Senior Associate, Quality Engineer (Cleanroom)

About the role

L3Harris is seeking a Senior Associate, Quality Engineering to join our team in Londonderry, NH. This role supports sub-assembly operations that feed downstream systems and goggle production, focusing on product conformance, contamination control, defect reduction, yield improvement, and Cost of Poor Quality reduction.

Responsibilities

• Support and interface with Program Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality personnel to establish and implement effective process controls geared towards risk mitigation within optics and tube cleanroom operations.
• Proactively monitor, analyze, report, and participate in the improvement of process and product performance within optics and tube cleanroom operations using established Six Sigma, Lean, and problem-solving methodologies.
• Support failure analysis and corrective action efforts by investigating optical, tube, contamination, workmanship, and process-related defects using structured problem-solving tools to help develop effective technical solutions.
• Manage assigned projects and/or processes with moderate supervision and recommend improvements to systems, inspection methods, and operational practices within the job area.
• Support Cost of Poor Quality improvement activities, including annual reduction targets, through data analysis, project participation, corrective actions, and process improvement initiatives.
• Identify and reduce sources of scrap, rework, contamination, workmanship issues, and recurring variation within optics and tube cleanroom operations.
• Coordinate and communicate real-time feedback of supplier-related defects observed in production to support containment, escalation, trend tracking, and corrective action follow-up with internal stakeholders.
• Verify and validate products and processes to confirm conformance to engineering, quality, workmanship, and operational requirements.
• Communicate with contacts inside and outside the immediate team to explain and interpret operational processes, practices, procedures, and quality expectations related to optics and cleanroom operations.
• Interface with customers and their agents, including DCMA, as required, during the production phase of applicable programs.
• Support qualification activities by helping track progress, review documentation, and assist with closure of quality-related actions associated with optics and tube cleanroom processes.
• Support training, mentoring, and coaching of lab, inspection, manufacturing, and cleanroom personnel in technical product requirements, contamination control, defect categorization, and optical workmanship expectations.
• Ensure work is performed in accordance with applicable internal quality management system requirements and relevant external standards, including ISO 9001 and applicable optical inspection and cleanroom process requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 2 years of prior related experience, or 2 years post-secondary/Associate’s Degree and a minimum of 6 years of prior related experience.
• In lieu of a degree, minimum of 8 years of prior related experience.
• Preferred: Familiarity with optical workmanship, inspection, and defect categorization standards, including ISO 10110 and MIL-PRF-13830, relevant to optics, tube processing, and cleanroom assembly operations.
• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering-related discipline preferred (e.g. Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing, Systems, or related discipline).
• Practical experience in manufacturing, quality, process engineering, or cleanroom operations involving optics, electro-optical systems, tube processing, or precision assembly.
• Experience with Cost of Poor Quality metrics, yield improvement efforts, and continuous improvement projects tied to operational performance targets.
• Experience with optical inspection methods, including scratch-dig measurement and analysis, cosmetic defect evaluation, surface quality inspection, and defect categorization.
• Familiarity with cleanroom assembly processes for optical assemblies, tube sub-assemblies, and precision electro-optical hardware.
• Experience coordinating production feedback for supplier-related defects and supporting containment and corrective action activities.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems and requirements.
• Experience in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies is desired.
• ASQ Certified Quality Technician (CQT) certification is desired and may be considered in lieu of Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
• Strong problem-solving and statistical skills including 8D, DOE, SPC, PFMEA, root cause analysis, and corrective action development.
• Proficient in MS Office.
• Proficient in Minitab or similar statistical software, and Microsoft Visio.
• Experience supporting qualification activities, readiness reviews, process validation, and closure of quality actions.
• Experience supporting or participating in training related to optical defect classification, workmanship standards, and contamination-sensitive optical handling; Savvy or equivalent external training is acceptable.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across Manufacturing, Engineering, Program Management, Supply Chain, and Quality organizations.
• Hands-on experience with optical lens inspection and scratch-dig measurement/analysis.
• Familiarity with cleanroom assembly processes for optical assembly.
• QMS audit experience is a plus.
• Excellent communication and teambuilding skills, with the ability to manage relationships with internal and external customers and foster trust and mutual respect.