Supplier Quality Specialist - Composites (R6586)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Shield AI is actively seeking candidates with deep expertise in manufacturing and quality methodologies, paired with a relentless drive to enable supplier success and strengthen mission-critical operations.

Shield AI’s Supply Chain Quality team is responsible for global quality oversight across our supplier base. The team reduces supply-chain risk through supplier assessments and internal risk reviews, proactively drives supplier qualification and development activities.

In this role, you will be responsible for supplier qualification, development, performance management, and quality assurance across the composites commodity supply base. You will conduct supplier audits, nonconformance resolution, root-cause investigations, and hands on hardware dispositions.

You will evaluate supplier capability, quality performance, organizational risk, and resource needs to ensure purchased hardware and materials meet Shield AI engineering, customer, regulatory, and quality requirements. You will partner closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Program teams to resolve complex supplier-quality issues, improve supplier capability, and reduce quality and delivery risk across the supply base.

Conduct supplier qualification, risk assessments, periodic performance reviews, supplier audits, source inspections, and approved-supplier status across the composites commodity supply base.

Ensure supplier requirements are effectively flowed down and that suppliers comply with applicable quality management system, engineering, customer, contractual, regulatory, and statutory requirements.

Escalate significant supplier-quality risks and direct SCARs, supplier recovery efforts, and capability-improvement plans that could affect product quality, delivery, mission readiness, or program execution.

Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program teams to address supplier producibility, design-for-manufacturability, process capability, technical execution, and quality risks.

Advance supplier-quality processes, business systems, data analytics, and continuous-improvement practices that strengthen supplier capability, product quality, delivery performance, and supply-base resilience.

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or another related technical discipline.

At least 5 years of relevant experience.

Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 quality-management systems, as well as aerospace and defense supplier-quality requirements.

Demonstrated proficiency in root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving methods, including 8D, 5 Whys, and fishbone analysis.

Experience with supplier qualification, supplier development, PPAP, and First Article Inspection processes, including AS9102 requirements.

Understanding of ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and other requirements applicable to aerospace and defense suppliers.

Strong cross-functional collaboration, executive communication, and supplier relationship-management skills.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.

Experience using ERP/MRP systems.

Ability to travel to Shield AI manufacturing locations and supplier sites domestically and, as needed, internationally—up to approximately 20% of the time.

Aerospace or defense industry experience 

Strong understanding of manufacturing composites processes, including machining, lamination, and/or assembly.

Hands-on experience with manufacturing equipment and tooling design.

Proficiency in CAD software (Solidwork, NX, or CATIA).

Experience with Composite Part Design (CPD), or Fibersim, and Generative Shape Design (GSD).

ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Manager (CQM), or equivalent quality certification.

Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

Experience leading supplier-quality functions in a high-growth aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, or advanced-manufacturing environment.

Experience supporting the production and qualification of complex electromechanical, electronic, precision-machined, composite, or avionics hardware.