Principal Site Quality Engineer

What we need 

Symbotic is seeking an experienced Principal Quality Engineer to work directly with our customer sites and installation teams to ensure quality standards are adhered to in all aspects of installations while acting as a catalyst for continuous improvement in our products and systems.  This role will interface with install partners, equipment suppliers, sub-tiers, engineering, program team, and sourcing to drive high levels of quality and field reliability in critical sub-systems and components. The candidate must be able to understand the application of our products and their use environments to appropriately and strategically apply technical knowledge, tools and methodologies to drive installation quality. This position will require both a collaborative nature and ability to influence across organizational lanes at Symbotic, partners, suppliers, and customers. 

What we do 

The Principal Site Quality Engineer is part of the Quality team within the Manufacturing organization. The Quality team is responsible for ensuring quality across both supplier quality and install site quality. This role is specifically focused on site quality, partnering closely with install partners and vendors at the site level. The team drives continuous improvement practices that strengthen the performance and reliability of our systems, with a focus on maintaining consistency in the production and deployment of robots and automated systems that meet customer requirements and industry standards. Collaboration across departments is essential to embed quality throughout the product development, manufacturing, and installation lifecycle. 

What you’ll do 

• Provide Quality leadership at customer installation sites, focusing on identification and timely resolution of issues via structured quality methods. 

• Oversee up to 3 Symbotic Installation sites simultaneously, providing training and oversight of a dedicated local QC resource (QCIT) at each site, ensuring all Quality surveillance and inspections are completed in a timely manner with issues and results effectively communicated to the site team and relevant Install Contractors. 

• Provide surveillance of installation partners to ensure that all installation processes are complied with and critical to quality parameters adhered to. 

• Plan, execute, and manage quality activities with suppliers & customer sites, setting a high standard so quality issues are prevented or minimized. 

• Ensure that SCN’s and RFI’s are utilized effectively to facilitate timely completion of assigned scope and questions are resolved in a timely fashion.  

• Employ 8-D based Corrective Action request to deliver efficient and effective root cause analysis and corrective / preventive actions that ensure there is no recurrence. 

• Communicate issues across our operations team and drive closed loop problem resolution. 

• Support Manufacturing and Quality Assurance with the disposition of discrepant material and the qualification of new material / processes to assure reliability requirements are met.  

• Utilize Six Sigma and Lean methods to drive quality and process improvements.  

• Utilize root cause methodologies to analyze product failures and develop corrective and preventive actions.  

• Inspire others to share acquired knowledge and can take a supportive role during technical discussions. 

• Mentor & coach site quality personnel to efficiently execute quality SOPs to identify and resolve issues. 

• Regular travel required up to 75%. 

What you’ll need 

• B.S. Degree in Engineering or related discipline – M.S. degree a plus. 

• Minimum of 15 years of Quality Engineering experience within a regulated manufacturing industry. 

• Experience in all aspects of quality management: quality concepts/tools/methods (FMEA, DOE, MSA, GRR, 8D, etc.) Strong quantitative and analytic skills; capable of translating findings into business actions. 

• Experience working in or with Engineering, Quality, Development Engineering, and Manufacturing.  

• Strong process engineering fundamentals with the ability to identify critical control points. 

• Strong hands-on project management and teamwork skills with demonstrated ability to consistently establish and meet aggressive timelines.  

• Ability to build and maintain productive cross-functional relationships.  

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize in a dynamic environment. 

• Experience using Control Plans, FMEA’s and PPAP or equivalent part approval process. 

• Analytical problem-solving skills to determine root causes (8D, A3) and use of statistical analysis tools.  

• Experience in reliability methods and failure mode analysis (DFMEA, PFMEA). 

• Familiar with statistical process control software such as SAA, Minitab, and JMP and Mat lab. Advanced excel skills to organize and treat data. 

• Tenacity to getting things done and not accepting the norm, being adaptable to constantly changing situations. Demonstrated experience at influencing and driving corrective action with large global suppliers. 

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills with the ability to influence others. Able to work effectively with global, cross-functional stakeholders. 

• Cross functional experience in Procurement and Supplier Relationship Management. 

• Ability to present written and verbal presentations to engineering and manufacturing senior management. 

• CQE, Six Sigma Black Belt preferred (must show deep core knowledge). 

• Certified or previously certified auditor for ISO 9001, AS9100, etc. preferred. 

Our Environment 

• Remote, field-based position.    

• Approximately 75% of time will be spent on a construction sites with PPE required (hard hat, safety vest, steel toes, eyeglasses, ear protection, fall protection (e.g., safety harness). 

• Employee must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive and/or fly to client and other customer locations. Our main office is in Wilmington, MA. The person taking this position will be required to perform work at our customer installation locations for extended periods of time where equipment is installed and ready for commissioning.  

• Easy access to a major airport a must. 

• The employee is responsible for owning a credit card and managing expenses personally to be reimbursed on a bi-weekly basis.   

• The employee is frequently required to walk and reach with hands and arms.   

• The employee is routinely required to work at heights of up to 45 feet and within restrictive areas of 24 inches. to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.   

• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.   

• Must comply with all safety requirements and protocols, including without limitation Lock out tag out safety protocols and fall protection safety protocols.    

• There will be steep stairs to climb into the structure. You may be required to routinely walk up and down stairs to navigate the automation structure.  

• You will regularly be near railings that are high off the ground.   

• Subject to environmental conditions, protection from weather conditions but not necessarily temperature changes. Must be capable of working in temperatures ranging from 105° to 32° Fahrenheit.