) activities.
- ✓Experience with a Quality Management System and ISO Audit Preparation.
- ✓Prior leadership experience managing direct reports.
- ✓Experience in Aerospace AS9100 industry standards or other similar regulated industry standards.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.
L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.
Job Title: Quality Engineering Manager
Job Location: San Diego, CA
Job Schedule: 9/80 (off every other Friday)
Job Description
Promotes a customer-support mindset and positions Quality Engineering as a trusted resource that partners with all areas of the business to improve overall organizational quality.
Responsible for the leadership, development, implementation, and measurement of all Quality Engineering activities across the organization. Leads quality-related projects and provides training, logistical support, and infrastructure to advance quality initiatives and improve overall business performance.
Ensures internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party quality