Kaizen Program Manager Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

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Leidos' Defense Sector Mission Assurance is seeking a Program Quality Engineer to serve as the quality engineering focal point for assigned programs, executing the Quality Control system in a way that drives customer satisfaction and product conformance. In this role you will support quality activities across Manufacturing operations - including First Article Inspection (FAI), supplier part approvals, continuous improvement, and defect reduction - for electromechanical products such as machined parts, mechanical assemblies, composite assemblies, welded assemblies, painted or coated assemblies, and flight hardware fabrication and assemblies.

This is a hands-on individual contributor role. You will partner with program management, engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain to translate contract and customer quality requirements into executable quality plans, and you will own the technical problem-solving behind nonconformances and corrective actions. The position reports to the Sr Quality Manager of Defense Sector Mission Assurance and works closely with Quality Technicians and Inspectors, though the role carries no direct supervisory responsibility.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

Leidos Defense Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world's toughest security challenges for customers with "can't fail" missions. To explore and learn more, click here!

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• Serve as the quality engineering point of contact for assigned programs, supporting problem identification, resolution, loss reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain program quality plans, inspection plans, and quality requirement flowdown from contracts to manufacturing and suppliers.
• Review contract quality requirements and identify the processes, tooling, and documentation needed to comply.
• Execute and disposition First Article Inspections (FAI/AS9102) and supplier part approvals.
• Develop and maintain quality metrics - process capability studies, control charts, and measurement system analysis - to monitor Quality Control system effectiveness.
• Lead root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving (8D, 5-Why, fishbone) to identify effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Build and maintain statistical data collection and analysis to surface trends affecting product quality.
• Participate in Material Review Board activities and disposition nonconforming material.
• Provide day-to-day technical direction and inspection guidance to Quality Technicians and Inspectors on assigned programs.
• Interact with customers to identify quality improvement opportunities and close the feedback loop with manufacturing and development personnel.
• Initiate and execute quality improvement activities (e.g., Kaizen, Six Sigma) to raise product line performance.
• Report quality issues, trends, and losses to Quality Management and program leadership.
• Support internal and external quality audits, including AS9100 surveillance and customer audits.
• Collaborate with DCMA and other government and/or customer quality assurance organizations.
• Interface with supplier and customer quality representatives on quality issues and verify effective corrective action is implemented.
• Review and provide quality inputs to aviation program manuals, forms, and records.
• All other reasonable duties, as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline and four (4) years of prior relevant experience; or master's degree with two (2) years of prior relevant experience. Additional years of direct experience working in aviation programs in support of defense contracts may be substituted for the degree.
• Four (4+) years of hands-on quality engineering experience in a manufacturing and/or product-based environment. Eight (8+) years of relevant experience is acceptable in lieu of a degree.
• Working knowledge of AS9100 / ISO 9001 requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, and GD&T.
• Ability to review and provide quality inputs to aviation program manuals, forms, and records.
• Candidate must be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area.
• Must be proficient in utilizing Microsoft Office products.
• Must have strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present technical findings to program and customer stakeholders.

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
• Experience with Solumina or a comparable MES/quality management system.
• Experience building quality dashboards and reporting in Power BI.
• AS9100 internal auditor training or experience.
• Experience with flight hardware, composites, welding, or coatings quality requirements.
• Familiarity with statistical analysis tools such as Minitab.
• Prior experience supporting DCMA or government source inspection activities.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:August 14, 2026Pay Range:Pay Range $73,450.00 - $132,775.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.