---
title: 'NPI Quality Engineer - Mechanical at Saronic Technologies'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/npi-quality-engineer-mechanical-saronic-technologies-austin-rpd6tcy2vtt4'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# NPI Quality Engineer - Mechanical at Saronic Technologies

- **Company:** [Saronic Technologies](https://feeny.ai/companies/saronic-technologies)
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-18
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic/b6f96b31-7549-47a4-aa58-adb6eb284583

## Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Position Overview: The New Product Introduction (NPI) Quality Engineer – Mechanical is responsible for ensuring that new products are designed, developed, and launched in compliance with quality standards and regulatory/stakeholder requirements. This role drives risk-based quality planning, ensuring that outputs from design and process development are effectively translated into control plans and inspection strategies to support scalable, repeatable manufacturing. The NPI Quality Engineer partners cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Supplier Quality to proactively identify risks, implement controls, and ensure strong product realization from prototype through production.

## Key Responsibilities

NPI Quality Planning & Execution

- Lead quality activities throughout the NPI lifecycle
- Develop and maintain Quality plans aligned with program milestones
- Use best practices with regards to compliance with AS9100 / ISO 9001 requirements during product introduction
- Participate in design reviews, gate reviews, first article builds, engineering change reviews, and readiness assessments

Risk Management & FMEA

- Lead or participate in Design FMEA (DFMEA) and Process FMEA (PFMEA) activities
- Identify critical risks related to product performance, manufacturing process, supplier capability, customer requirements, and regulatory requirements
- Drive risk mitigation actions and track closure
- Ensure PFMEA outputs are actionable and aligned with real production conditions

Product and Process Validation

- Define and execute Product and Process Validation activities where applicable
- Drive closure of design, manufacturing, supplier, and test-related quality issues before production release
- Verify that all critical characteristics are adequately controlled
- Establish First Article Inspection (FAI) requirements
- Implement preventative actions to improve product reliability and manufacturability

Supplier Quality Integration

- Collaborate with Supplier Quality to:
- Flow down requirements to suppliers
- Ensure supplier inspection and validation aligns with internal requirements
- Support supplier qualification and processes

Nonconformance & Continuous Improvement

- Support MRB activities during NPI builds and early production
- Drive root cause analysis using structured methods across design, supplier, manufacturing, and field issues
- Feed lessons learned and continuous improvement activities back into development programs

Documentation & QMS Integration

- Help develop and maintain DFMEA/PFMEA, control plans, inspection plans, and quality procedures
- Ensure documentation is controlled within the QMS system
- Support internal and external audits related to NPI activities

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
- 3+ years in automotive, aerospace, defense, robotics, or complex electromechanical systems
- Strong knowledge of: PFMEA / DFMEA , control plans, inspection planning & metrology, root cause analysis methodologies
- Experience with AS9100, ISO 9001, or similar QMS standards
- Ability to read engineering drawings and interpret GD&T

## Preferred Qualifications

- Involvement in both small and large scale NPI / product lifecycle activities
- Familiarity with ASME Codes and Standards
- Experience working in integration/production environments
- Hands-on experience with MRB and nonconformance systems

Physical Demands

- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Occasional standing and walking within the office
- Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment
- Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports
- Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies
- Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)

## Benefits

Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care Saronic pays 100% of the premium under the basic plan for employees and 80% for dependents Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan with company match Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage Pet Insurance: Discounted pet insurance options including 24/7 Telehealth helpline Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

[Saronic CCPA Notice for Candidates and California Employees](https://saronic-assets-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Saronic%20CCPA%20Notice%20for%20Candidates%20and%20California%20Employees.pdf)

If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/8/1324b.

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

## About Saronic Technologies

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Saronic Technologies builds autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) that combine hardware, software, and artificial intelligence to deliver scalable maritime security and domain awareness for naval forces.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D, total funding $2.6B)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Dino Mavrookas (CEO), Vibhav Altekar (CTO), Doug Lambert (COO), Rob Lehman (CCO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing – autonomous maritime systems
- **Target customers**: U.S. and allied naval forces, government defense agencies (B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Redefine maritime superiority” by providing the most advanced and capable autonomous vessels to address emerging threats and revolutionize naval warfare.

