Manufacturing Quality Engineer – APQP / PPAP/ IATF

About the role

Purpose: The Quality Engineer – APQP Program Lead is responsible for day-to-day Quality Engineering activities while serving as the primary owner of the company's Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process. This role plans, tracks, and drives active APQP projects to ensure they are completed on time and meet customer requirements. The position serves as the central point of accountability for APQP timelines, cross-functional task completion, quality documentation, and gate-readiness reporting to leadership and customers. The anticipated initial allocation of responsibilities is approximately 50% APQP, 35% Quality Engineering, and 15% Compliance. This allocation may evolve as business and compliance needs change.

Work Environment: This is an onsite full-time salary position operating in both an office and manufacturing environment, requiring regular presence on the production floor to support quality engineering, APQP activities, inspections, audits, and production needs. The employee may occasionally be exposed to moving mechanical parts, noise, and other conditions typical of a manufacturing environment. Employees must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) while in designated areas.

Responsibilities

• APQP Program Management (~50%):
  • Own and maintain the APQP tracking system across active programs and part numbers, ensuring task owners, due dates, and statuses remain current.
  • Schedule and lead cross-functional APQP kickoff and status meetings with Engineering, Quality, Production, Purchasing, and other applicable functions.
  • Track program timelines against customer-required PPAP and part due dates, proactively identify at-risk activities, and drive follow-up to maintain program timing.
  • Coordinate the timing and completion of required quality documentation throughout the APQP process.
  • Maintain APQP documentation packages, revision history, PPAP requirements, and customer-specific submission requirements.
  • Lead or support safe-launch activities in accordance with internal and customer requirements.
  • Serve as the primary Quality liaison for assigned launch programs and communicate program status, risks, and key milestones to internal leadership and customers as required.
  • Train and support functional owners on APQP tools, task expectations, and documentation standards.
• Quality Engineering (~35%):
  • Develop, review, and maintain PFMEAs and Control Plans for new and existing customer parts.
  • Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective action responses for internal, supplier, and customer quality issues related to launch or production parts.
  • Support first article inspections, PPAP submissions, and customer approval activities.
  • Coordinate with metrology/CMM programming and inspection planning to ensure Control Plan characteristics are measurable and capable.
  • Support supplier quality activities related to new product introduction, including supplier PPAP review when applicable.
  • Develop and improve processes related to stability, efficiency, quality, and operations.
  • Ensure appropriate inspection and containment plans are established and maintained.
  • Provide day-to-day Quality Engineering support to manufacturing operations.
• Compliance (~15%):
  • Participate in internal process, product, and quality system audits and support closure of associated corrective actions.
  • Support compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, customer-specific requirements, and established Quality Management System processes.
  • Assist with maintaining required quality documentation and records.
  • Support compliance-related activities and