Quality Manager – Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing

Total Aviation Staffing is hiring a Quality Manager for our client, a leading manufacturer serving the aerospace, defense, medical equipment, and commercial equipment industries.

This position is based in El Cajon, California and is ideal for an experienced quality leader with a strong background in aerospace manufacturing, quality systems, inspection processes, customer audits, supplier quality, and regulatory compliance. In this role, you will lead the quality department, oversee plant-wide quality processes, support internal and external audits, and help maintain compliance with key quality standards including AS9100-D, ISO 9001:2015, and NADCAP.

If you have experience managing quality teams, interpreting customer specifications, supporting NDT processes, and driving quality performance in a manufacturing environment, this is a strong opportunity to step into a high-impact leadership role.

What You’ll Do

As the Quality Manager, you will be responsible for leading the quality function, supporting inspection processes, managing compliance programs, and ensuring products meet customer, regulatory, and internal quality requirements.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the quality department and provide technical guidance on quality requirements.
• Oversee plant quality processes, including receiving inspection, in-process inspection, and final inspection.
• Develop methods for job releases and prepare quality packages, including SPC data collection and MIS documentation.
• Manage non-conforming products and ensure proper documentation, containment, disposition, and corrective action.
• Maintain scrap records, production records, SPC programs, and other quality documentation.
• Maintain the instrument calibration program and ensure calibration records remain accurate and up to date.
• Manage the Approved Supplier Program through supplier audits, performance tracking, and recordkeeping.
• Conduct or oversee NDT Level III responsibilities for X-Ray, Penetrant, and Visual inspection activities.
• Serve as the primary quality liaison during customer audits and third-party compliance audits.
• Maintain quality performance metrics and support continuous improvement efforts.
• Lead internal audits and ensure quality system compliance.
• Support sales order input and review customer specifications for quality requirements.
• Train, coach, evaluate, and develop quality department staff.
• Support compliance with AS9100-D, ISO 9001:2015, NADCAP, AS9102, customer requirements, and internal procedures.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a hands-on quality leader who can balance technical quality expertise with strong people management. You should be comfortable working across inspection, documentation, audits, supplier quality, calibration, corrective action, and customer requirements.

This role is a strong fit for someone who understands that quality is not just paperwork. It is the difference between “approved for release” and “everyone gets to enjoy a very expensive problem.” Details matter here.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in quality, quality assurance, quality engineering, project management, or a related manufacturing role.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Experience with aerospace, defense, medical equipment, commercial equipment, or precision manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of quality management systems, inspection processes, and manufacturing quality controls.
• Experience interpreting customer specifications, drawings, standards, and quality requirements.
• Competence in designing, maintaining, or improving quality engineering systems.
• Knowledge of ISO, AS9100, AS9102, raw materials, production processes, and quality control methods.
• Experience with inspection methods such as X-Ray, Penetrant, Visual inspection, metallurgy, and interpretation of inspection results.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Experience with ERP or CRM systems; Vantage experience preferred.
• Strong communication, leadership, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong critical thinking skills and ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Trade certifications or quality-related certifications.
• Experience with AS9100-D, ISO 9001:2015, NADCAP, and customer quality audits.
• NDT Level III experience or strong working knowledge of NDT processes.
• Aerospace or defense manufacturing quality leadership experience.
• Experience managing calibration programs, supplier quality programs, and internal audit programs.
• Experience with SPC, MIS documentation, non-conformance management, corrective action, and continuous improvement.
• Experience leading quality teams in a certified manufacturing environment.

Why This Role Stands Out

This is a high-impact quality leadership opportunity where your work directly supports manufacturing excellence, customer satisfaction, and compliance with demanding industry standards.

This opportunity offers:

• Competitive salary of $85,000 – $110,000 annually
• Full benefits package
• Leadership role overseeing the quality department
• Opportunity to support aerospace, defense, medical, and commercial manufacturing programs
• Direct involvement with AS9100-D, ISO 9001:2015, NADCAP, and customer quality requirements
• Opportunity to lead audits, improve processes, and strengthen quality performance
• Meaningful work tied to product quality, compliance, and operational success

Benefits and Perks

This opportunity includes:

• Competitive salary
• Full benefits package
• Professional growth opportunities
• Leadership responsibility within the quality department
• Opportunity to support key aerospace, defense, medical, and commercial manufacturing programs

Apply Today

If you are an experienced Quality Manager, Aerospace Quality Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Manufacturing Quality Manager, NDT Quality Leader, or AS9100 Quality Professional looking for your next leadership opportunity, we encourage you to apply today.

Total Aviation Staffing connects qualified aviation and aerospace professionals with career opportunities across commercial aviation, business aviation, MRO, aerospace manufacturing, defense, quality assurance, and aviation technology.