Senior Quality Engineer Jobs in the United States

Role Overview

Pacific Scientific EMC is expanding and seeking a highly skilled Senior Quality Engineer to lead quality engineering efforts across new factory buildouts.  Develop qualification plan for new manufacturing line, continuous improvement initiatives, and evolving production systems. This role drives Advance Manufacturing quality activities across design, manufacturing, and supplier functions, ensuring that new facilities, production lines, and transferred processes meet stringent aerospace, customer, and regulatory requirements

The Senior Quality Engineer plays a key leadership role from early planning stages through process validation, customer approvals, and production ramp-up. The ideal candidate is multidisciplinary—capable of driving quality strategy at the system level while also providing hands-on support during builds, audits, and root cause investigations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead quality engineering activities to establish new factories and qualify new manufacturing lines, ensuring compliance with AS9100, AS9145 (APQP/PPAP), AS9102 (FAI), and customer-specific aerospace standards.
• Own the quality strategy for new or transferred production lines, from initial planning through full-scale production readiness.
• Lead the development and execution of qualification protocols (FAT/SAT/IQ/OQ/PQ) for new equipment, processes, and automation systems deployed across sites.
• Serve as the primary quality interface with customers for FAI submissions, PPAP packages, validation evidence, change approvals, audits, and program readiness reviews.
• Drive customer notifications and approvals for engineering changes, manufacturing transitions, and process modifications, ensuring compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements.
  Translate program requirements into robust inspection strategies, control plans, and process monitoring systems that enable flawless production startup.
• Lead PFMEA/DFMEA efforts across new manufacturing lines and industrialization projects to identify and mitigate risk proactively.
• Champion the creation and approval of factory quality documentation, including inspection methods, acceptance criteria, configuration management controls, and compliance statements.
• Conduct internal readiness reviews, qualification audits, and supplier assessments in accordance with AS9100, AS9145, and internal program requirements.
• Provide hands-on leadership during prototype builds, pilot runs, and early production, solving cross-disciplinary quality issues and guiding teams through structured root cause analysis (8D, DMAIC).
• Analyze process capability, SPC data, and system-level performance metrics to ensure stable ramp-up and long-term compliance.
• Partner with supply chain and suppliers to ensure readiness for new programs, including supplier capability assessments, PPAP, and ongoing quality improvement.
• Mentor junior engineers, sharing best practices in aerospace quality engineering, validation methodology, documentation, and regulatory compliance.

• Additional duties as assigned.

   

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Export Control Requirement:  Due to U.S. Government contract requirements applicable to this position, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment in this role. 
• 5-8+ years of progressive experience in quality engineering within aerospace, defense, automotive, or high-reliability electronics manufacturing environments.
• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or equivalent technical degree; advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership in qualifying new production lines, establishing new factory capabilities, and executing site or process transfers.
• Deep knowledge of aerospace quality and regulatory standards: AS9100, AS9145 (APQP/PPAP), AS9102 (FAI), and relevant customer-specific requirements.
• Proven experience preparing and defending customer approval packages, including FAIs, PPAPs, validation protocols, and change control submissions.
• Expertise in PFMEA, DFMEA, MSA, SPC, process capability analysis, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Strong background in configuration management, documentation control, and regulatory compliance for aerospace products.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams across engineering, operations, and supply chain to achieve factory readiness and regulatory compliance.
• Exceptional communication, documentation, and program leadership skills.
• Behavior aligned to our guiding principles: We Win as One Team, We Solve Problems, We Learn by Doing, We Unlock Growth, and We Own Our Future.

Work Location & Travel

This role is on-site can be performed at any of our three sites: (1) Solon, OH, (2) Hollister, CA, or (3) Chandler, AZ. Travel of up to 50 percent should be expected to support new factory setup, line qualifications, supplier audits, and customer approval activities.