Manufacturing Quality Engineer – NPI/APQP

ARi is a fast-growing global engineering firm headquartered in East Peoria, IL, USA. Our power of “i” represents the innovation, intelligence, ingenuity, and insight that differentiates us from our competition. With 1,500 engineering talent worldwide, representing multiple nationalities and countries, we are well-positioned to deliver sophisticated and custom solutions to our clients.

Engineers at ARi are the backbone of our strategic initiatives to build industry-leading solutions. The work will empower ARi and its clients globally, collaborating, integrating, and validating embedded and control software systems. ARi provides access to the latest training, tools, and technology, and a limitless career path as the technology leader. Come to ARi and make a global impact!

Duties / Responsibilities

• Lead APQP execution for NPI and NCI programs, ensuring readiness reviews, validation planning, and audit strategies are in place
• Drive proactive quality planning from concept through production launch using Caterpillar APQP and NPI frameworks
• Develop and support PFMEA, ensuring early risk identification and mitigation
• Create and maintain Control Plans aligned with PFMEA, process capability, and customer requirements
• Serve as quality lead for new product and capital programs, ensuring design readiness, manufacturability, and error-proofing
• Lead process validation activities including capability studies, production trials, and run-at-rate evaluations
• Collaborate with manufacturing, operations, and engineering teams to ensure process readiness
• Support early production launches, monitor quality metrics, and drive preventive actions
• Lead structured problem-solving and ensure lessons learned are fed back into APQP documentation
• Define and track quality metrics focused on risk prevention and launch robustness
  
  

Required Skills

Technical Skills (Required)

• Strong experience with APQP, PFMEA, and Control Plans
• Proven analytical and structured problem-solving skills
• Experience with process validation, capability analysis, and quality metrics
• Ability to drive risk identification and preventive quality actions
  
  

Technical Skills (Desired)

• Experience supporting NPI and/or NCI programs
• Knowledge of error-proofing (Poka-Yoke) and process capability methods
• Familiarity with Caterpillar quality systems (AQE, MESA, deviation management)
• Certifications such as ASQ-CQE or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt
  
  

Soft Skills (Required)

• Strong cross-functional leadership and collaboration skills
• Excellent communication and influencing ability across all organizational levels
  
  

Education / Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in Quality, Manufacturing, or Product Engineering
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical field
• Internship experience will not be considered
  
  

The Benefits Of Working At ARi

If you work for ARi, we ensure the benefits extend beyond the workplace. From day one, we offer our full-time employee’s group health, dental, and life insurance coverage. Vision coverage is available on the first of the following month.

We also understand the importance of recharging your batteries, and that is why we offer paid time off, sick days, company holidays, maternity/paternity leave, and bereavement to full-time employees. We also maintain a 401(k) program for all employees that meet specific eligibility requirements.

We hire talented people from all walks of life because we believe it strengthens our company. If you want to join a team with a diverse culture that strictly upholds and fulfills employee needs, please apply today!