Quality Engineer

Position Summary:

Responsible for supporting customer quality and manufacturing quality by serving as a liaison between customers, operations, engineering, and quality teams. Investigates customer complaints, returns, nonconformances, and internal quality issues; identifies root cause; and leads corrective and preventive actions to reduce defects, improve process capability, and enhance customer satisfaction. Supports quality planning and customer submissions, including PPAP and APQP submissions supporting new EV program launches, applies quality tools such as SPC, DOE, Six Sigma, FMEA, MSA, and statistical analysis, and helps maintain effective quality systems through internal audits, document control, calibration awareness, and IATF compliance. Serves as a technical resource and trainer for supervisors, engineers, technicians, and production teams to strengthen quality knowledge and sustain process improvements.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

1. Customer Quality and Communication
   1. Serve as a key liaison between customers, quality, engineering, and operations to communicate quality concerns, support issue resolution, and drive process improvements.
   2. Communicate directly with customers regarding quality issues and provide timely, thorough corrective and preventive action responses.
   3. Prepare, review, and maintain PPAP and APQP documentation and related customer-required quality submissions.
2. Problem Solving and Corrective Action
   1. Investigate customer complaints, returns, nonconformances, and internal quality issues by collecting data, evaluating product conditions, identifying root cause, and verifying effective corrective actions.
   2. Lead or participate in structured problem-solving activities (8D) to develop, implement, and sustain corrective and preventive actions.
   3. Use AIAG Core Tools to evaluate potential product and process risks, understand the impact of failures across systems, and support risk-reduction actions.
3. Process Improvement and Statistical Quality Control
   1. Apply manufacturing, quality, and problem-solving knowledge to reduce defects, improve process capability, and support achievement of established quality metrics.
   2. Implement and support the use of quality improvement tools, including SPC, DOE, Six Sigma, statistical analysis, and other continuous improvement methodologies in the manufacturing environment.
   3. Assess manufacturing process capability through statistical capability studies, trend analysis, and review of process performance data.
   4. Perform Measurement Systems Analysis (Gage R&R) to validate the reliability of measurement data supporting SPC and process capability studies.
   5. Support work teams in continuous improvement activities that enhance product quality, reduce variation, and improve customer satisfaction.
4. Quality Systems, Audits, and Compliance
   1. Lead, maintain, and improve the internal and external ISO/IATF audit program, including certification and surveillance audit support, to ensure effective coverage, compliance, and follow-up on audit findings.
   2. Review, maintain, and improve the document control system to ensure documents remain accurate, current, and compliant with IATF requirements and internal practices.
   3. Maintain a working understanding of internal calibration procedures, records, and documentation requirements.
5. Training and Technical Support
   1. Serve as a technical resource for quality-related issues and mentor supervisors, process engineers, technicians, and production teams in quality tools and improvement techniques.
   2. Develop quality-related training materials and conduct training to improve employee understanding of quality standards, procedures, and customer requirements.
6. Other Duties
   1. Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or relevant field
• Five (5) years of experience in a manufacturing quality engineering role
• Excellent communication and analytical skills.
• Excellent computer skills including Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Proficiency with Minitab or equivalent statistical software to support SPC/DOE analysis.

Qualifications Desired:

• Six Sigma Green Belt certification (or actively pursuing) preferred.
• Prior automotive experience helpful.
• Knowledge/Experience with IATF 16949 (Preferred auditor certification)
• History or strong knowledge in process engineering