Quality Engineer

Customer Quality Engineer

As a key member of the program core team, the Customer Quality Engineer represents the voice of the customer within the organization and serves as the primary interface between the customer and internal teams. This role focuses on establishing, managing, and achieving Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and milestone events across all program phases in alignment with the Standard Program Management Process (SPMP).

The Customer Quality Engineer leads quality activities for new product launches and engineering changes, ensuring that customer requirements are clearly understood, effectively implemented, and consistently met by both internal manufacturing plants and external suppliers.

Responsibilities:

• Develop comprehensive APQP documentation to support the Product Realization Process in accordance with customer requirements, including FMEA, MSA, SPC, PPAP, and related core tools.
• Facilitate and participate in the development and maintenance of process flows, PFMEA, and control plans with strong attention to critical and special product and process characteristics.
• Ensure appropriate inspection plans and containment plans are in place and effectively implemented throughout the process value stream.
• Develop, maintain, and control all APQP documents through PPAP approval for new program launches.
• Execute PPAP submission and secure approval for customer-initiated product changes in accordance with SPMP guidelines.
• Understand, interpret, and communicate customer-specific requirements to internal teams and suppliers.
• Participate in GD&T development through the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) process and support tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Oversee gaging requirements, including design review, approval, and coordination of customer approval.
• Coordinate and participate in customer quality events with manufacturing plants, such as site visits, launch reviews, and run-at-rate activities.
• Establish and define customer safe launch exit criteria and ensure they are met.
• Participate in internal customer program reviews and provide quality-related input and status updates.
• Obtain customer Appearance Approval Report (AAR) for designated A-surface or cosmetic components when applicable.
• Manage all customer claims during prototype and pre-production phases, providing timely feedback in line with customer-specific requirements.
• Ensure customer portals are maintained accurately and consistently in accordance with customer-specific requirements.
• Hand off customer PPAP approval to the manufacturing plant and support a smooth transition into production.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to identify and resolve potential issues during program launch and engineering change phases.
• Initiate dimensional layout requirements during pre-production planning and create standards where none exist.
• Ensure APQP process information is accurate, comprehensive, and communicated effectively to suppliers.
• Coordinate with suppliers to develop line readiness activities, including run-at-rate, product validation (PV) testing, quality assurance verification (QAV), and all standard APQP milestones.
• Communicate between organizational leadership and suppliers to address and resolve quality issues, providing technical input and guidance with a focus on preventive actions.
• Ensure suppliers follow their own program management processes and timing, and monitor compliance with agreed milestones.
• Ensure Plant Supplier Quality Engineers (SQE) validate and buy off the effective implementation of supplier processes during safe launch.
• Facilitate the corrective action process with a focus on reducing quality incidents and improving overall quality and delivery performance.
• Review and approve PFMEA documents provided by suppliers to ensure adequacy and alignment with product and process risks.
• Review corrective actions and conduct verification audits at supplier sites when needed to confirm effectiveness and sustainability.
• Take responsibility for final PPAP sign-off and communication at Phase Gate Review 5 within the program management process.
• Identify and train backup personnel to manage key tasks during absences and ensure continuity of quality activities.
• Perform additional related functions as directed, supporting the broader quality and program management objectives.

Essential

Skills:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or a related field, or equivalent work experience in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Quality Engineer, preferably in an automotive manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up applications.
• Advanced knowledge of APQP and its application throughout the product realization process.
• Advanced knowledge of customer-specific program development requirements, including AIAG Automotive Core Tools.
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems such as ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 (formerly TS 16949).
• Experience mentoring other Quality Engineering team…