Lead Quality Control Engineer

• Design and implement scalable processes to collect, manage, and analyze experimental and production data. • Build and lead the development of our materials quality assurance function, establishing standards, workflows, and documentation systems. Drive the scale-up of these QA systems from lab-stage validation to production-line integration. • Evaluate and deploy hardware and software tools to accelerate materials characterization. Explore and implement AI-enabled solutions where appropriate to improve speed, consistency, and insight generation. • Lead cross-functional initiatives bridging R&D, engineering, and production teams. • Translate complex technical findings into clear insights for both technical and non-technical stakeholders. • B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or closely related field • 5+ years of research laboratory or industry experience in materials characterization and/or quality assurance. • Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional projects — ideally spanning lab environments and industrial scale-up. • Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to execute tactically. • Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences. • Technical literacy in engineering, materials science, or chemical processes. • Experience in adjacent industries where similar high-temperature, catalytic, carbon, or materials growth processes are used — such as petrochemicals, advanced ceramics, specialty chemicals, battery materials, semiconductors, metallurgy, or industrial gas processing. • Experience with government grants, compliance reporting, or lab buildouts. • A track record of execution — how you design experiments, make decisions with imperfect data, and drive results matters as much as where you’ve worked. • Comfort operating in both research and production environments; experience in one or both is valuable, but your ability to move science toward application is what counts. • Ownership mentality with high accountability and curiosity. • Grit, resilience, and an ability to turn ambiguity into actionable next steps. • Entrepreneurial speed balanced with technical discipline.