Principal Quality Engineer

Responsibilities

• Lead quality engineering activities supporting product development, manufacturing, and sustaining engineering.
• Develop and implement quality strategies that comply with FDA, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Drive root cause investigations and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) using structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Lead risk management activities including DFMEA, PFMEA, risk assessments, and mitigation plans.
• Review and approve engineering change orders (ECOs), design documentation, validation protocols, and quality records.
• Support design control activities including Design Verification & Validation (V&V), Design Reviews, and Design History Files (DHF).
• Analyze quality metrics and implement continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Six Sigma and statistical tools.
• Lead process validation activities including IQ, OQ, PQ, and process capability studies.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, R&D, Regulatory Affairs, Supply Chain, and Operations to resolve quality issues.
• Provide technical leadership during internal, customer, and regulatory audits.
• Mentor and coach Quality Engineers and cross-functional teams on quality best practices.
• Support supplier qualification, supplier audits, and supplier quality improvement initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Biomedical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Electrical, Chemical, or related discipline).
• 8+ years of Quality Engineering experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of FDA regulations, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, and cGMP requirements.
• Experience with Design Controls, Risk Management (ISO 14971), CAPA, Client, and change management.
• Hands-on experience with process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), statistical analysis, SPC, MSA, and capability studies.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent root cause analysis skills utilizing 8D, Fishbone, 5 Whys, and similar tools.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and mentoring engineering teams.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or related technical field.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
• Experience in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, aerospace, automotive, or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience supporting FDA inspections and ISO certification audits.
• Knowledge of validation documentation, statistical software (Minitab), and quality management systems.