Principal Quality Engineer
Principal Quality Engineer
Role Summary
As Principal Quality Engineer based in Aachen, you are the technical authority for quality across our optical product line and regional quality lead for European operations. You will bridge HQ (San Jose) and the Aachen manufacturing site, drive quality integration for in-house optical manufacturing, lead supplier quality for regional semiconductor and optical vendors, and support Asia-based RMA activities for in-region products.
Key Responsibilities
QualitySystem Integration: Lead ISO 9001 alignment between San Jose HQ, Aachen, and other regional locations to harmonize procedures, audit schedules, and corrective action processes across both semiconductor and optical product lines.
Process Development & Implementation: Design, document, and roll out new quality processes, procedures, and work instructions needed to support emerging photonics products and manufacturing capabilities.
InProcess Inspection & Controls: Oversee inprocess inspection activities for the inhouse manufacturing operation, establishing SPC, go/nogo checkpoints, and realtime defecttracking dashboards.
Supplier Quality (Optics): Provide technical support and quality assurance for opticalcomponent and opticalcoating suppliers; conduct supplier audits, and drive correctivepreventive actions (CAPA).
Supplier Quality (Semiconductor): Serve as the regional point of contact for semiconductor suppliers, monitoring supplier performance, assisting with supplier audits, and leading issue resolution.
Product Quality: Core Semiconductor Business - Lead technical investigation of field returns, warranty claims, and reliability failures for semiconductor and optical products; coordinate 8D root-cause analysis and interface with Field Application Engineers (FAEs).
CrossSite Liaison: Act as the primary conduit between the Aachen site, other European/EMEA sites, and the SanJose HQ for quality information exchange, escalation handling, and bestpractice sharing.
Metrics & Reporting: Define, track, and report key quality KPIs (PPM, DPMO, warranty cost, MTBF, supplier defect rate, etc.) to senior leadership across the BU and corporate HQ.
Quality Improvement: Lead and demonstrate the application of advanced quality improvement techniques including Lean, SixSigma, and other methods to reduce waste, improve yield, and enhance overall product reliability.
Education & Experience
Required |
Preferred |
Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related discipline |
Master's or PhD in Engineering |
10+ years in quality engineering with progression to senior/principal level |
15+ years with demonstrated leadership in multi-site organizations |
Minimum 5 years in semiconductor, photonics, or precision optics manufacturing |
Direct experience with optical module qualification (Telcordia GR-468) |
Technical Skills
Required |
Preferred |
Expert-level ISO 9001 implementation and multi-site QMS integration |
Six Sigma Black Belt, ASQ CQE/CQM, or Lean certification |
Advanced statistical methods: SPC, DOE, MSA, FMEA (Design & Process) |
Proficiency in Minitab, JMP, Python, or R for data analysis |
Supplier quality management including audits, scorecards, CAPA/SCAR |
Familiarity with JEDEC, IPC, Telcordia reliability standards |
Experience with optical metrology (interferometry, power meters, spectrometers, alignment systems) |
Industry 4.0 quality tools (AI-based defect detection, digital twin, automated optical inspection) |
Core Competencies
Required |
Preferred |
Fluency in English and German (written and spoken) |
Additional European language |
Strong cross-functional leadership and influence without authority |
Experience managing quality engineers or cross-site teams |
Excellent technical communication to engineering and executive audiences |
Track record presenting to C-level stakeholders |
Comfort with ambiguity in fast-paced, high-growth environments |
Experience in startup or rapid-scale environments |
Willingness to travel (up to 20-25%, including Asia and North America) |
Existing relationships with European optical/semiconductor supply base |
Compensation
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits. Astera Labs is committed to fair and equitable pay practices.
Astera Labs is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
