Quality & Reliability Engineer

About the role

You will own the complete quality and reliability lifecycle for the P3 system, from initial supplier qualification through long-term field performance monitoring. You will define and enforce quality gates that protect our manufacturing processes and ensure consistent product outcomes. You will partner closely with engineering and operations to translate reliability targets into test plans, validation procedures, and measurable acceptance criteria. You will drive a data-first culture where field failures, test results, and manufacturing metrics directly inform design improvements and process changes. You will lead cross-functional investigations to uncover root causes, implement corrective actions, and verify that issues stay closed. You will build scalable quality systems and documentation that allow Exowatt to grow its supply chain without sacrificing robustness or traceability. You will own the reliability story for the P3 system, setting requirements, executing long-term validation programs, and confirming that every unit supports the uptime our customers expect. You will serve as the primary technical link between manufacturing, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to keep quality aligned with delivery and performance goals.

Key facts

What you'll do

Perform incoming material inspection and supplier quality audits to verify that components meet Exowatt specifications before release to production.

Develop and maintain test protocols, acceptance criteria, and sampling plans that reflect both customer requirements and manufacturing realities.

Drive root-cause failure analysis using structured methods, correlating field data, lab tests, and manufacturing logs to identify true causes.

Define and manage reliability life-test programs that simulate real-world conditions and predict long-term performance of the P3 system.

Create and update quality documentation, including procedures, work instructions, and control plans to ensure consistent execution on the floor.

Establish and monitor key quality metrics, implementing corrective actions when results drift beyond acceptable thresholds.

Qualify and audit suppliers to assess their processes, controls, and consistency, reducing the risk of defects entering our supply chain.

Perform statistical analysis of production and test data to uncover trends, validate improvements, and support data-driven decisions.

Coordinate with engineering and manufacturing teams to translate reliability findings into design changes, process updates, and verification tests.

Own the documentation and traceability of quality decisions, ensuring that changes, risks, and mitigations are clearly recorded and reviewed.

Support the deployment of quality tools and data systems that scale as Exowatt grows its manufacturing footprint and product portfolio.

Champion best practices for testing, inspection, and quality across the organization, mentoring team members and partners on methods and standards.

Define test strategies that balance rigor with speed, enabling rapid iterations while protecting long-term product integrity.

Serve as the escalation owner for quality and reliability issues, coordinating responses across functions and communicating status to stakeholders.

Requirements

Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

You must bring prior experience in quality engineering, reliability engineering, or a closely related technical role within a hardware or manufacturing environment.

You should have hands-on experience with root-cause analysis methods such as 5 Whys, fault trees, and failure mode identification.

You must be comfortable working with data sets, applying basic statistical tools, and interpreting results to inform decisions.

You should understand manufacturing processes and quality systems, including experience with inspections, sampling plans, and supplier audits.

You must be able to define reliability requirements and validate that products meet those requirements through testing and analysis.

You should have strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into clear actions for cross-functional teams.

You must be willing to travel to supplier sites, manufacturing locations, and field installations as needed to investigate issues and verify processes.

Nice to have

Experience with power electronics, energy systems, or hardware startups is preferred but not required.

Familiarity with reliability standards, life-testing methodologies, and statistical analysis tools is a strong advantage.

Background in AI infrastructure, data centers, or high-availability systems is a plus given the nature of our customers.

Practical notes

This role requires relocation to Austin, Texas, and the company will provide relocation assistance when necessary.

Exowatt is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds to join our mission in clean energy and AI infrastructure.