Optical Design Engineer Jobs in Wilton, CT (NOW HIRING)

ARKA Group L.P. (“ARKA”) is an advanced technologies company serving the U.S. military, intelligence community, and commercial space industry delivering next-generation solutions to support the national security space enterprise. Built on more than six decades of excellence, ARKA brings modern approaches and a culture of innovation to the challenges of today.

Join the ARKA team to learn how Beyond Begins Here. Discover your next career opportunity now!

Position Overview:

This position reports directly to the Quality Engineering Manager. The Quality Assurance Engineer candidate will be responsible to develop and execute the Program Plan and lead quality improvement activities in targeted areas of the organization in support of the business plan. Provide quality assurance support to internal and external customers, suppliers and DMT partners. This position also executes the Quality Assurance strategy of the organization to ensure continuous production of products consistent with customer requirements, government regulations and established industry standards.

The Quality Assurance Engineers are responsible for quality assurance support to customers, suppliers, partners and targeted departments of the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Quality Planning & Compliance
  • Develop and Implement Quality Assurance plans, review and approval of all drawings, specifications, and manufacturing operation documents to understand and translate engineering and system-level functional requirements into inspection requirements for inspectors
  • Lead and manage Quality Assurance requirements – including all contractual flow-downs on contractual products in support of manufacturing, procurement, test, and customer returns areas
  • Ensure compliance to industry standards (e.g. AS9100)
  • Monitor compliance to contractual requirements and documented procedures and assure compliance of deliverable end items. Report regularly on progress and recommend recovery/mitigation plans to both Quality and Program management
  • Participate in all aspects of product development (project reviews, design verification, and risk assessments) and be the primary customer interface with respect to managing all required source inspections and audits. Serves as primary interface with DCMA and customer quality representatives

• Manufacturing & Assembly Support
  • Monitor and audit fabrication, assembly, and integration processes to verify adherence to specifications and cleanliness standards
  • Apply SPC as necessary to analyze product & process performance to recommend and implement improvements in targeted areas of the organization. Continuously evaluate program process capability, control plans, analysis of out-of-control conditions and audits with the objective of improving process performance and capability
  • Test and Validation Oversight
  • Support environmental, vibration, and thermal vacuum testing to ensure system integrity
  • Review test data and drive root cause analysis on anomalies or non-conformances
    
• Supplier & Material Quality
  • Evaluate and qualify suppliers of optical, structural, and electronic components
  • Must be able and willing to travel as required
  • Perform incoming inspection and quality control of high-precision components (e.g., optics, coatings, hardware)
    
• Documentation & Reporting
  • Generate quality documentation including inspection reports, nonconformance reports, first article inspection reports, and final acceptance documentation
  • Maintain traceability from raw material to final assembly, in line with configuration management and flight certification requirements
  • Facilitate Material Review Board (MRB) functions and disposition of all non-conformances as the chair of the MRB team, including dimensional, performance, cosmetic, and workmanship issues

Required Qualifications:

• BS in engineering, physics or optical sciences 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Quality Assurance Engineering
• Working knowledge & experience:
  • with Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing
  • in AS 9100& ISO 9001 in addition to other industry-specific standards and regulations
  • supporting optical, mechanical and electrical products in a manufacturing environment
  • utilizing metrology equipment (i.e., CMM, autocollimators, interferometers, measure scopes)
  • preparing Inspection and Manufacturing Operation instructions
  • Cost of Quality and specifically the Cost of Non-Conformance; has used Cost of Quality metrics and trends to identify opportunities for improvement and waste reduction
  • with configuration management tools (e.g., Windchill, Teamcenter) and ERP systems
• Analytical problem-solving skills - understands problem solving methods (i.e., 8D, root cause analysis, Fishbone, Sologic, 5 Why) and the associated statistical tools used to analyze problems; can solve problems of typical scope and complexity
• Excellent team player, interacts well with other technical departments (Receiving Inspection, Manufacturing Engineering and Design Engineering)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a high-reliability environment with Electro/Mechanical/Optical equipment
• MS Office proficiency, SAP experience, and statistical analysis software packages
• ASQ Certification (CQE)
• Six sigma experience or LEAN, knowledge of Lean Product Development (LPD) and Continuous Improvement (CI)

Location: Danbury, CT

Located in beautiful Fairfield County, Danbury offers a diverse economy, wonderful parks, cultural attractions, an impressive mix of private and public educational institutions and a vibrant arts scene. Our facility is nestled among a remarkable selection of communities to call home all with varying price points to fit many different budgets. We’re close to New York City, Boston, and other major cities – great for day trips and weekend getaways. Our lovely seasons along with award-winning institutions, colleges, cultural events, and a genuine sense of community brings a diverse population to the beautiful state of Connecticut!

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive medical/vision/dental insurance packages
• Company contributions to qualified HSA accounts
• 401k retirement plan with industry leading company contributions
• 3 weeks of vacation accrual per year plus time off for sick leave and unscheduled life events
• 13 paid holidays
• Upfront tuition assistance for approved degree programs
• Annual bonus program based on company and employee performance
• Company paid life insurance, AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurance
• 4 weeks paid Parental Leave
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

EHS/Environmental Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to communicate, listen to, and interpret instructions, occasionally operate tools and/or machinery with hands and arms and remain stationary for extended periods of the time. The employee will use protective equipment when working with chemicals, move between workstations, reach, and replace equipment, and move items weighing up to 25 lbs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Applicants are invited to apply for a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the job. To apply, send a request to staffing@arka.org or contact 203-797-5000 and press 2 for Human Resources.

ITC & Security Clearance Requirements:

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI U.S. Government Security Clearance.

This position also requires U.S. citizenship in support of contract requirements.  Additionally, if you are a dual citizen (a citizen of the U.S. and another country), the Company must obtain approval for you to have access to the information required for this position. You will not be able to begin employment until such approval is obtained and this may take several months.

Visa Restrictions:

No visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Pre-employment Screenings:

Employment with any ARKA companies in the U.S. is contingent upon satisfactory completion of several pre-employment requirements to include a credit check, background check, and drug screen.