Hardware Quality Assurance & Control Engineer

Position Title: Hardware Quality Assurance & Control Engineer

Location: Alexandria

Clearance Requirement: Requires US Citizenship/Must be clearable

Employment type: Full Time

Research Innovations, Inc. (RII) is breaking through the big, slow status quo with transformative technology that fundamentally improves the world. We build advanced software solutions for government and military missions, applying agile development and user-centered design to solve complex, mission-critical problems.

As a Hardware Quality Assurance & Control Engineer supporting Dragonfly Systems, you will be responsible for ensuring the quality, reliability, configuration control, and mission readiness of Dragonfly hardware products throughout the manufacturing lifecycle. You will serve as the quality authority from incoming inspection through final customer delivery, working closely with engineering, operations, supply chain, and production teams to maintain compliance with military standards, improve manufacturing processes, and drive continuous product quality improvements. This role is critical to scaling Dragonfly production while maintaining the performance, ruggedization, and operational reliability required by defense and national security customers.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

Incoming Inspection & Component Acceptance

• Inspect and verify incoming hardware components, subassemblies, and critical system elements against procurement specifications and approved engineering baselines.
• Validate component revision levels, serial numbers, firmware versions, and configuration data prior to production integration.
• Identify, document, and disposition incoming non-conformances while coordinating resolution efforts with vendors, procurement, and engineering teams.
• Maintain traceability records and quality documentation for all incoming hardware and materials.

Assembly & Integration Quality Oversight

• Monitor and audit assembly workmanship for cable harness fabrication, RF interconnects, power distribution systems, and subsystem integration activities.
• Verify proper connector installation, cable routing, torque specifications, and assembly processes to ensure system reliability in operational environments.
• Inspect thermal management and active cooling installations for proper fitment, airflow performance, and mechanical integrity.
• Perform and witness first-article inspections for new hardware configurations, manufacturing processes, and product revisions.

Functional Testing & RF Verification

• Conduct and oversee post-assembly system verification and functional checkout activities.
• Verify system startup, tuner operation, SDR functionality, RF signal paths, channel alignment, and antenna integration performance.
• Confirm GPS, navigation, timing, and synchronization functionality across integrated systems.
• Support RF performance validation, including bandwidth, tuner configuration, and signal collection performance requirements.
• Ensure integrated hardware and software systems meet acceptance criteria prior to customer delivery.

Compliance, Testing & Final Acceptance

• Maintain documentation supporting compliance with customer-required military and environmental standards.
• Coordinate environmental, stress, acceptance, and qualification testing activities with engineering teams.
• Identify and escalate manufacturing or integration practices that could impact ruggedization, EMI/EMC performance, or certification compliance.
• Execute final acceptance test procedures (ATP) and verify complete system functionality prior to shipment.
• Validate system configuration, labeling, documentation, packaging, and shipment readiness.

Quality Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Initiate, investigate, and manage Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) throughout production and testing activities.
• Lead root cause investigations and drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) with cross-functional teams.
• Maintain quality metrics and provide reporting on production yield, defect trends, field returns, and quality performance indicators.
• Develop and maintain inspection procedures, work instructions, quality checklists, and test documentation.
• Support configuration management activities by ensuring engineering changes and product revisions are accurately reflected in manufacturing documentation.
• Participate in design reviews and manufacturability assessments to improve future product quality and production scalability.

WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

• 5+ years of experience in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Manufacturing Quality, or Hardware Test within defense, aerospace, telecommunications, electronics, or related industries.
• Experience performing incoming inspections, assembly audits, final acceptance testing, and production quality verification for complex hardware systems.
• Familiarity with RF systems, software-defined radios (SDRs), communications equipment, electronic systems, or sensor platforms.
• Experience investigating hardware failures, conducting root cause analysis, and implementing corrective actions.
• Working knowledge of configuration management, engineering change processes, and product lifecycle documentation.
• Experience maintaining quality records, inspection reports, test documentation, and manufacturing traceability.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, assembly documentation, bills of materials (BOMs), and technical specifications.
• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations teams.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple quality initiatives simultaneously.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

EVEN BETTER

• Active U.S. Secret or Top Secret Security Clearance.
• Experience supporting military, intelligence community, or defense technology programs.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-1275, MIL-STD-704, MIL-S-901, DO-160, or similar military and aerospace standards.
• Hands-on experience with RF testing, spectrum systems, SIGINT, Electronic Warfare (EW), or communications platforms.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), or equivalent quality certification.
• Experience supporting low-rate initial production (LRIP), rapid prototyping, or scaling hardware production environments.
• Familiarity with NCR, CAPA, First Article Inspection (FAI), and production quality management systems.
• Experience using quality metrics and statistical analysis to drive manufacturing process improvements.
• Background supporting ruggedized, deployable, or mission-critical hardware systems.
• Experience participating in design reviews and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives.

#LI-TC1

At RII, we believe that diversity in our workforce is critical to our success. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes us stronger. We work to help your intellectual passions and creativity thrive. It's one of our core values: Let your geek flag fly.

We also offer all employees comprehensive benefits including: flexible work schedules, health insurance coverage, paid time off, 401k with a company match, paid parental leave, access to wellness programs and much more. You get this all from day one, and all paid for by RII.

It's all part of another of our core values: Stay human. It's why our comfortable and colorful offices such as our headquarters, include a community game room, pantry, massage chair, and an escape room, among other amenities. It's why we have community ambassadors and regular community events.

Research Innovations Incorporated is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.