Quality Control Technician

About the Role

Arkeus is seeking a Quality Control Technician to be a key quality assurance presence on the manufacturing floor as we scale our electro-optical and defence product capability in Queensland.

This is a quality-first role. You will own in-process and final inspection of precision electro-optical and electronic assemblies, manage non-conformance through the QMS, and work closely with Engineering to ensure every product leaving the line meets design specifications and customer requirements.

While you will have a working understanding of assembly processes, your primary lens is quality — verifying, documenting, and driving continuous improvement rather than building.

Key Responsibilities

Inspection & Verification

• Perform in-process and final inspection of electro-optical and electronic assemblies to engineering drawings, work instructions and customer requirements.
• Operate optical inspection equipment including microscopes, optical comparators and borescopes to verify component alignment, cleanliness and assembly integrity.
• Use multimeters, test fixtures and functional test equipment to verify electrical and optical performance.
• Conduct first-article inspection (FAI) and acceptance test procedure (ATP) activities for new and recurring builds.
• Review and verify travellers, build records and traceability documentation prior to product release.

Non-Conformance & Corrective Action

• Identify, document and disposition non-conforming material through the QMS.
• Raise and track non-conformance reports (NCRs) and coordinate with Engineering on disposition decisions (use-as-is, rework, reject).
• Lead or support root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) activities.
• Monitor NCR trends and escalate systemic issues to the Manufacturing Manager.

Quality Management System (QMS)

• Work within and actively support the ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready inspection records, measurement data and certificates of conformance.
• Participate in internal audits and support preparation for external audits and customer source inspections.
• Assist in the development and review of inspection procedures, acceptance criteria and quality plans.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve inspection coverage, tooling, test fixtures and yield.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives and lessons-learned reviews.
• Support the introduction of new products by providing quality input during design-for-manufacture reviews.

Assembly Support (Secondary)

• Maintain a working understanding of assembly processes for electro-optical and electronic sub-systems to support effective inspection.
• Provide quality oversight during complex or critical assembly operations where in-process verification is required.

About You

You are a detail-oriented quality professional with hands-on experience in precision inspection and a genuine commitment to getting it right every time.

You understand that in a Defence environment, traceability and conformance are non-negotiable — and you take ownership of the quality of every product that passes through your hands.

You are comfortable challenging non-conformances, working through ambiguous disposition decisions with Engineering, and representing quality standards on the manufacturing floor.

Experience & Skills

Required

• Demonstrated experience in quality control or inspection in a regulated or high-reliability manufacturing environment (Defence, aerospace, medical).
• Proficiency with optical inspection equipment: microscopes, optical comparators, vision systems.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, schematics and assembly instructions.
• Hands-on experience with non-conformance documentation and QMS workflows.
• Familiarity with basic electrical test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, test fixtures).
• Strong documentation discipline and meticulous attention to detail.
• Experience participating in internal audits or supporting external audits.

Highly Regarded

• Experience with electro-optical systems or photonics manufacturing.
• Familiarity with IPC-A-610 (electronic assemblies) or equivalent workmanship standards.
• Understanding of ESD handling procedures and cleanroom or controlled-environment practices.
• Exposure to AS9100 (aerospace QMS) in addition to ISO 9001.
• Experience with CAPA methodologies (8D, Fishbone, 5-Why).
• Background in Defence or dual-use technology manufacturing.

Why Join Arkeus

• You will work on the hardest problems in deep-tech — optics, autonomy, real-time AI and hardware-software integration in a single product. The gap between what you build and where it ends up is almost nonexistent.
• You will collaborate with exceptional leaders who have 40+ years of combined experience in autonomy, optics and defence. You will be learning from — and contributing to — the best in the field.
• You will become part of a close-knit, ego-free team where ideas compete on merit, not seniority. Low politics, high trust. The kind of team you will still be talking about in ten years.
• You will work hard and be expected to bring your best — and in return, you will grow faster than you ever would at a large organisation.
• You will work on technology that is already deployed in real environments — protecting lives and strengthening security across defence and national security applications.
• You will receive a competitive, market-benchmarked salary, structured career pathways built to grow with you, and the opportunity to participate in our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP).
• You will have the opportunity to mentor bright emerging talent through our highly sought-after intern program and strong connections with leading universities.

If this sounds like you, please apply even if you don't check every box — we care more about how you think than whether your CV is perfect. Join our growing team and help us change the world through autonomous systems.

About Arkeus

Arkeus builds AI-powered sensing systems that help autonomous platforms detect, track and understand what's happening in the most complex and contested environments. Our technology is deployed across defence and national security applications — already protecting lives and strengthening security across the U.S. and allied markets.

Backed by QIC, Main Sequence, R&VC, Salus Ventures, Folklore Ventures, DYNE Ventures and Beaten Zone Venture Partners, Arkeus is entering a major growth phase. We are a small, fast-moving company with the energy and ambition of a start-up and the technical credibility of a world-class defence technology provider.

We work at the intersection of optics, autonomy, robotics and real-time AI and we deploy what we build. If you want to ship technology that matters, not technology that ships decks, this is where you belong.

Check it yourself on News | Arkeus

We have developed an inclusive, transparent and engaging culture that focuses on building a diverse workforce — realising that to attract the very best, we need to ensure our culture is ready to welcome people from all ages, genders and backgrounds.