Head of Qualification

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future

Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America. By combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost.

Following our $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding our manufacturing footprint, launching new capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more, while scaling our Factory-as-a-Service platform to transform how critical products are built.

Backed by leading investors including JPMorgan Chase, Valor Equity Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, 137 Ventures, Lux Capital, T. Rowe Price, and Morgan Stanley, we’re building the future of American manufacturing—and looking for exceptional people to help make it happen.

If you’re ready to take on the most challenging and rewarding work of your career while helping create American manufacturing jobs for generations to come, you’re exactly who we’re looking for.

The Role:

As Head of Qualification, you will be the technical lead for Hadrian's part qualification work for our defense customers, including Department of War and U.S. Army programs. Our customers come to us with legacy sustainment parts that have incomplete or outdated technical data or no reliable supply source, and they need those parts qualified to be produced again to support the warfighter. You will own that process, from first look at the technical data through development of a qualification package the government accepts, working alongside engineers, Hadrian’s programs team, and software teams to get there. This is a hands-on engineering role: you will work the technical problems yourself, and your credibility will come from having done this kind of engineering before.

What You'll Do

• Lead Hadrian's qualification activities with our military customers: own the pipeline from intake through government acceptance, and set the standard for how new parts, source, and advanced manufacturing techniques get qualified.

• Do the engineering yourself when the part needs it, e.g., DFM reviews, process planning, and lead cross-functional teams to get parts qualified on time.

• Act as the technical interface for qualification issues and operational blockers, and drive them to resolution.

• Serve as Hadrian's technical counterpart to DoW customer program offices, depots, and engineering staff, etc., making and defending engineering determinations on parts, specs, and equivalency, and translating government requirements, TDPs, and quality standards into executable qualification and manufacturing plans.

• Identify, advocate for and develop new internal capabilities based on recurring qualification needs and customer feedback.

• Design and implement scalable qualification processes, including feedback loops with software teams, to support operational excellence and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

• Engineering degree (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Aerospace, or similar) and significant hands-on design or manufacturing engineering experience, including recent work you did yourself.

• A track record of engineering decisions that held up when challenged by another engineering organization, such as a customer, prime, or government authority.

• Experience with technical data packages, drawings and GD&T, military specifications, and defense quality requirements (e.g., AS9100, FAI, source inspection).

• Someone capable of thriving in a fast-paced startup environment, but who understands and can push through the DOW’s typical pace of work.

• Customer-facing or program management experience is a plus, but not a substitute for technical depth.

• Prior military service or civilian DoW experience is a plus.

Compensation

For this role, the target salary range is $151,000 - $225,000 (actual range may vary based on experience).

This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Benefits for Full-time Employees

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
  401k

• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.

• Flexible vacation policy

• Equity

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Use of AI in hiring

Hadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy.

Consideration of Criminal History

Hadrian will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable laws. We do not ask about criminal history on our application, and we do not consider criminal history before making a conditional offer of employment.

Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer

Hadrian does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental status, physical disability or any other legally protected status. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.