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Supplier Quality Engineer

Stratolaunch · Mojave, CA

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Level
Engineer
Team
Quality
Base pay
$102k–$148k
Travel
50%
Degree
Required (or equivalent experience)
Experience asked
10+ years
Industry
Aerospace & defense
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

An engineer-level quality role at Stratolaunch (aerospace & defense) in Mojave, CA. To help achieve these efforts, Stratolaunch is seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) with the responsibility of ensuring the quality of products and processes at supplier sites.

They ask for
10+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
Tools it names
Root cause, APQP, MSA / Gage R&R, CAPA, Minitab, ISO 9001
Base pay
$102k–$148k
Day to day
about 50% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Quality Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $101k–$149k. This one lists $102k–$148k.

Median of the low and high ends of 84 live postings that list pay, out of 179 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 178 other live quality postings in California.

Base pay
In line with similar roles

Typical $100k–$149k, from 81 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (10+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Root cause 78%
  • FMEA 56%
  • ✓ Supplier quality 49%
  • ✓ AS9100 44%
  • Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 44%
  • ✓ ISO 9001 40%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

It asks for 10+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

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. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at Stratolaunch

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 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. 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 50% travel. Between which sites?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 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. 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: Stratolaunch in Mojave

9 other open roles at this site.

All 10 roles at Stratolaunch →
Full description from StratolaunchAs posted on their careers site.Show

Responsibilities

  • ◆Work closely with Supplier Management team to help drive strategic sourcing needs, decisions, and priorities
  • ◆Collaborating with the Program Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Mission Operations teams, to meet program goals
  • ◆Participate in the quality planning and design and development processes by providing key input and representing the quality function while liaising with key suppliers
  • ◆Recommend investments and resources required to improve manufacturing and assembly quality, efficiency, and effectiveness
  • ◆Conduct supplier audits and assessments to ensure compliance with Stratolaunch requirements, aerospace quality standards (e.g., AS9100), and the Stratolaunch supplier approval processes (including supplier qualification, re-qualification, and ongoing surveillance)
  • ◆Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities for supplier nonconformances, including supplier corrective action requests (SCARs), containment, root cause, corrective/preventive actions, verification of effectiveness, and timely closure
  • ◆Collaborate with suppliers to implement process improvements and preventive actions
  • ◆Facilitate communication between suppliers and internal teams regarding quality

requirements

and expectations

  • ✓Ensure suppliers maintain proper documentation and records for quality assurance, traceability, and regulatory compliance
  • ✓Coordinate and/or perform supplier source inspection activities as required (e.g., at supplier site or at receiving), including alignment on sampling/inspection plans and disposition of findings
  • ✓Review and approve supplier quality plans, inspection procedures, and first article inspection (FAI) reports
  • ✓Travel to supplier sites to monitor performance and resolve quality issues
  • ✓Demonstrate honesty, responsibility, integrity, and fulfillment of commitments

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. The

requirements

listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Qualifications

  • ✓Knowledge and experience in quality management system

requirements

(such as ISO 9001, AS9100, or IATF 16949)

  • ✓Knowledge and experience with fundamental quality improvement and assurance tools (such as MSA, APQP, and CAPA)
  • ✓Experience with supplier quality management, supplier development, and working with external vendors
  • ✓Experience with Aerospace industry standards
  • ✓Ability to work on your own initiative and prioritize tasking to fit within the business goals
  • ✓Ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities

Required Computer Skills

  • ✓MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)

Education & experience

  • ✓Sr Level ($102,000-$148,000): Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from accredited institution and 5-10 years of engineering experience, OR equivalent combination of education and experience
  • ✓Staff Level ($128,000-$186,000): Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from accredited institution and 10-20 years of engineering experience, OR equivalent combination of education and experience

Special remarks regarding work environment, if applicable

  • ✓Position based in Mojave, CA
  • ✓Consideration for hybrid (partial remote/on-site work) work arrangement for highly qualified Southern California candidates
  • ✓Position requires significant interaction on the shop floor with the Materials and Processes, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Program Management teams
  • ✓Travel expectations may be significant (up to 50% or more), for visiting manufacturing vendors

Base salary and leveling are established on a case-by-case basis. We consider several factors to ensure a competitive offer, including your location, educational background, and a comprehensive assessment of the skills and experience demonstrated during your interviews.

Show full description ↓

Stratolaunch is a technology accelerator that engineers operationally realistic testing at Mach 5+. Our air-launched, Talon testbeds are reusable, cost-effective platforms that enable routine access to the hypersonic environment. We deliver flight data critical to validating system performance and achieving rapid technology deployment. Together with our customers, we drive innovations that are imperative to advancing national security.

To help achieve these efforts, Stratolaunch is seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) with the responsibility of ensuring the quality of products and processes at supplier sites. This role will help manage supplier qualifications, development, and ongoing performance, requiring significant travel to supplier facilities to conduct audits, resolve quality issues, and drive continuous improvement initiatives within the supply chain. The individual operating in this capacity will support all aspects of supplier quality, to include: quality characteristic identification and control, process control, advanced product quality planning process (APQP), inspection and testing, measurement system analysis, corrective action, etc.

Preferred Computer Skills

  • +Statistical analysis applications (Minitab or equivalent)

Benefits and our location(s)

  • •Healthcare ( medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs )
  • •Paid Maternity and Parental Leave
  • •50% company match per contributed dollar into 401(k) savings plan, up to $11,500
  • •Tuition reimbursement

This position may involve the operation of company vehicles as part of assigned duties.

Mojave Air & Spaceport is located just outside of Lancaster/Palmdale and is only 95 miles north of Los Angeles. The area offers both affordability and central access to a variety of California's best attractions and landmarks.

Not much for the outdoors and prefer the city life? You’re within a half day’s drive or less of Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco where you can find a variety of live entertainm

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