Quality Technician

THE COMPANY Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365. Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation. THE POSITION Saildrone is seeking a Quality Technician to join our Quality Programs team. Reporting directly to the Manager, Quality Programs, you will play a critical role in performing incoming, in-process, and final inspections of electro-mechanical assemblies, helping baseline our design efforts and paving the way for production to meet rising customer demand. We are looking for a skilled individual who brings a strong technical mindset, solid collaborative skills, and a proven track record of independently driving quality execution in a fast-paced environment. THE TEAM The Quality Programs team is responsible for maintaining high quality control standards and operational compliance across all product lines. We are focused on delivering robust, reliable, and scalable autonomous solutions for global maritime domain awareness to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection, operating in a national security and defense environment. THE RESPONSIBILITIES Perform routine physical, visual, and dimensional inspections on incoming materials, in-process assemblies, and finished electro-mechanical components to ensure they meet engineering specifications and tolerances. Be accountable for logging and maintaining accurate inspection data, ensuring all documentation aligns with current specifications and quality procedures. Work closely with production and final assembly teams to raise defect awareness, align on specification requirements, and ensure the successful delivery of compliant autonomous surface vehicles. Carry out day-to-day work using precision inspection tools—including surface plates, thread gauges, pin gauges, micrometers, and calipers—in accordance with established quality standards and procedures. Monitor for product and process non-conformances, take swift action to initiate corrective measures, and escalate quality risks when thresholds or tolerances are exceeded. Adhere to quality SOPs, engineering specifications, and quality alerts, and support Quality Engineering in root cause analysis and corrective action implementation. Provide timely updates on inspection results, defect trends, and quality alerts to the manager and production partners to support execution and alignment. Meet commitments, manage daily inspection workloads, and proactively raise capacity or process concerns when production priorities shift. Perform all responsibilities in accordance with company values, safety expectations, quality standards, and ethical guidelines. THE QUALIFICATIONS High school diploma or GED; industry-standard certifications (such as IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620) are highly desirable. 3+ years of hands-on experience as an electronics or mechanical inspector, performing quality control work in a manufacturing or hardware development environment. Demonstrated proficiency in using precision measurement tools and inspection machinery (e.g., surface plates, thread/pin gauges, micrometers, calipers). Proven ability to read and interpret quality control specifications, engineering drawings, and schematics, including mecha…