Principal Quality Engineer

Seeking a seasoned Principal Quality Engineer to join a dynamic aerospace manufacturing team. In this senior leadership position, you will champion quality excellence across our supply chain and production processes, ensuring unwavering compliance with industry-leading standards such as AS9100 and AS9102. As a key player in our commitment to delivering mission-critical aerospace components, you will drive the resolution of complex quality challenges, particularly in managing and resolving incomplete First Article Inspections (FAIs) while training a cross-functional team to tackle large-scale documentation discrepancies. This role demands a strategic thinker with deep technical expertise, exceptional leadership acumen, and a proven track record of fostering collaboration with suppliers to mitigate risks and enhance product integrity. If you thrive at solving large systemic problems and training a team to uphold those new standards.

• Lead AS9100 Compliance Initiatives: Serve as the organization's AS9100 subject matter expert, overseeing the implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS).
• Expertise in AS9102 First Article Inspections (FAIs): Act as the primary authority on AS9102 standards, guiding the team through the full FAI lifecycle. Specialize in identifying and resolving incomplete FAIs by meticulously reviewing inspection records, ballooned engineering drawings, and serialized part data. Proactively coordinate with suppliers to gather missing documentation, such as material certifications, dimensional reports, or test results, while negotiating timelines and implementing escalation protocols to prevent production delays.
• Supplier Coordination and Risk Management: Build and maintain strategic relationships with our network of aerospace suppliers. Develop and execute supplier quality audits, performance scorecards, and improvement programs focused on AS9102 compliance. Lead root cause analysis (e.g., using 8D or Fishbone methodologies) for FAI discrepancies and implement preventive measures to reduce recurrence rates, targeting a supplier FAI completion rate of 95% within agreed SLAs.
• Team Leadership and Organizational Direction: Assemble, mentor, and direct a cross-functional team of quality engineers, inspectors, and analysts (6-8 team members) to resolve large-scale and intricate documentation issues. Foster a culture of accountability and innovation by setting clear objectives and facilitating knowledge-sharing sessions on AS9100/AS9102 best practices. Drive agile problem-solving for high-impact challenges.
• Process Optimization and Documentation Excellence: Design and deploy standardized workflows for FAI processing, leveraging tools like electronic data management systems (e.g., Net-Inspect or similar) to streamline incomplete record handling. Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams to integrate quality gates into the product development lifecycle, reducing documentation errors.
• Risk Assessment and Continuous Improvement: Perform advanced risk analyses on quality processes, with a focus on AS9102 vulnerabilities in supplier-submitted FAIs. Champion Lean Six Sigma initiatives to enhance efficiency, and prepare executive-level reports on quality metrics, trends, and ROI from team-led resolutions.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or related field) or equivalent; Master's degree preferred. ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification required; Lead Auditor certification for AS9100 highly desirable.
• Experience:
  • 15 years in aerospace quality engineering, with at least 5 years in a senior or principal role focused on AS9100/AS9102 compliance.
  • Proven expertise in AS9102 FAI processes, including hands-on experience resolving incomplete FAIs through supplier coordination.
  • Experience directing teams on complex documentation projects, with demonstrated success in resolving enterprise-level quality issues.
• Technical Skills:
  • AS9100 Mastery: In-depth knowledge of AS9100D requirements, including clauses on risk-based thinking, supplier management (Clause 8.4), and performance evaluation (Clause 9). Ability to lead gap analyses and implement QMS enhancements.
  • AS9102 Specialization: Expert-level proficiency in AS9102B/C forms (e.g., Form 1: Part Information; Form 2: Design Characteristics; Form 3: Process Characteristics), with advanced skills in handling deviations, waivers, and supplemental FAI data. Experience using FAI software for ballooning, traceability, and digital signatures.
  • Supplier Management: Skilled in contract review, SCAR (Supplier Corrective Action Request) processes, and negotiation tactics for obtaining critical FAI data under tight deadlines.
• Leadership and Soft Skills:
  • Exceptional ability to organize and direct high-performing teams, with experience in agile methodologies, conflict resolution, and motivational coaching to tackle challenging documentation problems.
  • Strategic communicator with strong presentation skills and adept at translating technical jargon into actionable insights.
  • Analytical mindset with a data-driven approach to problem-solving; certified in Lean Six Sigma (Black Belt preferred) for process optimization.
  • Other: U.S. citizenship or ability to obtain security clearance required due to ITAR compliance.