Position: Quality Engineer
Department: Quality
Reports To: Director of Quality
Classification: Exempt
Employment Type: Full-Time
Compensation: $80,000–$95,000 DOE
Now Hiring: Quality Engineer
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A confidential aerospace precision machining company is seeking a Quality Engineer with strong knowledge of GD&T, complex machined components, and AS9102 First Article Inspections. This opportunity is ideal for a technically skilled quality professional interested in expanding into aerospace quality systems, customer quality, and future quality management responsibilities.
1. Job Summary
The Quality Engineer supports product conformity, customer satisfaction, and quality compliance within a fast-paced aerospace manufacturing environment producing complex, tight-tolerance machined components.
This position interprets engineering drawings, supports first article inspections, investigates nonconformances, coordinates corrective actions, and ensures customer and industry quality requirements are met. The ideal candidate has a strong precision machine shop background, excellent GD&T skills, and the ability to diagnose manufacturing quality issues.
The company offers hands-on mentoring and opportunities to develop expertise in customer quality requirements, source inspections, outside processing, and broader quality management responsibilities.
2. Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Quality Engineering & Precision Machining
Support quality engineering activities for complex aerospace and precision-machined components.
Interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, and tight-tolerance requirements.
Investigate dimensional and machining-related quality concerns.
Collaborate with Manufacturing, Engineering, Inspection, and Production to resolve quality issues.
Review manufacturing plans, work orders, and inspection requirements.
Develop and improve inspection plans, quality procedures, and process controls.
Support prototype, development, and production components.
First Article Inspection & Documentation
Prepare and review AS9102 First Article Inspection (FAI) documentation.
Balloon engineering drawings and prepare dimensional inspection reports.
Review inspection results for accuracy and compliance with customer requirements.
Maintain inspection records and quality documentation within company systems.
Coordinate with Inspection personnel to verify product conformity.
Nonconformance & Corrective Action
Investigate product and manufacturing nonconformances.
Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective and preventive action (CAPA).
Participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities and develop nonconforming material disposition skills.
Prepare customer and supplier nonconformance documentation.
Track corrective actions through completion and verify effectiveness.
Customer & Supplier Quality
Communicate with aerospace customers regarding quality requirements, inspections, and nonconformances.
Coordinate customer source inspections and related documentation.
Support customer quality investigations, audits, and corrective-action requests.
Review customer specifications, contracts, and quality flow-down requirements.
Coordinate with suppliers and outside processing providers.
Develop familiarity with passivation, anodizing, precision cleaning, and outsourced assembly.
Quality Systems & Compliance
Support the company's AS9100 and ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
Interpret customer-specific aerospace quality requirements.
Support internal, customer, and third-party quality audits.
Maintain quality procedures, work instructions, and inspection plans.
Support applicable NADCAP requirements when relevant.
Maintain accurate quality records and documentation.
Quality Analysis & Continuous Improvement
Analyze inspection results, nonconformance trends, and quality metrics.
Support Statistical Process Control (SPC) and continuous improvement activities.
Identify opportunities to reduce defects and strengthen process controls.
Prepare quality reports and communicate findings to management.
Participate in training and mentoring to develop broader quality management capabilities.
3. Qualifications
Required
Experience in aerospace manufacturing quality, precision machining quality, or a closely related technical quality role.
Strong understanding of precision-machined components and machine shop operations.
Strong proficiency in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings and tight-tolerance requirements.
Working knowledge of AS9102 First Article Inspection requirements and documentation.
Ability to investigate dimensional and manufacturing quality issues.
Familiarity with precision measuring equipment and dimensional inspection methods.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to collaborate with machinists, inspectors, engineers, and production personnel.
Excellent communication, documentation, and organizational skills.
Willingness to learn additional aerospace quality processes and grow into broader responsibilities.
Preferred
Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent education and experience.
Previous Quality Engineer experience in an aerospace precision machine shop.
Experience with complex, tight-tolerance machined parts.
Experience with exotic materials, including Inconel and titanium.
Knowledge of AS9100 and ISO 9001 quality management systems.
Experience with MRB, root cause analysis, CAPA, and nonconformance management.
Experience with customer source inspections and aerospace quality requirements.
Familiarity with passivation, anodizing, precision cleaning, and outside processing.
Experience with drawing ballooning, inspection software, and quality documentation systems.
Knowledge of SPC, internal audits, and continuous improvement.
Interest in advancing into a future quality leadership or management position.
4. Physical Requirements
Regular standing and walking throughout a precision manufacturing facility.
Time spent on the production floor reviewing machining and inspection activities.
Frequent computer use and quality documentation work.
Manual dexterity to handle precision measuring instruments.
Visual acuity to interpret drawings and inspect components, with or without correction.
Occasional lifting and moving of inspection equipment or components.
Ability to work safely around manufacturing equipment and wear required PPE.
