What are the responsibilities and job description for the Transit Quality Engineer position at Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority?
Company Description The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is the public transit provider serving Chattanooga and surrounding communities from its headquarters at 1617 Wilcox Blvd, Chattanooga, Tennessee. CARTA operates a range of services, including fixed-route buses and other mobility options, to connect residents, workers, and visitors across the region. As a mission-driven public agency, CARTA focuses on safe, reliable, and accessible transportation that supports community growth and environmental sustainability. Team members have the opportunity to contribute directly to improving daily life for riders and strengthening local infrastructure. CARTA offers a professional environment where transit-focused innovation and operational excellence are highly valued.
Role Description The Transit Quality Engineer is a full-time, on-site role based in Chattanooga, TN, responsible for ensuring the quality, safety, and reliability of CARTA’s transit operations and services. This role involves developing and maintaining quality standards, procedures, and metrics for vehicles, equipment, and operational processes. Day-to-day tasks include conducting inspections and audits, analyzing service performance data, identifying root causes of quality issues, and recommending corrective and preventive actions. The Transit Quality Engineer collaborates with operations, maintenance, safety, and procurement teams to implement quality improvements, support regulatory compliance, and drive continuous process enhancement. The role also includes preparing reports, documenting findings, assisting with training on quality practices, and supporting initiatives that improve rider experience and service consistency.
Summary:
The Transit Quality Engineer is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining quality assurance programs that ensure safe, reliable, and efficient public transit operations. This role works collaboratively across departments to embed quality standards into vehicle maintenance, procurement, capital project delivery, service operations, and transit planning activities. The Transit Quality Engineer plays a key role in advancing the authority’s commitment to continuous improvement, data integrity, and safety excellence — including supporting the quality of service planning, scheduling, and network design processes.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Other duties may be assigned that are in keeping with the goals and objectives of CARTA.
Quality Assurance:
a. Conduct routine and unannounced inspections of buses, maintenance facilities, and operational procedures to ensure compliance with authority requirements, FTA regulations, and applicable safety codes.
b. Perform root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes in response to customer complaints, quality deficiencies, defects, or service failures.
c. Champion a culture of quality and continuous improvement across maintenance, operations, and administrative functions.
d. Facilitate cross-functional process improvement teams as needed using Lean, Six Sigma, or other structured methodologies.
Standards, Documentation & Compliance:
a. Maintain and update quality management system (QMS) documentation including procedures, work instructions, resource documents, and quality records.
b. Ensure compliance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and other applicable reulatory requirements.
c. Assist in preparation, coordination and completion of internal quality audits and third-party compliance inspections.
d. Track and report quality metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to management, identifying trends and recommending improvement actions.
e. Coordinate with procurement staff to evaluate supplier qualifications and review supplier quality documentation.
Transit Planning Quality:
a. Collaborate with transit planners and scheduling staff to establish quality standards for service planning deliverables, including route design, schedule development, and network restructuring studies.
b. Assess the quality of public-facing planning documents, Title VI service equity analyses, and short-range transit plans (SRTPs) to ensure completeness and regulatory compliance.
c. Support the integrity of transit data systems used in planning, including AVL/APC data feeds, scheduling software outputs, and performance dashboards, by identifying and reporting data quality issues.
d. Assist in developing and maintaining quality checklists and peer review processes for transit planning project workflows.
Qualifications:
Required
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, urban planning, transportation planning, or a closely related technical field. An equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
One (1) to three (3) years of experience in quality assurance, quality engineering, or a closely related role.
Demonstrated experience conducting inspections, audits, root cause analysis, and implementing corrective action processes.
Knowledge of quality management systems (ISO 9001 or equivalent) and their application.
Experience with statistical analysis and quality tools (control charts, Pareto analysis, FMEA, fishbone diagrams, etc.).
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint).
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team with minimal supervision.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Commitment to public service values, equity, and the safety of transit riders and employees.
Preferred
Experience in transportation, fleet management, manufacturing, or public sector environment.
Familiarity with FTA regulations, including Title 49 CFR Parts 37, 38, 40, and 659, and agency safety management system requirements.
Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) by ASQ, or ability to obtain within 18 months of hire.
Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher).
CARTA is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees.