Quality Engineer

About the Company

We are a renewable energy and ocean technology company committed to rapidly developing and deploying technologies that will ensure a sustainable future for Earth by unlocking the vast energy potential of its oceans. Our focus is on capturing civilizational levels of ultra-low-cost renewable energy for applications including computing and affordable renewable fuels delivered to shore.

The company is a public benefit corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and backed by leading venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, university endowments, and private investment offices. We operate as an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas change the company’s direction on a regular basis.

Our staff have worked at organizations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Tesla, Apple, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, New Relic, Bridgewater, Raytheon, Disney Imagineering, and the US Army and Air Force, as well as research universities, startups, and small companies across a range of industries. We are organized as a public benefit corporation and are backed by leading venture capital firms, private investors, philanthropic investors, and endowments.

About the Job

We are hiring the first Quality Engineer at Panthalassa. You will build the systems that ensure what we design is what we build - safely, repeatably, and at scale. Our work spans steel fabrication, electronics assembly, machining, and integrated system testing. We have development and production work co-located at our Headquarters, with production work expanding to additional campuses in the greater Portland area.

This role is hands-on and foundational. You will establish our Quality Management System, write the procedures, and lead root cause investigations. You’ll partner closely with engineering and production to make quality part of how we work every day- not an afterthought

Responsibilities:

• Establish and maintain a Quality Management System (QMS) for our production process as we begin to scale
• Collaborate with design engineers to develop, implement, and maintain quality control plans and inspection strategies, ensuring effective in-process and final inspection requirements
• Drive improvements in production processes through established Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) methodologies
• Cross-link the quality improvement roadmap with top-down business objectives and the production scale-up plan, including obtaining ISO9001 certification
• Support investigations into NCR’s, initiatives, and projects as needed

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience working cross-functionally with engineering, production, and supply chain teams in a Quality role
• 2+ years of experience authoring and maintaining quality procedures in a production environment (shop, high bay, factory floor, clean room, etc.)
• Experience leading a small team of engineers and specialists
• Working knowledge of product development methodologies such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Working knowledge of mechanical and/or electrical manufacturing processes
• Strong ownership mindset with demonstrated capability to drive projects from start to finish
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering, or related field

Desired Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of our primary processes, including steel fabrication, machining, electronics assembly, and integrated system testing
• Familiarity with Advanced Product Quality Planning (ADQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) methodologies, or similar methodologies
• Experience preparing for and facilitating audits relating to quality
• Experience managing a small team of quality resources supporting production activities

The above qualifications are desired, not required. We encourage you to apply if you are a strong candidate with only some of the desired skills and experience listed.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Travel to vendors and supplier sites as needed.
• Comfortable working on-site with the team (engineering, manufacturing, and ops).

Compensation and Benefits:

If hired for this full-time role, you will receive:

• Cash compensation of $145,000 - $185,000
• Equity in the company. We’re all owners and if we’re successful, this equity should be far and away the most valuable component of your compensation.
• A benefits package that helps you take care of yourself and your family, including:
  • Flexible paid time off
  • Health insurance (the company pays 100% of gold level PPO plan for full time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Dental insurance (the company pays 100% for full time employees and 100% for their partners and dependents)
  • Vision insurance (the company pays 100% for full time employees, their partners, and dependents)
  • Disability insurance (the company pays 100% for a policy to provide long term financial support if you become disabled)
  • Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA
• Relocation assistance to facilitate your move to Portland (if needed).

Location:

This is an on-site position. Our offices, lab, and shop are located in Portland, Oregon.