Senior Supplier Quality Engineer - Camera

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders , soldiers in battlefield scenarios , and beyond .

About the Role:

Insightfully designed manufacturing processes and fully qualified supplier relationships are critical elements in bringing tightly integrated, sophisticated electromechanical systems to major markets. Skydio's autonomy depends on what our aircraft can see: navigation cameras, payload sensors, and the optics in front of them are among the most tolerance-sensitive, highest-risk components we build.

As the Camera & Optics member of Skydio's Supplier Quality Engineering team, you'll own quality across the camera supply base: lenses, coatings, actuators, image sensors, ME parts and fully assembled modules. You'll work with our Product Design, Image Quality, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Design, Supply Chain, Reliability, and Quality teams and interface with current and potential suppliers to strengthen Skydio's optical supplier base to meet our increasing production volume and quality needs.

How You’ll Make an Impact:

• Conduct supplier assessments and on-site audits to evaluate camera module, lens, and coating suppliers' quality systems, cleanliness and particle controls, process capability, metrology capability, and overall production readiness.

• Partner with Optical, Electrical, Mechanical, Image Quality, and Manufacturing Engineers throughout the Hardware Product Development Process to ensure robust quality planning, manufacturability, testability, and supplier readiness for new product introductions and volume production.

• Influence camera and lens designs early through DFM/DFA reviews, opto-mechanical and statistical tolerance analysis, and design risk assessment — trading off image performance, yield, scalability, and cost before tooling is committed.

• Drive supplier qualification activities including process audits, First Article Inspections (FAI), Production Validation Builds (PVT), and manufacturing readiness reviews to ensure compliance with Skydio's optical, mechanical, reliability, and quality requirements.

• Lead supplier quality planning through prototype, pre-production, and mass production, including control plans, PFMEAs, process validations, calibration strategy, and outgoing quality strategies that minimize incoming inspection and maximize field reliability.

• Own optical end-of-line test strategy at the supplier — MTF/SFR, distortion, field curvature and tilt, relative illumination, stray light, flare and ghosting, color and luminance shading, defective pixels, particle and cosmetic criteria — including limit-sample governance, chart and light-source control, and correlation between supplier, Skydio, and field measurements.

• Drive supplier quality and manufacturing readiness for thermal imaging modules, including thermal sensor, infrared optics, opto-mechanical assembly, calibration, and module-level integration. Assess and control critical thermal-camera processes such as NUC calibration, gain/dynamic-range calibration, bad-pixel correction, thermal stabilization, and blackbody-based performance verification across operating temperature ranges.

• Manage supplier corrective action requests (SCARs), 8D investigations, containment actions, and root cause analysis to rapidly resolve quality issues and drive systemic improvements across lines and across suppliers.

• Develop and maintain supplier scorecards and KPIs focused on quality, yield, reliability, and responsiveness, driving continuous improvement toward zero defects.

• Analyze factory and field quality data to identify trends, assess supplier performance, and proactively mitigate risks across lens fabrication, coating, active alignment, adhesive dispense and cure, sensor attach, and module-level calibration.

• Validate that supplier corrective actions for design or process changes are sustainable and correctly propagated to every affected line, tool, and site.

• Recommend alternative materials, adhesives, coatings, or process approaches that improve manufacturability, image performance, environmental robustness, or cost.

• Collaborate with suppliers to implement inspection, test, and process control methodologies that hold long-term process capability on optically critical dimensions.

What Makes You a Good Fit:

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical, Mechanical, Electrical, or Manufacturing Engineering, Physics, or equivalent practical experience.

• 5+ years in supplier quality, manufacturing, or product engineering for camera modules, lenses, or optical assemblies, including hands-on experience at supplier factories.

• You are a self-starter with a passion for delivering exceptional image quality and reliability in advanced electro-optical products.

• You possess strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and supplier partners to achieve quality objectives.

• You have experience developing, qualifying, and managing camera and optics suppliers across multiple geographies, and you’re comfortable working across time zones and cultures.

• You have quality engineering experience in high-volume, high-complexity consumer electronics, automotive, aerospace, robotics, or similar industries, with deep knowledge of camera module and lens manufacturing.

• You are familiar with lens and camera module manufacturing processes: injection molding and glass lens fabrication, AR/IR coating deposition, barrel assembly, active alignment (AA), UV and thermal adhesive cure, dispensing, sensor attach and wire bond or flip chip, VCM and actuator assembly, and optical end-of-line test.

• You have in-depth knowledge of image sensors, ISP behavior, and image quality metrics, and can distinguish between optics, sensor, calibration, and tuning problems.

• You are comfortable with optical simulation and analysis tools such as Zemax (preferred) or Code V, and can independently characterize a lens or module.

• You have working knowledge of thermal imaging systems, including uncooled infrared sensors, infrared optics and materials, NETD, responsivity, non-uniformity correction (NUC), bad-pixel correction, gain and dynamic-range calibration, thermal drift, and the impact of sensor, lens, housing, and environmental temperature on image quality and calibration stability.

• You are experienced interpreting optical prescriptions, opto-mechanical drawings, GD&T, ISO 10110 notation, assembly drawings, and engineering documentation, and can effectively communicate technical requirements to suppliers.

• You are proficient with quality tools such as PFMEA, DFMEA, Control Plans, PPAP, 8D, Root Cause Analysis (5-Why, Fishbone), Statistical Process Control (SPC), process capability, Gage R&R, and Design of Experiments (DOE), with demonstrated measurable results.

• You are comfortable with statistical analysis and tolerance analysis tools such as JMP or Minitab, including Monte Carlo and statistical tolerance stack-ups on opto-mechanical assemblies.

• You have experience with component qualification, supplier process validation, reliability testing, and failure analysis for optical and electronic assemblies, including thermal cycling, humidity, vibration, shock and drop, UV and environmental exposure, and ingress protection.

• Six Sigma background is valued; DFSS experience is highly desirable.

• You are available for 20–30% domestic and international travel, including on short notice to engage with suppliers and contract manufacturers.

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