Description
Position Overview
The Quality Engineer develops, implements, and improves quality systems and processes for electrical power distribution equipment, including switchgear, control panels, and related assemblies. This role partners with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Operations to ensure products meet customer requirements, applicable standards, and internal quality expectations.
Key Responsibilities
1. Quality Planning & Product Assurance
- Develop inspection plans, quality controls, and acceptance criteria for electrical distribution products and assemblies.
- Review engineering drawings, electrical schematics, bills of materials, and customer specifications for quality requirements.
- Support first-article inspections, in-process verification, final inspections, and product testing.
- Collaborate with Engineering and Manufacturing to identify quality risks during new product introduction and design changes.
- Establish practical quality checkpoints and improve product traceability.
2. Nonconformance & Corrective Action
- Investigate internal defects, test failures, supplier issues, and customer-reported nonconformances.
- Lead or support root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Coordinate containment, rework, disposition, and verification of corrective action effectiveness.
- Analyze recurring defects and production trends to reduce scrap, rework, and escapes.
- Communicate quality issues and resolution plans to relevant stakeholders.
3. Quality Systems, Documentation & Compliance
- Maintain quality procedures, inspection records, control plans, and other controlled documentation.
- Support ISO 9001 quality management system activities, internal audits, and corrective action follow-up.
- Verify alignment with applicable customer requirements and relevant UL, NEC, NFPA, and other product standards.
- Maintain accurate quality data, test records, and nonconformance documentation in company systems.
- Support calibration, measurement system controls, and readiness for customer or regulatory audits.
4. Supplier & Manufacturing Quality
- Partner with Supply Chain and Receiving to evaluate incoming material quality and supplier performance.
- Support supplier corrective action requests and qualification of new or alternate components.
- Work with Production and Manufacturing Engineering to improve assembly, wiring, and testing processes.
- Track quality indicators such as first-pass yield, defect rates, scrap, rework, and corrective action closure.
- Identify process variation and recommend sustainable quality improvements.
5. Continuous Improvement & Team Support
- Partner with Engineering, Operations, Production, Purchasing, and Project Management to resolve quality concerns.
- Use structured problem-solving and continuous improvement methods to reduce defects and improve reliability.
- Support training on inspection standards, workmanship expectations, and quality procedures.
- Provide technical guidance to inspectors and production personnel as appropriate.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Quality Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
- Quality engineering experience in a manufacturing environment required; experience with electrical power distribution products strongly preferred.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, electrical schematics, specifications, and inspection or test results.
- Working knowledge of root-cause analysis, corrective action, quality management systems, and inspection methods; ISO 9001 experience preferred.
- Familiarity with applicable UL, NEC, NFPA, or related electrical product standards preferred.
- Strong analytical, documentation, communication, and cross-functional problem-solving skills; ability to work on the manufacturing floor.
Requirements
Level Expectations
Quality Engineer I
- Typically 0–3 years of quality, manufacturing, or related engineering experience.
- Supports inspections, quality documentation, and investigations with guidance from experienced engineers or quality leadership.
- Collects and analyzes defect data, supports corrective actions, and maintains accurate quality records.
- Works with Engineering, Production, and Quality Technicians to address routine product and process issues.
Quality Engineer II
- Typically 3–7 years of progressive quality engineering experience in manufacturing.
- Independently develops quality plans, leads nonconformance investigations, and drives corrective actions for assigned products or processes.
- Interprets technical requirements and supports audits, supplier quality activities, and production process improvements.
- Uses quality metrics and structured problem-solving to reduce defects, rework, and customer issues.
Quality Engineer III
- Typically 7+ years of progressive quality engineering experience in complex manufacturing environments.
- Leads complex quality initiatives, risk assessments, major investigations, and cross-functional corrective action programs.
- Provides technical direction on quality systems, product compliance, supplier quality, and manufacturing process capability.
- Mentors less-experienced engineers and technicians and advises leadership on significant quality risks.
- Drives strategic improvements in product reliability, quality performance, and quality management processes.