Engineering Manager, Hardware Quality

Engineering Manager, Hardware Quality

Remote – Detroit, MI

As the Manager of Hardware Quality Engineering, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring our products meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance. You will build and lead the Hardware Quality pillar, overseeing the entire lifecycle of our products, from initial design validation to mass production and field performance. You will be responsible for translating high‑level quality objectives into actionable engineering strategies, establishing robust testing frameworks, and ensuring our automotive security products integrate seamlessly and reliably into their vehicle environments.

You will define the overall quality strategy, establishing a culture of continuous improvement that bridges engineering, manufacturing, and customer experience.

• Build, mentor, and lead a high‑performing team of Quality Engineers and Test Engineers. Provide technical guidance, set performance goals, and foster a culture of accountability and precision. Allocate resources effectively to support multiple concurrent product programs.
• Lead the end‑to‑end hardware testing strategy to ensure all products meet functional, performance, environmental, safety, and regulatory compliance standards. Oversee the design and build‑out of internal testing capabilities, including automated test rigs and validation processes, to ensure rigorous coverage prior to mass production.
• Manage the hardware testing facilities and vehicle fleet to ensure the team is fully equipped to execute their work. This includes overseeing the procurement and maintenance of bench equipment (e.g., thermal chambers, oscilloscopes, data acquisition), triaging workbenches, and test vehicles. You will manage the asset utilization to ensure the wider team has the necessary tools to identify failure modes and validate fixes without bottlenecks.
• Champion the "Design for Quality" methodology within the engineering organization. Lead key quality processes including DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) and PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effect Analysis). Facilitate 8D problem‑solving workshops and ensure a closed‑loop "lessons learned" approach is applied to every design iteration.
• Drive manufacturing quality standards with our Contract Manufacturers (CMs) and key suppliers. Define technical quality requirements for mass production, conduct supplier audits, and oversee the implementation of control plans to ensure consistent product quality.
• Lead the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) framework with suppliers and manage the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) to ensure components and assemblies meet stringent automotive standards before mass production.
• Own the warranty return and RMA process. Lead the triage of field failures to identify root causes (RCA) and drive corrective actions for current and future products. Maintain and update core engineering documentation to prevent the recurrence of known failure modes, directly influencing the product roadmap based on field data.
• Establish and maintain the Hardware Quality Management System, ensuring alignment with relevant automotive standards (e.g., IATF 16949, ISO 9001). Manage external relationships with certification bodies and test labs to ensure timely product certifications (FCC, CE, PTCRB, etc.).

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in hardware quality, reliability, or test engineering (Automotive or Consumer Electronics preferred).
• Proven track record of building and scaling engineering teams from the ground up. Demonstrated history of recruiting top talent, designing organizational structures, and defining team culture.
• Experience in people management, including conducting performance reviews, setting clear KPIs, and creating career development plans to mentor engineers from junior to senior levels.
• Deep understanding of quality tools and methodologies, including APQP, PPAP, DFMEA/PFMEA, 8D, SPC, Gage R&R, and Six Sigma.
• Experience managing lab safety, test equipment maintenance, and…