Staff Design Quality Assurance Engineer (Hybrid - San Diego, CA)

Job Summary

The Staff Design Quality Assurance Engineer is a senior quality leader responsible for ensuring compliant design controls, risk management, and verification & validation activities across the full medical device development lifecycle, including system, hardware, and software products. The role partners closely with cross-functional teams to embed quality throughout development, drive regulatory compliance, improve processes, and lead continuous improvement initiatives. Ideal candidates bring 8+ years of medical device quality experience, deep expertise in FDA and ISO standards, strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, and a proven ability to influence product quality and process excellence in a regulated environment.

Position Overview:

This position leads Design Quality Assurance (DQA) and Quality Engineering activities across the full product development lifecycle for medical devices, including system, hardware, and software components, as well as supporting quality system processes and automated tools. The role ensures compliant and efficient execution of design controls in alignment with applicable regulations, standards, and internal procedures, while driving continuous improvement to enhance product quality, process effectiveness, and scalability.

The Staff DQA Engineer is responsible for integrating design controls, system-level risk management, and verification and validation (V&V) into a cohesive, end-to-end framework with clear traceability and technical rigor. This role serves as a subject matter expert, partnering cross-functionally with R&D, Systems Engineering, Hardware and Software Engineering, IT/Cybersecurity (as applicable), Manufacturing, Human Factors, Regulatory Affairs, and external stakeholders to embed quality early in development and ensure successful product realization and lifecycle management.

Responsibilities:

* Lead Design Control and Quality Engineering activities for FDA Class II and III medical devices, ensuring complete and compliant Design History File (DHF) documentation across system, hardware, and software.

* Ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 820/QMSR, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, IEC standards) while embedding quality throughout the product development lifecycle.

* Drive integrated system-level risk management, ensuring end-to-end traceability from hazards through risk controls to verification and validation across all product domains.

* Provide subject matter expertise in design controls, risk management, system requirements, architecture, and V&V strategies, including hardware, software, and system integration testing.

* Review and provide high-quality feedback on requirements, specifications, design documentation, risk management files, validation protocols, test plans, and reports.

* Partner cross-functionally with Engineering and Project Management to ensure effective design control execution and early embedding of quality.

* Establish, standardize, and continuously improve design control, risk management, and quality processes-driving simplification, harmonization, and efficiency across teams.

* Identify systemic gaps and inefficiencies and lead data-driven continuous improvement initiatives with measurable outcomes.

* Define, monitor, and leverage quality and process performance metrics to drive sustained improvement and organizational learning.

* Institutionalize improvements through procedures, governance, and training, including development and delivery of targeted training programs.

* Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

* Bachelor's degree in engineering, Life Sciences, or related field (master's preferred)

* 8+ years of experience in the medical device industry, with strong knowledge of design controls and quality systems.

* Proven track record in leading cross-functional continuous improvement projects.

* Deep understanding of regulatory standards (FDA QSR, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, IEC 62304, etc.).

* Experience implementing SDLC best practices in regulated environments.

* Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher) preferred.

* Excellent communication, leadership, program…