Quality Manager, AS9100 Aerospace + Defense Build-to-Print | Lead Department

You'd own quality for a privately held build-to-print shop where every job is different, every customer audits you, and your sign-off is the last word before product ships. $110K to $140K, plus relocation for the right leader.

Pave Talent is hiring on behalf of our client, an established, privately held contract manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and commercial customers, with a large share of the work supporting military programs. It's a true low-volume, high-mix job shop: one program runs for three years, the next is ten units due in three weeks. Leadership runs on ownership and accountability, and the floor is a diverse, multilingual team that works well together.

• Quality leaders from build-to-print, job shop, or contract manufacturing, not food, pharma, or lab-only settings
• People with broad shoulders. Government source inspectors and customer auditors are direct and no-nonsense, and you stand behind your product with them
• Humble, hands-on leaders who own outcomes instead of assigning blame
• Someone who wants to BE the quality authority at a smaller company, not one of fifty quality managers at a prime

If you want a large corporate quality organization with layers of support, or you'd rather not be the one in the room with a military inspector, this isn't your role.

This is the top quality seat in the building. You'll lead the whole department with a direct line to senior leadership, and you won't walk in cold: a long-tenured quality leader is on hand for a structured knowledge transfer during your first months.

You'll lead a team that includes a quality supervisor, a quality lead, inspectors, and dedicated admin support, and you'll be the face of quality for every customer, registrar, and government inspector who walks through the door. Expect a mix of production floor and office time.

• The quality management system (QMS), kept compliant with AS9100 Rev D and ISO 9001 and ready for any audit
• Hosting customer, registrar, and government source inspections and audits
• In-process, final, and first article inspection (FAI) across a constantly changing product mix
• Root cause analysis and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) that actually closes the loop
• Supplier and incoming material quality, working hand in hand with purchasing
• Training inspectors and supervisors so quality is built in on the floor, not just checked at the end
• Quality metrics and reporting to senior leadership

The hiring team said it plainly: "If you don't have broad shoulders, you're not going to make it here." Military inspectors will question your product and won't sugarcoat it. That isn't disrespect; it's the job. The shop is lean, so this is hands-on leadership: reading prints, walking the floor, and making the call, not managing from a spreadsheet.

• 5+ years in quality assurance or quality control in manufacturing, including 3+ years leading a quality team
• Build-to-print, job shop, or contract manufacturing experience (a firm requirement from the hiring team)
• Working knowledge of AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 and hands-on audit experience
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and customer contract requirements
• Authorized to work in the US without sponsorship, now or in the future (sponsorship is not available)
• Government or military source inspection experience, or work to Department of Defense (DoD) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications
• Bachelor's degree in quality, engineering, industrial engineering, or a related field (equivalent experience considered)
• JobBOSS or a similar job shop enterprise resource planning (ERP) system

Wichita, Kansas area, minutes from the airport, with a cost of living well below most major metros. Out-of-area finalists can be flown in for a same-day on-site interview.

Pave Talent and our client are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.