Quality Engineer I

Max is $$$$

Position Summary

The Quality Engineer is responsible for ensuring quality requirements are achieved throughout the manufacturing process for large-format machined components. This role supports production, engineering, suppliers, and customers through the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of quality systems, inspection methods, and process controls. The Quality Engineer serves as the primary quality resource for large CNC machining operations and drives defect prevention, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and process capability improvements.

Essential Responsibilities

Quality Systems & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with company quality standards, customer specifications, and applicable industry requirements.
• Develop and maintain quality plans, inspection plans, control plans, and quality procedures.
• Participate in internal and external audits and support corrective actions resulting from audit findings.

Manufacturing Quality Support

• Provide daily support to large-format machining operations including CNC horizontal boring mills, gantry mills, vertical turning centers, and multi-axis machining centers.
• Review manufacturing processes to ensure compliance with engineering drawings, GD&T requirements, work instructions, and customer specifications.
• Serve as the quality representative for production teams and provide technical guidance on quality-related issues.
• Support first article inspections, job startups, process validations, and production readiness reviews.

Inspection and Metrology

• Interpret complex engineering drawings, specifications, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).

• Support inspection activities utilizing:

• CMMs (Coordinate Measuring Machines)

• Laser trackers

• Portable CMM arms

• Large-volume metrology systems

• Conventional inspection equipment

• Analyze inspection data and identify trends impacting product quality.

• Validate measurement system effectiveness through MSA and Gage R&R studies.

Problem Solving and Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause investigations for internal and external nonconformances.

• Utilize tools including:

• 8D

• DMAIC

• Fishbone Analysis

• 5 Why

• PFMEA

• Statistical Process Control (SPC)

• Drive corrective and preventive actions that eliminate recurring quality issues.

• Facilitate cross-functional teams focused on process improvement and defect reduction.

• Track quality performance metrics and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Supplier and Customer Quality

• Support supplier qualification and issue resolution activities.
• Review supplier quality performance and participate in supplier corrective action processes.
• Interface directly with customers regarding quality concerns, audits, inspections, and acceptance criteria.
• Assist with customer source inspections and product release activities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor''s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum 3-5 years of quality engineering experience in a machining or manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of large-format machining processes and manufacturing operations.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications.
• Proficiency with GD&T per ASME Y14.5 standards.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Strong data analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of quality engineering experience supporting large CNC machining operations.

• Experience with turbine, aerospace, energy, defense, heavy industrial, or precision machining industries.

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) certification.

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

• Experience with:

• SAP, Oracle, or similar ERP systems

• Minitab

• CMM programming and data analysis

• Statistical Process Control

• Process capability analysis (Cp/Cpk)

• Knowledge of welding, fabrication, heat treat, and nondestructive testing processes.