Production Quality Engineer

LHH is looking for looking for a seasoned Production Quality Engineer to join our growing client’s team in the metal fabrication industry located in Mahoning County, OH. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in quality systems, process improvement, and defect prevention, with a strong foundation in Lean Six Sigma methodologies. A Green Belt or Black Belt certification and relevant quality certifications (e.g., CQE, CQA) are required for this role. The focus will be on continuous improvement, supplier quality, and customer satisfaction, ensuring our manufacturing processes meet and exceed industry standards.

The client will not sponsor any candidates who require a visa now or in the future.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain and enhance the Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure compliance with industry and customer requirements. Ensure adherence to ISO 9001 and other industry-specific standards. Develop and implement quality policies and procedures to improve overall quality performance.
• Lead and support internal and external audits, including customer and regulatory audits. Conduct supplier audits, inspections, and performance evaluations. Prepare audit reports and follow up on corrective actions to ensure compliance.
• Lead and facilitate Six Sigma (DMAIC) projects to reduce defects and improve efficiency. Utilize Lean manufacturing principles to drive continuous improvement initiatives. Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement best practices.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure quality standards are in place. Devise and implement methods and procedures for inspecting, testing, and evaluating the precision and accuracy of products and production equipment. Develop and maintain quality control plans and inspection criteria.
• Identify root causes of quality issues using tools like 5-Why, Fishbone Diagrams, and FMEA. Implement statistical process control (SPC), control charts, and process capability analysis. Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions to address quality issues.
• Collaborate with suppliers to establish quality requirements, corrective actions, and improvement plans. Serve as the primary point of contact for customer quality concerns, ensuring timely response and resolution of non-conformances (NCRs, CAPAs). Develop and maintain supplier quality metrics and performance reports.
• Develop and oversee inspection plans, first article inspections (FAI), and final product verification. Utilize CMM, calipers, micrometers, and other precision measurement tools to verify conformance. Ensure all inspection and testing equipment is calibrated and maintained.
• Work with production teams to enhance in-process quality control and reduce scrap and rework. Ensure that corrective measures meet acceptable reliability standards and that documentation is compliant with requirements. Monitor and analyze in-process quality data to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• May specialize in areas such as design, incoming material, production control, product evaluation and reliability, inventory control, and/or research and development as they apply to product or process quality. Provide technical expertise and support in specialized areas to improve overall quality performance.
• Provide quality training to employees on topics such as GD&T, problem-solving techniques, and inspection methods. Develop and deliver training programs to enhance employee skills and knowledge in quality management. Maintain documentation, work instructions, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in compliance with quality standards.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Qualification Requirements:

Education & Experience: B.S. degree in engineering, technology, or statistics. An associate degree with appropriate experience may also be considered with a current ASQ Certification in Quality Engineering.

Required: Green Belt or Black Belt certification (Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma).

Required: 7-10 years of experience in quality engineering within metal fabrication, machining, or welding.

Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).