Quality Assurance Engineer

About Us

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionising the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop, and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective — providing operators with a decisive edge in contested environments.

We are focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems — not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe, today.

About the team

You will join the Supply Chain Quality team, reporting directly to the Quality Manager and partnering with our Production Quality Engineer. In this highly autonomous role, you will bridge the gap between supply chain and production.

We operate in a dynamic, fast-paced defense environment where we empower you to take decisive action during material crises and confidently challenge designs when quality is at risk.

Your mission

Our mission is to translate engineering intent into flawless supply chain execution, guaranteeing zero-defect reliability in high-stakes defense operations.

As a Quality Assurance Engineer, you are the critical interface ensuring every part meets technical specifications. You will transform complex drawings into actionable Control Plans, establish team processes, and lead training. As the authority on root-cause analysis, you will determine if failures stem from supplier deviations or design flaws, immediately isolate non-conforming stock, and provide the vital feedback loop to Engineering to eliminate bad design before it hits production.

Responsibilities

• Supply Chain Control Planning: Develop detailed Control Plans from technical drawings to define how parts must be verified and maintained.

• Design Drawing Review: Participate in engineering drawing reviews to ensure specifications are clear, measurable, and compliant with defense standards.

• Design-to-Supply Feedback: Identify recurring supply issues caused by "bad design" and collaborate with engineers to find and implement technical solutions.

• NCR Technical Review: Analyze production Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) to identify supply chain deviations; decide whether to move forward with a report or push the issue back to Design.

• Root Cause Analysis: Conduct deep-dive investigations into part failures to find the "real" root cause—distinguishing between material defects and design flaws.

• Stock Sweeps & Recalls: Take immediate responsibility for stock health; perform urgent "sweeps" to isolate bad parts and execute recall procedures across all storage locations.

• Process Standardization: Maintain internal procedures that ensure the supply chain remains compliant with high-level quality requirements.

• Testing & Tooling Support: Support the design, sourcing, or creation of custom test rigs and specialized testing solutions to ensure quality verification for complex electronic components that cannot be checked through standard inspection.

• Training & Competency Management: Support the development and execution of On-the-Job Training (OJT), including the creation of technical training checklists and the management of formal competency approvals for quality-related tasks.

Qualifications

• Education: Technical degree or vocational background in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering.

• Experience: 1–3 years in Quality Assurance engineer or Supply Chain Quality, preferably within Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive.

• Compliance Knowledge: Familiarity with ISO 9001; knowledge of NATO AQAP or EN 9100 is a significant advantage.

• Technical Literacy: Expert ability to read/interpret complex engineering drawings and GD&T.

• QM Tools: Proficiency in Control Plans, FMEA, and Root Cause Analysis (5-Why, Fishbone).

• Documentation: High precision in technical writing for reports and procedures.

• Languages: English is mandatory & German is a strong advantage

• Analytical Mindset: A "detective" approach to finding why a part actually failed.

• Attention to Detail: Zero-tolerance for errors, given the high-stakes defense environment.
  
  

Nice to have

• Defense Standards: Basic understanding of NATO (AQAP) or Aerospace (EN 9100/AS9100) quality requirements.

• Systems Handling: Strong command of ERP systems for stock isolation and QM modules for reporting.

• Assertiveness: The confidence to challenge a design or stop a process when quality is at risk.

• Decisiveness: Ability to act quickly during stock "sweeps" or material crises.

• Collaboration: Able to work as a supportive peer to Design and Production teams.