Lead Manufacturing Quality Engineer
68 Days Old
We imagine a future where freedom is secured by the rapid production of the highest-performing materials on Earth. At Canopy, we're building digital factories to manufacture complex ceramic components in days-accelerating American innovation on Earth and beyond. We're enabling the most challenging missions in the galaxy, including space re-entry, interplanetary travel, and hypersonic flight. Canopy's core focus is on thermal management components made from technical ceramics engineered to survive extreme heat, corrosion, and the harshest environments known to man.
Position overview
As an Lead Manufacturing Quality Engineer at Canopy, you will have the opportunity to design and build products and processes for a variety of applications ranging from spacecraft re-entry, interplanetary travel, hypersonic platforms, and more. On a given day you could be developing inspection protocols for novel ceramic heat shield components, analyzing build data to improve dimensional accuracy, collaborating with design engineers to implement data-driven design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) strategies, or leading root-cause investigations to resolve critical non-conformities in high-performance ceramic parts. You will play a key role in advancing the reliability, repeatability, and scalability of our additive manufacturing processes, ensuring that each component we deliver meets the rigorous standards of extreme aerospace environments.
Responsibilities
- Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance protocols for advanced manufacturing of ceramic components.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g., ASTM, ISO, ITAR, AS9100) and internal specifications related to ceramic materials and AM processes.
- Maintain traceability and documentation for ceramic parts throughout the product lifecycle.
- Define and optimize process parameters for consistent quality in ceramic manufacturing processes.
- Collaborate with materials scientists to characterize raw powders, green bodies, and sintered parts for defects, porosity, strength, dimensional accuracy, and surface finish.
- Utilize advanced inspection tools such as optical metrology and microscopy to evaluate material and structural integrity.
- Support design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) initiatives to improve product performance and reduce waste or failure risk.
- Analyze process data and develop statistical process control systems to identify variation and drive improvements.
- Author and maintain quality documentation including inspection plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and control plans.
- Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for process deviations and non-conformities.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in an engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience
- 2-4 years of hands-on experience with additive or advanced manufacturing processes, preferably involving ceramics (e.g., binder jetting, SLA/DLP, robocasting)
- Experience analyzing and interpreting standard Engineering Drawings for tolerance evaluation
- Experience with precision inspection tools and equipment
- Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities and thrive in a fast-paced startup environment
- Demonstrated ability to deliver on tight schedules using scrappy and creative solutions
- Understanding and embodiment of extreme ownership principles
- Strong data analysis skills, including statistical process control (SPC) and use of data processing software (e.g., Excel, Python)
- Familiarity with CAD, metrology software, and data analysis tools (e.g., SolidWorks, OnShape, GOM Inspect, JMP, Minitab)
- Excellent documentation, written, and verbal communication skills
- Strong engineering fundamentals and first-principles intuition
- Experience designing and executing experimental test campaigns
- Desire to work in a fast-paced and high-growth startup environment
Nice to have's
- Interest and ability to lead and grow a team
- Direct experience with manufacturing ultra-high temperature ceramics or refractory metal alloys
- Familiarity with DFAM principles for brittle and/or anisotropic materials
- Knowledge of aerospace and defense part qualification processes including materials testing, documentation, and reporting
- Prior experience with digital quality management systems (QMS), traceability tools, and manufacturing execution systems (MES)
- Prior experience precision grinding/machining brittle ceramics or metal alloys
- Exposure to environmental testing (thermal cycling, ablation, vibration, etc.) relevant to hypersonics or re-entry vehicles
- Experience implementing Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or other structured process improvement methodologies
- Hands-on work with CT-based metrology and defect detection in porous or layered ceramic structures
- Familiarity with machine learning and data analytics applied to AM quality control or predictive process tuning
Additional requirements
- Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary
Compensation and Benefits
- Pay range: $100,000 - $140,000
- Performance incentives as applicable
- Flexible PTO policy
- Paid holidays
- FSA with company contribution
- Retirement Savings Plan - 5% matching 401(k)
- 100% Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage for employee and family
- Professional Stipend
- Health and Wellness Stipend
Actual level and base salary determined on a case-by-case basis and could vary depending on education, job-related knowledge and skills, fit with the company, and experience.
Hiring Process
We strive to be transparent and equitable throughout our hiring process; we also will move quickly through the steps. Below is a description of our hiring process:
- Candidate submission of resume and portfolio materials
- 20-minute administrative screening call
- Multiple 30-minute technical screens with Canopy engineers and/or the hiring managers
- On-site, case-study interview
- 1:1s with key team members
- Final offer decision
Canopy Core Values
- Own Everything
- Cultivate Integrity
- Inquire Rigorously
- Practice Optimism
- Operate Decisively
Other Requirements
To conform with U.S. Export Regulations, candidates must be one of the following:
- U.S. Citizen or national
- U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder)
- Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157
- Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S
Canopy is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Canopy is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Other Notes
If you feel you're qualified for the role, but don't exactly meet the criteria - please apply! We value diversity and prioritize passion over perfectly polished skillsets.
- Location:
- Littleton
