Quality Engineer

Join a High-Growth Aerospace & Defense Manufacturer in the Finger Lakes!

If you’re a Quality Engineer looking for an opportunity to make a real impact in a growing precision manufacturing environment, this could be the career move you’ve been waiting for. Located in the Rochester, NY/Finger Lakes region, our client is experiencing unprecedented growth and has never been busier with customer orders.

• Read and interpret engineering blueprints, specifications, purchase-order flow-downs, and GD&T. Resolve ambiguities with engineering and customers before production or acceptance.

• Develop and maintain risk-based quality inspection plans, characteristic matrices, ballooned drawings, sampling methods, control plans, and work instructions for CNC turning, milling, and related finishing or special processes; identify key/critical characteristics and appropriate hold points.

• Lead AS9102 first-article inspections (FAI), partial/repeat FAI as applicable, and complete, auditable first-article inspection reports (FAIRs), including traceability from design characteristics to objective evidence and material/process documentation.

• Select and validate AS9100 quality inspection methods using CMMs, optical/vision systems, height gages, surface-plate tools, micrometers, calipers, thread gages, and other precision equipment; review CMM programs and measurement setups against datum schemes and tolerance intent.

• Partner with machinists and CNC programmers to support CNC setup approval, in-process checks, final inspection, and release decisions; analyze capability, SPC trends, measurement uncertainty, and measurement-system adequacy (including Gage R&R when appropriate).

• Maintain control of calibrated precision measuring equipment, inspection records, revision status, material/lot traceability, certificates of conformity, and product-identification requirements throughout the manufacturing and outside-processing flow.

• Contain suspect product promptly; document and disposition nonconforming material through approved authority and MRB processes. Coordinate rework, repair, scrap, deviation/concession requests, and customer notification only as authorized by applicable procedures and contracts.

• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective/preventive action using 8D, 5 Whys, fish-bone, or similar methods; verify effectiveness and prevent recurrence through process, tooling, program, inspection, or training changes.

• Prepare clear responses to customer escapes, complaints, and supplier issues; support source inspections, audits, scorecards, and technical discussions while maintaining accurate, timely quality documentation.

• Support AS9100 QMS implementation and internal/external audits, including documented information, risk-based thinking, configuration control, change management, competence, product safety, and prevention of counterfeit parts and foreign object debris (FOD).

• Review supplier and special-process documentation (such as heat treatment, coating, and NDT) against purchase-order and drawing requirements; coordinate qualification or corrective action with supply chain and approved providers.

• Track and communicate quality metrics such as first-pass yield, scrap/rework, escapes, corrective-action aging, on-time FAIR completion, and cost of poor quality; lead focused, data-backed improvements with operations.

• Bachelors degree and/or Associates degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Engineering, Machining, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent combination of education and directly relevant precision-manufacturing quality experience. High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

•3+ years of experience in quality departments, operating and programming CMM equipment, using micrometers, calipers, measuring tools and conducting calibrations, supporting AS9100 aerospace Quality Audits, reducing waste, enhancing quality efficiency, and understanding of AS9100 quality standards, specific to the defense and aerospace industries, desired.

• Demonstrated ability to apply GD&T to complex machined parts and to interpret datum reference frames and tolerance requirements in inspection and manufacturing decisions.

• Working knowledge of AS9100 quality-system requirements and AS9102 FAI; experience preparing or reviewing FAIRs and supporting audits.

• Hands-on familiarity with CMM workflows, precision measurement tools, CMM programming, calibrated instruments, process capability/SPC, structured root-cause analysis, and documented corrective action.

• Strong written communication, technical judgment, attention to detail, and ability to collaborate directly with machinists, engineers, suppliers, auditors, and customers.

• Experience programming or reviewing CMM routines (for example, ZEISS CALYPSO) and applying advanced GD&T to complex multi-axis or tight-tolerance geometries.

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