Director of Quality, Defense

Director of Quality, Defense

The Director of Quality, Defense is responsible for overseeing all quality activities, personnel, systems, and performance associated with Defense programs across multiple Karman Space & Defense operating sites. This role provides strategic and operational leadership to ensure all Defense hardware, assemblies, and services meet or exceed contractual, regulatory, and customer requirements. The Director of Quality, Defense manages the Defense Quality Engineering organization, supports execution of Defense programs, and ensures consistent application of quality standards and tools across the sector. This leader works in close partnership with the Enterprise Director of Quality to align each site's AS9100 compliant QMS with the emerging enterprise quality architecture and to transition multiple Defense sites toward a unified enterprise certification. This role is critical in driving disciplined execution, continuous improvement, product integrity, and customer satisfaction within the Defense market segment.

This role is onsite in Mukilteo, WA.

Reports to Vice President, Defense. Functional Partnership with Enterprise Director of Quality (Karman Space & Defense). Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead, develop, and manage the Quality Engineering team supporting all Defense programs and projects.
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, proactive risk management, and continuous improvement across Defense Quality functions.
• Serve as the primary Defense quality leader to the VP of Defense and the Defense leadership team.
• Ensure the quality of all Defense hardware, assemblies, engineered systems, and services produced across multiple sites.
• Oversee program quality planning, including inspection strategies, qualification/verification plans, critical characteristics control, product safety considerations, and risk mitigation.
• Review and approve quality requirements for Defense proposals, contracts, and manufacturing plans.
• Drive effective root cause analysis, corrective action, and failure review processes for Defense programs.
• Ensure each Defense site maintains compliance to AS9100, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Provide direct guidance to site Quality Managers/Quality Engineers on QMS implementation, audit readiness, and procedural improvement.
• Support site internal audits, customer audits, DCMA oversight, and third-party certification audits.
• Partner with the Enterprise Director of Quality to align Defense site QMS structures, documentation, and practices with the enterprise quality framework.
• Support the long-term strategy to transition multiple Defense AS9100 certificates into a unified enterprise certificate.
• Collaborate closely on enterprise initiatives such as configuration management improvements, risk management systems, document control harmonization, supplier quality strategies, and enterprise metrics.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or related technical field preferred.
• 10 years of experience in aerospace/defense quality roles preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100, ISO 9001, and Defense customer quality standards.
• Quality Engineering experience with complex programs including design.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, certain positions may require applicants to be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Occasional travel 0-10% of the time.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Karman is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis ("protected class") including but not limited to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform servicemember status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.

9/80 work schedule