Staff Quality Engineer (R5512)

We are currently seeking a highly motivated Quality Engineer to support production operations for advanced unmanned aircraft systems. This role serves as the primary quality engineering resource for one or more manufacturing areas, partnering closely with Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Design Engineering to ensure products consistently meet customer, regulatory, and company quality requirements.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on problem solver with strong analytical skills and a passion for building robust manufacturing processes. This individual will lead root cause investigations, improve production quality, reduce defects and rework, support Material Review Board (MRB) activities, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that increase first-pass yield and manufacturing efficiency.

Serve as the primary Quality Engineering representative for assigned manufacturing areas.

Partner with Production and Manufacturing Engineering to ensure manufacturing processes consistently produce conforming product.

Provide daily support for production quality issues, helping remove quality-related barriers to manufacturing.

Evaluate production trends and identify opportunities to improve quality, throughput, and manufacturing efficiency.

Participate in daily production meetings and escalation activities.

Review and disposition nonconforming material in accordance with company procedures and engineering requirements.

Lead or support Material Review Board (MRB) activities.

Coordinate with Design Engineering to develop repair, rework, or use-as-is dispositions when appropriate.

Ensure timely closure of nonconformance reports while maintaining product integrity and regulatory compliance.

Identify recurring nonconformances and implement corrective actions to eliminate repeat issues.

Lead structured root cause investigations using methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone, or Fault Tree Analysis.

Develop, implement, and verify corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

Monitor corrective action effectiveness using quality metrics and trend analysis.

Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving teams to resolve complex manufacturing issues.

Develop and implement process controls that improve manufacturing capability and product quality.

Support Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Control Plans, and risk assessments.

Validate manufacturing process changes to ensure quality requirements continue to be met.

Reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), scrap, rework, and repair through data-driven improvements.

Support Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives.

Review engineering changes and assess manufacturing quality impacts.

Participate in design reviews to improve manufacturability and inspectability.

Support introduction of new products into production.

Develop inspection strategies and acceptance criteria for new assemblies and components.

Support First Article Inspection (FAI) planning and execution in accordance with AS9102.

Ensure compliance with AS9100, customer requirements, and internal quality procedures.

Develop and maintain quality documentation including inspection plans, quality procedures, and work instructions.

Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits.

Develop quality metrics and dashboards to monitor manufacturing performance.

Train manufacturing personnel on quality standards, workmanship requirements, and defect prevention.

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.

Minimum 3 years of experience in manufacturing quality engineering, aerospace manufacturing, or related industry.

Experience supporting production operations in a manufacturing environment.

Strong understanding of root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.

Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).

Experience with statistical analysis, data interpretation, and quality metrics.

Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Ability to prioritize multiple issues in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Experience in aerospace, defense, or UAV manufacturing.

Working knowledge of AS9100 requirements.

Experience with Material Review Board (MRB) processes and nonconformance management.

Experience with PFMEA, Control Plans, Process Validation, and Statistical Process Control (SPC).

Knowledge of APQP, Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), and risk-based quality planning.