Senior Operations Quality Manager

About Us

With more than 2 million nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone has earned the trust of governments worldwide. Our unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) deliver continuous, real-time intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth—giving our partners faster awareness, stronger security, and a decisive edge at sea.

Our USVs are long-range, extreme-endurance platforms powered by advanced sensors and proprietary AI - they have been designed to operate where no crewed vessel can. They collect critical insights above and below the surface to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

Headquartered in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington, DC, and global deployment hubs, Saildrone operates missions worldwide. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology—where data turns into intelligence, and intelligence drives action.

The Position
Saildrone is seeking a Senior Operations Quality Manager to join our Operations Team. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, you will lead the day-to-day execution and continued maturation of our Quality Management System while ensuring every vehicle shipped meets the highest standards of reliability, traceability, and performance. As production volume increases and product complexity evolves, you will ensure our quality systems scale with the business—from supplier qualification through manufacturing, deployment, and fleet operations. We are looking for a hands-on technical leader who creates clarity from ambiguity, drives disciplined follow-through, and has a proven track record of independently executing in fast-paced hardware environments.

The Team

The Operations Team is responsible for manufacturing, deploying, and sustaining Saildrone’s autonomous surface vehicles. We build and maintain the operational infrastructure required to support global maritime domain awareness in a national security and defense environment. Quality sits at the center of this effort—bridging manufacturing and field service to ensure issues are identified early, root causes are resolved thoroughly, and feedback loops are closed quickly. This role works across Engineering, Supply Chain, Production, and Technical Operations to maintain rigor as we scale.

Responsibilities

• Mature and scale the Quality Management System (QMS) to support ISO9001 and/or AS9100D compliance, overseeing internal/external audits, documentation controls, and traceability systems to meet rigorous certification requirements.
• Establish and manage company-wide quality KPIs (e.g., First Pass Yield, defect rate, cost of quality) and reporting dashboards to provide the Operations leadership team with clear visibility into production and fleet performance.
• Own the root cause analysis (RCCA) and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes, leading containment efforts and driving durable systemic improvements whenever quality escapes occur.
• Integrate quality gates across the full product lifecycle, from supplier qualification and incoming inspection through final assembly, deployment, and ongoing fleet support.
• Partner with Engineering on NPI quality planning, supporting Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Reliability (DFR) initiatives while ensuring robust APQP/PPAP frameworks.
• Drive operational excellence through data, applying Statistical Process Control (SPC), Lean principles, and continuous improvement initiatives to reduce waste, mitigate risks, and increase throughput.
• Collaborate with Technical Operations Engineers to analyze fleet performance trends and drone troubleshooting data, bridging the gap between field service and manufacturing to drive corrective actions upstream.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing quality organization, fostering a culture of accountability, technical rigor, and disciplined execution in a high-growth environment.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of progressive experience leading quality engineering or manufacturing quality teams within complex hardware environments (Aerospace, Defense, Automotive, or Robotics preferred).
• Direct experience operating within ISO9001 and/or AS9100D certification environments, including lead roles in audit readiness and documentation control systems.
• Demonstrated expertise in defect tracking, RCCA, CAPA, and statistical process control (SPC) within a manufacturing setting.
• Proven ability to analyze complex hardware failures and drive cross-functional alignment between Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production under time pressure.
• Experience implementing NPI quality frameworks such as APQP/PPAP and supporting DFM/DFR initiatives.
• Strong analytical skills with high proficiency in Excel (SQL and/or Python preferred).
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing principles and quality governance in regulated or defense-adjacent industries.
• Ability to work effectively in an on-site manufacturing environment in Alameda, CA, with the flexibility to travel as required.

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always-sunny Alameda.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Benefits:

• Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave
• Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Stock Options
• Annual stipend for continued learning and development
• Quarterly company BBQs at our Alameda HQ (bring your friends and family!)
• Free Bay Area Public Transportation via AlamedaTMA with the BayPass Clipper Card

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, and relevant experience, among other factors.

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