Head of Quality Assurance - Instawork Robotics Labs

About the Role

Instawork Robotics creates the highest-quality, highest-diversity datasets for robotics and physical AI. We work with many of the most important robotics builders and research labs to solve the most important challenge in robotics - closing the data gap.

We are looking for a Head of QA with 10+ years of experience in automotive, manufacturing, mobility, robotics, or a closely related industry. This person will own the end-to-end quality and data-labeling function across Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Visual Inspection, and process quality.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can build quality systems from the ground up, establish rigorous processes, lead teams, and drive a strong quality culture across operations and engineering.

What You'll Do

• Own the QA/QC function: Build and lead the overall quality strategy, processes, standards, and KPIs across operations and manufacturing.
• Visual & Product Quality: Establish robust visual inspection and defect detection processes, including inspection standards, sampling methodologies, defect classification, and root-cause analysis.
• Quality Systems: Design and implement SOPs, inspection protocols, quality gates, audit mechanisms, CAPA, and continuous improvement processes.
• Team Leadership: Build, manage, and develop high-performing QA/QC teams across locations and functions.
• Cross-functional Quality: Partner closely with Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Product teams to identify and eliminate recurring quality issues.
• Data & Metrics: Build quality dashboards and drive metrics such as defect rates, first-pass yield, rework, rejection rates, customer complaints, and quality escapes.
• Supplier & Process Quality: Drive supplier quality, incoming inspection, in-process quality, and final inspection standards.
• Root Cause & Continuous Improvement: Lead RCA, corrective/preventive actions, and quality improvement initiatives using structured methodologies such as 8D, FMEA, SPC, Six Sigma, or similar frameworks.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in QA/QC, preferably in the automotive, manufacturing, robotics, mobility, electronics, or hardware industry.
• Strong experience setting up and scaling multi-layer quality functions and processes from the ground up.
• Experience leading QA and data-labeling operations for Petabyte-scale pipelines of real-world data
• Experience working closely with machine learning, computer vision, robotics, or AI researchers on high-quality AI training datasets.
• Experience managing large or distributed QA/QC teams.
• Strong knowledge of root-cause analysis, CAPA, FMEA, 8D, SPC, and quality management systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach to quality.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• A hands-on, high-ownership mindset — someone who is comfortable being on the floor, solving problems, and building processes rather than just managing them.

Good to Have

• Experience with automotive quality standards such as IATF 16949.
• Exposure to computer vision, automated inspection, AI-based visual QA, or robotics.
• Experience in a fast-scaling startup or high-growth manufacturing environment.
• Six Sigma / Quality certification.