Quality Engineer

Who We Are

We are a venture-backed manufacturing startup building the most advanced automated production facilities in the United States. We are on a mission to make American manufacturing economically viable — through intelligent machinery, automation, and a relentless focus on execution. We are early, we are moving fast, and we are looking for exceptional people who want to build something that matters.

Role Title: Quality Engineer – Yarn & Fabric Inspection Lab (Entry-Level)

Location: Leander, TX, On-site

Shift: 1st shift, Full-time

Role Summary

We are seeking a motivated Textile Quality Engineer to join our team and lead the establishment and operation of a dedicated quality inspection laboratory for yarns and fabrics. In this entry-level role, you will design, implement, and run quality systems focused on 100% cotton, cotton blends, technical yarns, and knitted fabrics. You will ensure product consistency and performance while collaborating closely with textile engineers and production technicians in a fast-paced manufacturing and laboratory environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for a driven early-career professional to build a career in textile quality engineering and help stand up critical lab capabilities from the ground up. This role offers clear advancement opportunities into team leadership, textile engineering, and manufacturing engineering roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the setup, commissioning, and ongoing operation of a quality inspection laboratory for yarns and fabrics, including equipment selection, layout, standard operating procedures, and workflow design.

• Develop and implement inspection protocols, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria for cotton and cotton-blend yarns and knitted fabrics.

• Perform and oversee comprehensive laboratory testing (e.g., tensile strength, yarn uniformity, abrasion, pilling, dimensional stability, colorfastness, fabric construction analysis, etc.) and analyze results against specifications.

• Collaborate daily with textile engineers on development trials and with production technicians on the manufacturing floor to translate lab findings into process improvements and corrective actions.

• Collaborate often with software system developers on integrating intelligible inspection data (i.e., the data lake) into high-performance analytical tools.

• Establish and maintain quality documentation, including inspection records, non-conformance reports, statistical process controls, and technical reports.

• Train production and technical staff on inspection methods, lab procedures, and quality standards.

• Troubleshoot quality issues related to fiber, yarn, or fabric performance; root-cause problems and recommend corrective and preventive actions in partnership with engineering and production teams.

• Ensure compliance with relevant textile testing standards (ASTM, AATCC, ISO) and drive continuous improvement of lab capabilities and inspection efficiency.

• Stay current with emerging trends in sustainable cotton processing, textile testing methods, and quality management practices.

Basic Skills & Qualifications

• 0–2 years of relevant experience (internships, co-ops, or capstone projects in textiles or quality strongly preferred). Recent graduates with strong academic or project-based experience in cotton textiles, yarn/fabric testing, or quality systems will be considered.

• Bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering, Textile Technology, Fiber Science, Quality Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.

• Strong academic foundation and/or project experience in fiber science, yarn spinning, weaving/knitting processes, and textile testing.

• Working knowledge of cotton fiber properties, yarn quality parameters, and their impact on fabric performance.

• Familiarity with textile testing standards (ASTM, AATCC, ISO) and basic laboratory equipment operation.

• Hands-on mindset and willingness to work in both laboratory and manufacturing floor environments; comfort with standing up new lab processes and equipment.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); ability to organize and analyze test data.

• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret technical data and drive root-cause analysis.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences and to collaborate effectively with engineers and technicians.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Internship or co-op experience in a textile mill, yarn spinning facility, fabric development/quality lab, or manufacturing quality role.

• Experience setting up, operating, or improving laboratory testing processes or quality inspection systems.

• Knowledge of sustainable textile practices, including organic/recycled cotton and related quality considerations.

• Familiarity with statistical process control (SPC), design of experiments (DOE), or basic quality tools (control charts, capability analysis, etc.).

• Experience with technical yarns or performance fabric applications and associated quality metrics.

• Proficiency in data analysis tools (e.g., Minitab, Excel advanced functions, or Python for data analysis).

• Any relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Textile Technologist, ASQ quality-related credentials, or similar) or participation in textile industry student competitions.