Quality Engineering Manager

Job Title: Quality Engineering Manager

Job Description

The Quality Engineering Manager develops, maintains, and continuously improves the company’s Quality Management System while ensuring that all products and processes meet customer, regulatory, and industry requirements. This role provides hands-on leadership for quality assurance activities, supports manufacturing and engineering, prepares the organization for AS9100 and NADCAP compliance, and champions a strong culture of continuous improvement in a high-mix, low-volume aerospace manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop quality personnel while fostering a culture of quality and accountability across the organization.
• Maintain and continually improve the AS9100-compliant Quality Management System and ensure adherence to customer, regulatory, and industry requirements.
• Coordinate and lead AS9100, NADCAP, customer, and internal audits, including planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up on corrective actions.
• Oversee First Article Inspections in accordance with AS9102, including inspection activities, product traceability, calibration, and quality record retention.
• Ensure products conform to engineering drawings, customer specifications, and contractual quality requirements.
• Lead root cause investigations and drive corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurring quality issues.
• Monitor, analyze, and report quality performance metrics through Management Review and recommend targeted improvement initiatives.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Operations to resolve quality issues and improve manufacturing processes.
• Serve as the primary quality representative for customers, suppliers, and regulatory agencies on all quality-related matters.
• Develop, maintain, and control quality procedures, work instructions, forms, and related documentation.
• Support supplier quality activities, including supplier evaluations, corrective actions, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Promote Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives to improve quality, reduce waste, and enhance operational performance.
• Provide hands-on support when needed, including backing up quality technicians and inspectors and performing inspections and hand measurements.
• Perform additional duties as assigned in support of company objectives and evolving business needs.

Essential Skills

• 8–10+ years of progressively responsible aerospace quality engineering experience, preferably in smaller companies where individuals perform a wide range of tasks.
• Experience administering an AS9100 or ISO-based Quality Management System, including leading (not just participating in) AS9100 audits.
• At least 2 years of experience leading and running AS9100 audits, customer audits, and NADCAP audits, including those for paint and anodizing processes.
• Experience preparing for and participating in NADCAP audits.
• Experience with AS9102 First Article Inspection Reports and FAIR 9102 requirements.
• 8+ years of experience performing root cause analysis and driving corrective and preventive actions.
• 3+ years of experience managing small teams of Quality Inspectors, Technicians, or Quality Engineers (approximately 1–4 people).
• Strong aerospace quality engineering background, including exposure to major aerospace supply chains and customer quality portals.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications and apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
• Experience with calibration systems and maintaining product traceability and quality records.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ERP/MRP systems, with at least 8 years of experience using ERP systems.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (such as Mechanical, Industrial Manufacturing, Aeronautical, Electrical, or Chemical) or equivalent experience.
• Strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to balance assertiveness and diplomacy when addressing quality issues.
• Ability to independently lead and run AS9100 audits and customer audits from day one.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in smaller aerospace companies where team members frequently wear multiple hats and support hands-on activities.
• Experience managing or backing up quality technicians and inspectors, including performing hand measurements and inspection tasks as needed.
• Familiarity with customer audits and quality portals for major aerospace companies such as large airframe and engine manufacturers.
• Experience with JobBOSS or similar ERP systems.
• Experience with Keyence CMM systems and CMM inspection.
• Experience with CAPA processes and root cause failure analysis.
• Comfort working in a dynamic environment undergoing transitions, such as transferring work from another facility and updating manufacturing documentation, drawings, bills of material, and work instructions.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to accomplish goals using available resources and adapt to changing priorities.
• Team-oriented approach with a willingness to take on any task necessary to support quality and production goals.

Work Environment

The role is based in an aerospace CNC machine shop that operates vertical and horizontal mills and lathes in a high-mix, low-volume contract manufacturing setting. The facility focuses on producing components such as cockpit instrument cluster housings, avionics chassis, and thermal heat exchangers for avionics systems. The organization is relatively small, with around 30 employees, and the quality team currently consists of the Quality Engineering Manager and one Inspector. The environment emphasizes close collaboration between quality, engineering, and manufacturing, and team members often perform both leadership and hands-on duties. The company is in the process of consolidating work from another location, which involves updating and improving manufacturing documentation, drawings, bills of material, and work instructions. The shop environment includes typical aerospace machining operations and inspection activities, with the use of ERP systems such as JobBOSS and metrology equipment including CMMs.

This is a Permanent position based out of Phoenix, AZ.

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $120000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Medical Dental Vision, they have several different plans to choose from which we have on file.

This is a fully onsite position in Phoenix,AZ.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 2, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.