Field Quality Engineer

The Field Quality Engineer (FQE) is responsible for ensuring the quality of products and services delivered to customers at field locations. This role involves collaborating with internal teams, suppliers, and customers to identify, analyze, and resolve quality issues, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring customer satisfaction. The FQE will be the primary point of contact for quality-related matters in the field and will play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the company's reputation for quality

This is a great opportunity to be part of one of the fastest-growing infrastructure companies in history, an organization that is in the center of the hurricane being created by the revolution in artificial intelligence.

VAST Data is the data platform company for the AI era. We are building the enterprise software infrastructure to capture, catalog, refine, enrich, and protect massive datasets and make them available for real-time data analysis and AI training and inference. Designed from the ground up to make AI simple to deploy and manage, VAST takes the cost and complexity out of deploying enterprise and AI infrastructure across data center, edge, and cloud.

Our success has been built through intense innovation, a customer-first mentality and a team of fearless VASTronauts who leverage their skills & experiences to make real market impact. This is an opportunity to be a key contributor at a pivotal time in our company’s growth and at a pivotal point in computing history.

Responsibilities:

Customer Interface: Serve as the primary point of contact for customers regarding quality issues in the field. Build strong relationships with customer representatives and effectively communicate quality-related information. Lead or participate in customer quality meetings.
Problem Solving & Root Cause Analysis: Investigate and analyze field failures and customer complaints. Lead or participate in root cause analysis (RCA) activities using various methodologies (e.g., 8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram). Identify and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to address identified issues.
Data Analysis & Reporting: Collect, analyze, and interpret field quality data. Prepare reports on key quality metrics, trends, and improvement initiatives. Utilize data to identify areas for improvement and drive proactive quality initiatives.
Supplier Quality Management: Collaborate with suppliers to address quality issues related to supplied materials or components. Participate in supplier audits and performance reviews as needed. Drive supplier quality improvements to prevent recurring field failures.
Continuous Improvement: Champion continuous improvement initiatives related to field quality. Identify opportunities to improve processes, products, and services. Implement and monitor the effectiveness of improvement projects.
Project Support: Support new product introductions and field installations to ensure quality standards are met. Participate in design reviews and provide input on

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related field) or equivalent experience.
Experience: Minimum of 8 years of experience in field quality engineering, quality assurance, or a related field.
Technical Skills:
Strong understanding of quality management principles and methodologies (e.g., ISO 9001, Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing)
Proficiency in root cause analysis techniques (e.g., 8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram)
Experience reviewing system logs and debugging failed HW
Experience with data analysis and statistical tools (e.g., Minitab, Excel, Tableau)
Knowledge of manufacturing processes and quality control methods
Familiarity with relevant industry standards and regulations

Soft Skills:

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Customer-focused and results-oriented
Strong organizational and time management skills