About the role
The Quality Engineer is responsible for ensuring products, processes, and quality management system activities comply with customer, regulatory, and aerospace industry requirements, including AS9100, customer-specific requirements, FAA regulations (as applicable), and internal quality standards. This role drives continuous improvement, supports manufacturing and supplier quality initiatives, performs root cause analysis, and ensures the delivery of conforming aerospace products that meet safety, reliability, and performance expectations.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Management System
- Maintain compliance with AS9100 Quality Management System requirements.
- Support internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
- Assist in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of quality procedures, work instructions, and process controls.
- Manufacturing Quality Support
- Review manufacturing processes for compliance with engineering, customer, and regulatory requirements.
- Develop and maintain inspection plans, control plans, and quality standards.
- Support First Article Inspections (FAI) in accordance with AS9102 requirements.
- Evaluate nonconforming material and participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities.
- Monitor process performance and identify opportunities for defect reduction and process improvement.
- Corrective and Preventive Actions
- Lead investigations of nonconformances, customer complaints, and internal quality issues.
- Utilize root cause analysis methodologies including:
- 8D
- 5 Why
- Fishbone (Ishikawa)
- FMEA
- Develop, implement, and verify corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Track effectiveness of corrective actions and ensure timely closure.
- Supplier Quality
- Support supplier qualification and performance monitoring activities.
- Review supplier corrective actions and verify effectiveness.
- Participate in supplier audits and source inspections as required.
- Analyze supplier quality data and drive continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers.
- Product and Process Validation
- Support Process Validation and Process Capability studies.
- Conduct Measurement System Analysis (MSA) and Gage R&R studies.
- Utilize Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques to monitor manufacturing performance.
- Ensure validation documentation meets customer and regulatory requirements.
- Customer Support
- Act as quality representative during customer visits and audits.
- Review customer quality requirements and ensure deployment throughout the organization.
- Support customer investigations and corrective action responses.
- Continuous Improvement
- Lead Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma quality improvement projects.
- Analyze quality metrics and identify trends.
- Drive initiatives that improve product quality, delivery performance, and operational efficiency
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in quality, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline.
- Experience
- 3-7 years of quality engineering experience in an aerospace, aviation, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing environment.
- Experience working within an AS9100-certified organization.
- Experience with AS9102 First Article Inspection requirements.
- Experience conducting root cause investigations and corrective actions.
- Technical Skills
- Working knowledge of:
- AS9100
- AS9102
- ISO 9001
- FAA regulations (as applicable)
- Customer aerospace quality requirements
- Proficient with quality tools including:
- FMEA
- SPC
- MSA
- Control Plans
- Process Capability Studies
- APQP/PPAP concepts
- Ability to interpret:
- Engineering drawings
- GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing)
- Specifications and technical standards
- Experience with ERP and electronic Quality Management Systems (eQMS).
- Strong Microsoft Office skills, including Excel data analysis.
Preferred Qualifications
- ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
- Aerospace manufacturing experience involving machining, assembly, welding, brazing, and special processes
- Internal Auditor certification
- Ability to apply AI-based tools and technologies, where appropriate, to support quality management activities, data analysis, problem-solving, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Competencies
- Analytical thinking and problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Risk-based decision making
- Effective communication and presentation skills
- Project management capability
- Team collaboration and leadership
- Customer-focused mindset
- Continuous improvement orientation
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Internal and external defect rates
- Corrective action closure effectiveness
- Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
- Customer complaint reduction
- Audit findings and closure performance
- First Pass Yield (FPY)
- Supplier quality performance
- On-time completion of quality initiatives
- Working Conditions
- Combination of offices, laboratory, and manufacturing floor environments.
- Frequent interaction with production personnel, suppliers, customers, and auditors.
- Occasional travel for supplier audits, customer visits, and training.
SQA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is based on merit and qualifications, and is not influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin, veteran status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.
This position requires access to ITAR-controlled technical data and/or defense articles.
Must be ITAR compliant.