Program Quality Engineer

Description

DRS RADA is a global pioneer of RADAR systems for active military protection, counter-drone applications, critical infrastructure protection, and border surveillance. We are looking for a talented Program Quality Engineer to join our team.

Core Mission:

Ensure rigorous quality assurance throughout the development lifecycle of hardware-based radar systems, driving toward zero defects in design, testing, and pre-production phases. Lead quality planning, risk mitigation, and compliance for multiple radar development projects running in parallel. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute quality assurance plans tailored to hardware development (radar systems), focusing on materials, components, assembly, integration, and validation.
• Define hardware-specific KPIs/KGIs (e.g., First Pass Yield, Test Coverage, Defect Density in prototyping, Non-Conformance Rates)
• Act as quality authority in hardware-focused design reviews:
• SRR (System Requirements Review) – Ensure requirements are testable and meet standards.
• PDR (Preliminary Design Review) – Assess design maturity, component selection, and tolerancing.
• CDR (Critical Design Review) – Verify design readiness for prototyping, focusing on manufacturability, reliability, and safety.
• TRR (Test Readiness Review) – Validate test setups, instrumentation, and acceptance criteria.
• PRR (Production Readiness Review) – Ensure design is transition-ready with robust quality controls.
• Conduct hardware-focused FMEA on RF modules, power systems, structural elements, thermal management, and integration interfaces.
• Implement preventive/corrective actions to address identified failure modes early in development.
• Oversee design verification testing (DVT) and reliability testing (e.g., HALT/HASS, thermal cycling, vibration, EMI/EMC).
• Approve test plans, procedures, and reports for hardware performance and compliance.
• Chair Change Control Board (CCB) meetings for hardware changes (BOM revisions, component substitutions, drawing updates).
• Maintain traceability of requirements, designs, tests, and revisions.
• Ensure adherence to AS9100 and MIL STD as 810,882,461
• Support safety certification processes (functional safety for hardware subsystems) according to MIL- STD-882
• Lead cross-functional Root Cause Analysis (e.g., 8D, 5Why) for hardware non-conformances.
• Drive systematic corrections into design and development processes to prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate with suppliers on critical components (e.g., PCBA, antennas, enclosures) to ensure design intent is met and quality is built in.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• CQE (Certified Quality Engineer) – strong advantage.
• 5+ years in quality engineering for complex hardware systems (preferably radar, aerospace, defence, or automotive).
• Hands-on experience in AS9100-regulated hardware development environments.
• Proven track record in New Product Introduction (NPI) for hardware, from design to pilot production.
• Experience with quality tools:
• FMEA (Design & Process)
• Six Sigma methods (DMAIC) for defect reduction
• APQP/PPAP for hardware validation
• Familiarity with configuration management of hardware (EBOM, drawings, revisions).
• Basic project management skills for planning quality milestones in development schedules.

Skills & Mindset:

• Relentless drive to eliminate defects in design and prototyping.
• Ability to analyse schematics, mechanical drawings, GD&T, test data, and failure reports.
• Creation of clear, actionable test plans, inspection criteria, and quality records.
• Work effectively with hardware design engineers, RF engineers, mechanical engineers, and test/validation teams.
• Proactively identify and mitigate hardware quality risks before they impact design maturity.

Added Advantage:

• Knowledge of radar system components (transceivers, antennas, power supplies, cooling systems).
• Experience with environmental testing standards (MIL-STD-810, DO-160).
• Understanding of functional safety in hardware (ISO 26262, IEC 61508).
• Familiarity with manufacturing process controls for hardware (DFM/A, ICT, AOI).