Head of Quality & Build Reliability

Hermeus is a high-speed aircraft manufacturer focused on the rapid design, build, and test of high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft for the national interest. Working directly with the Department of Defense, Hermeus delivers capabilities that will ensure that our nation, and our allies, maintain an asymmetric advantage over any and all potential adversaries.

We are seeking a hands-on, pragmatic, and technically astute Head of Quality & Build Reliability to establish, implement, and enforce the quality systems that will enable us to build and maintainproduction aircraft to DoD standards. This leader will guide the company through the critical transition from experimental X-plane development toward prototype and production builds, ensuring we execute with discipline while maintaining the speed required of a high-performance aerospace organization. 

This person will build and lead a small, high-performing team of quality-focused employees and collaborate deeply with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and program leadership. They will ensure quality becomes an accelerator—improving manufacturability, reliability, and production flow—rather than a barrier to progress. The role requires strong technical judgment, a willingness to work on the factory floor, and the leadership capability to scale quality systems for production operations. 

• Quality Strategy & Leadership 
• Build, manage, and develop a high-performing Quality & Build Reliability team. 
• Establish the strategic roadmap to prepare the organization for production-oriented quality operations. 
• Foster a proactive, prevention-oriented quality culture that emphasizes accountability, rapid problem-solving, and continuous improvement. 
• Serve as a hands-on technical leader deeply engaged with manufacturing and engineering activities. 

• Quality Systems & Compliance 
• Create, document, implement, and maintain a digital Quality Management System (QMS) aligned with AS9100, ISO9001, ISO27001, and DoD quality and FAR/DFARS requirements.

• Lead all certification, audit, and surveillance activities for QMS compliance. 
• Ensure all production, inspection, and documentation processes meet DoD and airworthiness requirements. 

• Manufacturing, Assembly & Production Quality 
• Oversee quality for internal manufacturing and assembly processes, including receiving inspection, in-process inspections, acceptance testing, calibration and metrology.

• Develop production-ready quality processes, documentation, and controls in advance of scaling to prototype and production builds. 
• Lead nonconformance, MRB, and RCA/RCCA processes; ensure rapid turnaround, clear decision-making, and deep root-cause analysis. 
• Create and maintain standard repair documentation to enable controlled and efficient rework. 

• Design Collaboration & Build Reliability 
• Partner with engineering and advanced development teams, as we design the production vehicle, to improve Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Test (DFT), Design for Reliability (DFR), and Configuration Management rigor.

• Provide early, actionable quality feedback to accelerate design maturation and reduce quality escapes. 
• Define, track, and improve build reliability metrics across programs. 

• Regulatory Certification & Airworthiness 
• Support efforts to obtain and maintain Type Certification, Production Approval, and Operational Certification for unmanned aircraft systems. 

• Ensure compliance with FAA regulations applicable to UAV certification, especially Part 21, 23, 91, and 135.

• Provide quality oversight for conformity inspections, airworthiness release documentation, and production airworthiness processes.

•  Sustainment, Field Quality & Lifecycle Management 
• Oversee sustainment quality including field returns, service-life management, and fleet reliability tracking.
• Lead root-cause investigations for in-field failures and drive durable preventative actions. 

• Technical Competencies 
• Ensure proper application of ASME Y14.5 GD&T through design, inspection planning, and acceptance criteria. 
• Oversee metrology, calibration systems, and measurement methodologies. 
• Maintain NDE methods and testing equipment (UT, RT, PT, etc.). 
• Familiarity with AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) practices.

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Aerospace, Quality, or related technical field (Master’s preferred). 
• 10+ years of aerospace or defense quality experience, including production or flight-critical hardware. 
• Demonstrated success building or maturing quality systems for production environments. 
• Hands-on experience implementing and maintaining AS9100/ISO9001 QMS systems. 
• Experience supporting FAA certification efforts or UAV regulatory approval pathways. 
• Strong background in manufacturing and supplier quality, MRB authority, corrective actions, and technical inspections. 
• Proficiency with metrology, GD&T, and NDE methods. 
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance. 
• Must work onsite at the Atlanta, GA production facility. 
• Experience transitioning from prototype to low-rate production to full-rate production in aerospace hardware. 
• Working knowledge of composites, metallic structures, avionics, propulsion, and integration from a quality perspective. 
• Lean/Six Sigma background to drive waste reduction and first-pass yield improvements. 
• Experience supporting flight test programs, including conformity and flight release support. 
• Familiarity with digital factory tools (MES, PLM, eQMS, SPC analytics, etc.). 
• History of interfacing with government quality representatives (DCMA) and supporting DoD surveillance. 

• Familiarity with NDE methods and equipment (e.g., ultrasonic, X-ray, dye penetrant). 
• Experience with or knowledge of AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) requirements. 
• Proficiency in Metrology principles and calibration management. 
• Understanding of ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards for technical drawings and inspection. 
• Deep understanding of root cause analysis tools (8D, Fishbone, FMEA, Pareto, etc.). 
• Ability to interpret and act on engineering models, CAD data, BOMs, and inspection plans. 

• Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), or similar ASQ certification. 
• Experience with digital QMS and e-QMS platforms. 
• Experience managing FAA conformity and airworthiness inspections. 
• Experience with field data acquisition, telemetry analysis, and reliability prediction tools. 
• Familiarity with cybersecurity-related quality (e.g., DFARS 252.204-7012 compliance). 

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS 

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.