Quality Assurance Engineer

We're seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Engineer to join our established metal manufacturing operation. This role serves as the critical bridge between production, engineering, sales, and our customers—ensuring that quality standards drive every decision we make. You'll have the autonomy to lead improvement initiatives, solve complex manufacturing challenges, and build lasting relationships with key accounts. If you're looking for a role where your technical expertise directly impacts customer satisfaction and operational excellence, this is an exceptional opportunity.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Quality Leadership & Customer Partnership

• Act as the primary quality liaison for assigned customer accounts, ensuring specifications and expectations are consistently exceeded
• Develop strong working relationships with customers through proactive communication and on-site visits when necessary
• Participate in design reviews for new product launches, evaluating manufacturability and identifying potential quality risks before production begins
• Collaborate with sales and management to fully understand customer applications, inspection requirements, and critical-to-quality characteristics

Process Improvement & Problem Resolution

• Lead containment and corrective action efforts when quality issues arise, protecting both customer relationships and company reputation
• Drive root cause analysis using structured problem-solving methodologies for significant quality concerns
• Identify systemic process weaknesses and champion practical solutions that prevent defects
• Partner with engineering and production teams to enhance process capability where quality challenges exist

Manufacturing Support & Standards Management

• Establish and maintain quality standards throughout the product development and production lifecycle
• Support the creation of process documentation including flow diagrams, failure mode analysis, and control plans for customer submissions
• Conduct regular system audits to verify compliance with quality management requirements
• Participate in daily material review activities, making disposition decisions on nonconforming product

Training & Continuous Improvement

• Serve as a technical resource to production operators, elevating quality awareness across the manufacturing floor
• Document improvements and process changes to ensure accurate planning and estimation for future orders
• Coordinate customer quality improvement plans, tracking progress and communicating results to stakeholders
• Contribute to a culture of quality excellence through mentorship and knowledge sharing

WHAT YOU BRING

Required Experience:

• Minimum 2 years in manufacturing quality or production roles within a metal fabrication or similar environment
• Demonstrated ability to read, interpret, and apply complex engineering drawings and technical specifications
• Hands-on experience performing dimensional inspections and quality verification
• Proven track record managing customer quality projects from initiation through completion

Technical Competencies:

• Solid understanding of metal manufacturing processes, equipment, and industry best practices
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Experience with CAD software, particularly SolidWorks
• Familiarity with quality management systems and audit processes
• Knowledge of structured problem-solving tools and methodologies

Professional Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities—comfortable presenting to customers and internal stakeholders
• Strong analytical mindset with attention to detail
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across all organizational levels
• Self-motivated and capable of managing multiple priorities independently
• Valid driver's license required for occasional customer visits

Preferred Background:

• Previous experience in medium to heavy manufacturing environments
• Exposure to automotive or industrial quality standards (PPAP, APQP, control plans)
• Understanding of statistical process control concepts

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

This isn't a desk job where you review reports in isolation. You'll be actively engaged on the manufacturing floor, in customer meetings, and in cross-functional problem-solving sessions. Your decisions will have immediate, visible impact on product quality, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. We're looking for someone who takes ownership, thinks critically, and isn't afraid to challenge the status quo when quality is at stake.

You should be proficient in:

• Process Engineering
• Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Quality Control Experience
• PPAP Process Experience
• Root Cause Analysis
• Blueprint Reading

Machines & technologies you'll use:

• CAD Software (Solidworks)