Customer Quality Engineer III

Overview

Join Panasonic Energy’s team in De Soto, Kansas, as we build the world’s largest lithium‑ion battery factory. In this role, you will support customer and product quality objectives through advanced product data collection and analysis, and structured problem‑solving activities. Your contributions will drive battery performance, safety, and reliability while mentoring junior engineers and advancing procedures and standards.

• Apply deep technical expertise to routine performance, safety, and reliability testing on lithium‑ion cells in accordance with specifications and procedures.
• Develop, review, and validate testing standards, methods, and acceptance criteria to ensure robust and repeatable results.
• Lead medium‑sized laboratory or quality projects, managing scope, timelines, and resource coordination.
• Plan and execute product qualification and product change management affecting customers.
• Conduct root‑cause analysis and corrective action, and preventative actions with cross‑functional internal stakeholders and customers.
• Independently resolve complex, multi‑variable quality and testing problems using structured problem‑solving methodologies.
• Perform advanced data analysis to identify trends, systemic failure modes, and improvement opportunities.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on product quality, test efficiency, and defect reduction.
• Develop and implement new or improved test methods, procedures, or processes based on data‑driven insights.
• Provide technical guidance during root‑cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Mentor Customer Quality Engineer I and II team members through technical coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Serve as a technical resource for laboratory technicians and engineers on testing practices and problem resolution.
• Collaborate across departments—including manufacturing, engineering, quality, and supply chain—to resolve complex quality issues.
• Communicate technical findings, risks, and recommendations to management and stakeholders.
• Present test results, analyses, and improvement proposals using clear, data‑supported narratives.
• Make independent technical decisions within area of expertise and appropriately escalates broader risks.
• Maintain, evaluate, follow, and improve SOPs related to safe handling, testing, storage, and disposal of lithium‑ion batteries.
• Lead containment actions and support disposition and treatment of nonconforming product.
• Ensure compliance with quality management systems, plant requirements, and PECNA policies and procedures.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure adherence to laboratory, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Wear required PPE, such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit with respirator, as needed.

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), or a related field.
• 4+ years of relevant experience, including hands‑on laboratory or product testing experience in a manufacturing or R&D environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency in mechanical and electrical engineering principles as applied to complex product testing, evaluation, and failure analysis.
• Ability to work with limited supervision, exercising independent technical judgment on complex or ambiguous quality and testing issues.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to clearly present technical findings, risks, and recommendations to cross‑functional teams and management.
• Proven ability to accurately document, interpret, and communicate complex test data, investigation outcomes, and corrective actions.
• Proficiency in applying statistical techniques to analyze data, identify trends, and support data‑driven decision‑making (e.g., SPC, basic DOE).
• Demonstrated expertise in metrology, measurement techniques, and advanced laboratory test equipment.
• Solid working knowledge of quality management systems (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949) and applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., UL, CE, RoHS), with the ability to apply them independently.
• Ability to quickly understand and apply production processes, quality…