Director Quality Engineering Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

JOB TITLE: Sr. Program Quality Engineer

DEPARTMENT: Medium Cannon Caliber (MCC) Engineering

REPORTS TO: MCC Sr Director of Manufacturing

POSITION DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The Senior Quality Engineering position is a dual purpose role that develops, implements, and matures a quality management system (QMS) for a best-in-class scalable defense manufacturing operation while it also provides technical quality engineering and quality program support support to Engineering and Program Operations.

The role leads the establishment of robust quality processes, governance, and compliance frameworks that ensure contractual, regulatory, and customer quality requirements are systematically translated into operational execution across internal manufacturing and the supplier base. Core responsibilities include ownership of quality planning, supplier quality development, corrective action systems, audit readiness, inspection architecture, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Concurrently, the role provides technical quality engineering support to Program Operations, including inspection strategy development, failure analysis, statistical process control, root cause investigation, acceptance data analysis, first article review, and integration of quality requirements into production processes and production readiness activities. The poison is also responsible for all aspects of quality assurance program compliance and reporting.

This position is best suited for a quality professional who can operate both strategically—as a builder of scalable quality systems—and tactically—as a hands-on technical quality engineer supporting complex defense manufacturing operations and contracts.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the site Quality Management System (QMS) to ensure compliance with customer, contractual, regulatory, and internal requirements.

· Establish and maintain quality processes, procedures, inspection frameworks, and governance systems that support scalable defense manufacturing operations.

· Own supplier quality management activities, including quality requirement flow-down, supplier qualification, surveillance, audits, performance monitoring, corrective actions, and supplier capability development.

· Develop and maintain program quality plans, inspection/test requirements, acceptance criteria, and quality documentation submissions.

· Develop and ensure conformance to all quality related customer contract requirements and submissions.

· Support failure reporting, nonconformance management, and continuous improvement initiatives using structured quality methodologies and statistical tools.

· Review supplier quality documentation for approval, such as Inspection Plans, Test Plans, Control Plans, Measurement System Documentation, First Article Inspection Reports, Physical Configuration Audit reports, Inspection data etc.

· Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to help integrate quality requirements into product design and production processes.

· Monitor program performance metrics and assist in reporting quality trends and issues to senior management.

· Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, supply chain, and customer stakeholders to integrate quality requirements into production process development and supplier execution.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

· This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

POSITION TYPE:

· This is a Salary Exempt full-time position.

TRAVEL:

· Travel (15-20% of work time).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering/applied sciences (math, physics, etc.) plus 8-12 years of Quality Engineering Experience; or Master’s degree plus 5-8 years of experience
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance which requires US Citizenship as a prerequisite.
• Strong background in inspection equipment, techniques and general knowledge of Metrology and Calibration
• Ability to work with multiple disciplines to create and implement quality/inspection requirements for new products.
• Solid understanding of Drawings and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing
• Command of root cause determination and corrective action activities
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, presentation skills and an excellent statistical analysis ability
• Solid Quality Tools skills (Statistics, DOE, FMEA, MSA)
• Excellent people skills, with proven ability to work with internal customers and suppliers on quality improvement activities.
• Strong understanding of Quality Management Systems with ISO 9001:2015 compliance.
• High Energy, results oriented, self-motivated/self-reliant, team player.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Certification as a Quality Engineer (CQE) and/or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt.
• Experience in a Defense contract manufacturing environment.
• Solid Understanding of Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis (DFMEA) and Process Failure Mode Effect Analysis (PFMEA).
• Manufacturing background desired including a familiarity with material science, machining processes, fine-electromechanical assembly, or electronics assemblies, automated assembly and energetic materials.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and standards relevant to the defense industry.
• Experience with supplier quality management and development.
• Experience with the Material Review Board (MRB) process.
• Experience with interpreting and presenting quality metrics.
• Experience working with energetics and other hazardous products.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

2. This is an office position; however, some physical labor may be required, when performing responsibilities during production related and ballistic testing activities. This would require the ability to lift, bend or stoop as necessary.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.