Senior Quality Engineer - Aerospace Tooling & Ground Support Equipment

We are recruiting on behalf of a well-established, Cincinnati-based aerospace tooling and ground support equipment business. The company supports commercial aviation, MRO, OEM, and defense customers with engine tooling, ground support equipment, and custom assemblies. The business is in a strong growth phase, supporting licensed tooling requirements for major commercial engine programs, as well as line, hangar, and shop maintenance needs for a growing global customer base.

Our client is looking for a Senior Quality Engineer to act as a hands-on technical quality authority in a high-mix, low-volume aerospace environment focused on complex tooling, ground support equipment, and engineered assemblies. This person will own quality performance for assigned products, processes, and suppliers, helping drive product conformity, ISO compliance, customer satisfaction, supplier performance, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the technical quality authority for assigned products, processes, and suppliers.
• Serve as the primary quality interface for customer and supplier escalations, including audits, complaints, corrective actions, and issue resolution.
• Lead RCCA investigations across internal, supplier, and customer issues using structured problem-solving tools such as 8D, 5-Why, and Ishikawa/Fishbone.
• Drive containment, root cause analysis, corrective action implementation, effectiveness verification, and recurrence prevention.
• Review, approve, and provide technical oversight for inspection plans, First Article Inspections (FAI), and conformance strategies for complex or critical products.
• Support MRB activity for escalated nonconformances, including risk-based dispositions such as rework, repair, use-as-is, scrap, or customer approval.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Customer Service, and leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate quality risks.
• Monitor, analyze, and report quality metrics, trends, supplier performance, and customer quality issues.
• Support internal, external, customer, and supplier audits, including ISO 9001 compliance activities.
• Develop and maintain quality standards, inspection plans, work instructions, and related documentation.
• Provide guidance and training on GD&T, inspection methods, and quality tools.
• Lead supplier quality activities across a global supplier base, including audits, supplier corrective action requests (SCARs), performance reviews, and supplier development.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce variation, improve process capability, and strengthen long-term quality performance.

Requirements

Essential

• 10+ years of experience within a quality assurance or quality engineering organization, including 7+ years specifically in a Quality Engineering role within aerospace and/or manufacturing.
• Strong technical manufacturing quality background, ideally in aerospace tooling, ground support equipment, MRO, complex mechanical assemblies, precision machining, hydraulics, or related engineered products.
• Proven track record of leading complex quality investigations and corrective actions across customer and supplier issues.
• Hands-on experience with RCCA and structured problem-solving tools such as 8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa/Fishbone, or similar methodologies.
• Experience with customer quality escalations, audit responses, corrective action responses, and issue resolution.
• Supplier quality experience, including SCARs, supplier audits, performance management, and supplier development.
• Advanced knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems.
• Experience with inspection plans, FAI, technical drawings, GD&T, and nonconformance management.
• Working knowledge of inspection tools and technologies such as CMMs, PCMMs, and Romer/FARO arms.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work cross-functionally with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, leadership, customers, and suppliers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work onsite in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, or a related technical discipline. Significant relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• CQE, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, or AS9100 Lead Auditor certification.
• Experience with AS9100 or aerospace customer quality requirements.
• ERP/MRP experience; Epicor experience preferred.
• Experience with APQP, SPC, process capability, and advanced quality planning.
• Technical understanding of complex precision machined components, mechanical assemblies, and hydraulic assemblies.
• Basic understanding of metallurgy and welding fundamentals.
• Experience working with global suppliers and international quality expectations.

Benefits

• Compensation: $80 000 - $110 000 (depending on experience)
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match, currently 5%, with eligibility after three months.
• Paid time off, holidays, and sick leave.
• Individual contributors receive two weeks of accrued vacation and five sick days.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Career development and professional training opportunities, including manager and quality training programs being rolled out as part of continued growth.
• Employee referral program.
• Benefits are effective the first of the month following hire.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Both Keller Executive Search and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers. For all positions, whether with Keller Executive Search or our clients, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, skin color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected status. 

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