Quality Manager - aerospace precision machining

TekPro is partnered with a premier contract machining company in Chicagoland in their search for a Quality Manager!

Location: Chicago NW Suburbs

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Profile

Our client is a premier precision manufacturing company with more than 50 years of experience supporting some of the most demanding industries in the world. Founded in the Chicago area, the organization has grown from a traditional precision machining operation into a highly advanced manufacturer serving the aerospace, defense, space, medical, semiconductor, and transportation industries. The company specializes in complex, tight-tolerance components and assemblies utilizing advanced capabilities including 5-axis and horizontal milling, CNC turning and mill/turn, EDM, OD/ID and surface grinding, aluminum vacuum brazing, waterjet, and assembly. Significant investments in automated multi-pallet machining systems and lights-out manufacturing allow the organization to support sophisticated, long-running production programs.

Its work supports highly demanding aerospace and defense applications, including components for major military aircraft, defense systems, and space platforms. Quality is central to the operation, with an AS9100-certified Quality Management System and ITAR-registered facilities.

We are seeking an experienced Quality Manager to lead the Quality function their advanced manufacturing plant in the northwest suburbs. This individual will be responsible for maintaining a strong quality culture, overseeing inspection and quality engineering activities, ensuring compliance with aerospace quality requirements, and partnering closely with Operations and Engineering to drive continuous improvement throughout the manufacturing process.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Quality department and provide day-to-day direction to Quality Engineers, Inspectors, and other quality personnel.
• Maintain and continuously improve the facility's Quality Management System in accordance with AS9100 and ISO 9001 requirements.
• Ensure manufactured components meet customer specifications, engineering drawings, GD&T requirements, and internal quality standards.
• Oversee first-piece, in-process, final, and first article inspection activities.
• Provide leadership and technical guidance on complex quality issues involving CNC-machined components and tight-tolerance manufacturing.
• Manage nonconforming material, NCRs, MRB activities, corrective actions, root-cause investigations, and customer quality concerns.
• Lead or support 8D, CAPA, RCCA, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Ensure proper completion and documentation of AS9102 First Article Inspections (FAIs).
• Support customer, registrar, and internal audits and ensure timely closure of findings.
• Monitor quality metrics and identify trends involving scrap, rework, customer complaints, escapes, and process capability.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, CNC Programming, Production, and Operations to resolve manufacturing and quality issues.
• Work with suppliers and Purchasing to address supplier quality concerns and corrective actions.
• Ensure inspection equipment and measurement systems are properly maintained, calibrated, and utilized.
• Develop and mentor Quality personnel while establishing clear expectations for performance and accountability.
• Support new-product introduction and production-readiness activities from a quality perspective.
• Promote a proactive quality culture focused on preventing defects rather than identifying them after production.

Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive quality experience within precision machining, aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Previous experience leading or managing Quality personnel strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and ISO 9001 quality systems.
• Experience with CNC-machined components and tight-tolerance manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of blueprint reading, GD&T, inspection methods, and dimensional metrology.
• Experience with CMMs and other precision inspection equipment.
• Working knowledge of AS9102 FAI requirements, NCR/MRB processes, corrective action, root-cause analysis, and CAPA/8D methodologies.
• Experience supporting customer and third-party quality audits.
• Ability to investigate complex manufacturing problems and work cross-functionally to implement practical corrective actions.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related technical discipline preferred; equivalent manufacturing and quality leadership experience will also be considered.