Robotics Quality Engineer

Job Description

Robotics Quality Engineer

Location:

Fremont, CA - Onsite

We are seeking a Product Quality & Reliability Engineer in Fremont, CA to serve as the technical quality lead for Nextpower's robotic and electronic systems. This role owns product-level quality from design through field performance, ensuring seamless integration of hardware, firmware, and electromechanical subsystems. Partnering cross‑functionally with design, manufacturing and suppliers, this individual will embed quality early in the product lifecycle, lead reliability validation and new product introduction activities, and drive data‑driven improvements across PCBA, motion control, sensor and embedded systems.

• Serve as the technical quality lead for robotic and electronic products—ensuring hardware, firmware and electromechanical integration meet Nextracker standards.
• Partner with design, test and manufacturing engineering to embed quality and reliability controls early in the product lifecycle.
• Define, implement and validate product test and inspection requirements across PCBA, harness, motion control and sensor subsystems.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) through DFMEA/PFMEA execution, control plan creation and design verification test (DVT) oversight.
• Validate and qualify test systems and automated inspection tools for functional verification of complex assemblies.
• Drive product‑level reliability testing (HALT, HASS, burn‑in and environmental stress screening) and feed results into design improvements.

• Evaluate and approve suppliers for electronic and robotic assemblies—PCBs, actuators, control boards, sensors and embedded systems.
• Audit supplier facilities to confirm process capability, traceability and quality control for critical components.
• Lead technical reviews on defect trends, early‑life failure data and product field returns (RMA/FA), driving corrective and preventive action.
• Implement statistical process control (SPC) and advanced data analytics (Cp, Cpk, Weibull, X̄‑R) to monitor and improve part and system performance.
• Develop, implement and maintain supplier quality scorecards with metrics that emphasize reliability and system performance consistency.

• Collaborate with hardware and software teams to validate design for manufacturability, serviceability and long‑term reliability.
• Translate customer and field feedback into actionable product improvement initiatives.
• Support failure investigations through structured root cause methodologies (8D, 5‑Why, fault tree analysis) and ensure learnings are applied to future designs.
• Champion the “design for quality” mindset across the product organization—linking field performance data directly to design and supplier improvements.

• Bachelor’s Degree required (prefer degree in Electrical, Electronics or Robotics Engineering).
• Experience:
  
  3–7 years in product‑level quality or reliability engineering for robotics, embedded electronics or smart devices.
• Strong working knowledge of PCBA design and testing, motion control systems, sensors and firmware integration.
• Experience in product validation, DVT/PVT processes and environmental/reliability qualification testing.
• Skilled in Minitab or similar SPC tools, with the ability to interpret product data and drive measurable improvements.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, IATF 16949 or ISO 13485, with hands‑on experience in supplier or product audits.
• Proficient in GD&T, AQL inspection and problem‑solving frameworks such as DMAIC or DFSS.

• Analytical and innovative problem‑solver with strong technical grounding in electronics and mechatronics.
• Skilled communicator who can engage effectively with design, manufacturing and supplier teams.
• Naturally curious, driven to understand how products fail and how to make them more robust.
• Comfortable in both lab and field environments, balancing data analysis with hands‑on validation.
• Adaptable, pragmatic and capable of leading cross‑functional efforts under tight deadlines.
• Committed to quality excellence, product reliability and continuous improvement.

Nextpower offers a comprehensive…