Director of Quality Assurance

Emerge is currently recruiting qualified candidates for a direct hire Director of Quality Assurance job in Lock Haven, PA for our client, a growing manufacturer of quality automotive parts. This role involves leading manufacturing quality operations across multiple production facilities located in the north central region of Pennsylvania, and driving measurable improvements in defect reduction and continuous improvement. The position requires regular travel between facilities (1 to 2 hours' drive).

The role offers a salary range of $110,000-$135,000 per year and excellent benefits.

• Provide visible, hands‑on quality leadership across multiple manufacturing facilities, maintaining a regular plant floor presence and leading Gemba walks and team touchpoints.
• Lead, develop, evaluate, and retain plant quality personnel — including Quality Engineers and Technicians — setting clear expectations and building a collaborative culture of continuous improvement.
• Own the Corrective Action Report (CAR) process from initiation through verified closure, applying structured problem‑solving methods (8D, DMAIC, 5-Why) with root‑cause rigor, including investigation of customer returns and field complaints.
• Own and report internal and external DPM (Defects Per Million) trends across all facilities, and lead defect reduction initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma to improve first‑pass yield, scrap, and rework metrics.
• Own and execute print‑and process‑level quality training and qualification for new and existing staff, maintaining current training records and coordinating with Manufacturing Engineering on engineering‑change and new‑product training.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) quality execution in partnership with Product Engineering, and direct special projects assigned by manufacturing leadership.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent required; advanced degree a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing quality leadership, including direct management of plant‑level quality teams (multi‑site experience strongly preferred).
• Experience in IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 environments required.
• Proven track record of corrective action ownership and measurable quality improvements.
• Strong technical proficiency with statistical quality tools including SPC, MSA/Gage R&R, FMEA and a presence‑first, floor‑visible leadership style.
• This position is subject to ITAR compliance:
  International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which requires U.S. person status; ITAR defines U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e., “Green Card Holder”), Political Asylee, or Refugee. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States; verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.