## Products & Services
- **Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs)**: A family of unmanned vessels (including models like *Mirage*, *Cipher*, and the 150‑foot *Marauder*) designed for launch from small craft, fleet assets, or beachheads. Capabilities include adaptive path planning, passive sensor tracking, resilient multi‑channel communications, and diverse payload integration.
- **Echelon Platform**: A unified software suite for mission planning, simulation, and command‑and‑control of autonomous surface vessels.
- **Capabilities Suite**: Integrated hardware/software stack covering launch, maneuver, perceive, communicate, execute, enable, and recover.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (latest Series D at $1.8B implies a valuation well into the billions)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $2.6B (Seed, Series A, Series B, and Series D); annual revenue reported at $9.5M
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: 8VC (Seed lead), Caffeinated Capital (Series A lead), Andreessen Horowitz (Series B lead), Kleiner Perkins (Series D lead). Strategic acquisition of Gulf Craft (April 2025) to accelerate shipbuilding.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 785 employees (+218.7% YoY), 296 active job postings, awarded a $392M Navy contract, international offices in Australia, United Kingdom, and Japan.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Founder experience**: Co‑founder/CEO Dino Mavrookas is a former Navy SEAL with eight combat tours; the leadership team includes veterans and technologists who understand military needs firsthand.
- **Proven technology**: Autonomous vessels already deployed in contested environments, with a $392M Navy contract validating the platform.
- **Vertical integration**: In‑house manufacturing and software development, plus the acquisition of Gulf Craft for scaled shipbuilding.
- **Rapid scaling**: Massive funding and headcount growth signal strong investor and customer confidence.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of ASVs from prototype to full manufacturing lines (new Head of Manufacturing hired).
- Expanding vessel lineup with larger platforms (150‑foot *Marauder*) and international partnerships in the Indo‑Pacific and Europe.
- Deepening the software ecosystem (Echelon) for mission planning and manned‑unmanned teaming.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “United We Win” (teamwork, respect), “Trust Fuels Triumph” (transparency, integrity), “Solutions Driven” (creative problem‑solving), and “One Mission” (national security focus).
- **Work environment**: Primarily on‑site in Austin, TX, with additional offices in Australia, UK, and Japan. High‑growth startup pace with a mission‑driven defense focus.
- **Perks & ratings**: LinkedIn employer rating 4.2/5.0 (compensation 4.5, culture 4.0, career 4.3). Notable talent drawn from SpaceX, Tesla, Anduril, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin.
- **Engineering culture**: Heavy emphasis on cross‑disciplinary teams (perception, navigation, ML, C2, systems integration) and building “captainless” ships.

## Sources
1. [saronic.com](https://www.saronic.com/) – Homepage, capabilities, and news (Navy contract)
2. [saronic.com/team](https://www.saronic.com/team) – Founders, leadership, values
3. [saronic.com/mission](https://www.saronic.com/mission) – Mission statement
4. [linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies](https://www.linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies) – Financials, headcount, funding rounds, investors, reviews
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic) – Active job postings

## Other roles at Saronic Technologies

- [Electrical Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-sr88g70yk843) — Austin, TX
- [Enterprise Technology Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/enterprise-technology-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-r63jvc3b1s45) — Austin, TX
- [EHS Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/ehs-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-t15evetjzn5q) — Austin, TX
- [Mechanical Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-17eygpev3j9b) — Austin, TX
- [Information Technology Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/information-technology-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-e1g09fnhttd2) — Austin, TX
- [Manufacturing Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-franklin-sg30q2bzczjr) — Franklin, LA
- [Forward Deployed Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-tycf8s4x82nb) — Austin, TX
- [Naval Architect Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/naval-architect-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-ajkpzmtdg034) — Austin, TX
- [Software Engineer Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-intern-summer-2027-saronic-technologies-austin-rdb05ss9d5a5) — Austin, TX
- [People Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/people-business-partner-saronic-technologies-arlington-92japss6fqkg) — Arlington, VA