Quality Engineer Quality Engineer Jobs in Kentucky

Who We Are:
At Winston, we believe quality is not something that gets inspected into a product after it is built. Quality is engineered into the product from the beginning and reinforced throughout the manufacturing process. We are looking for a Quality Engineering Manager who gets excited about root cause analysis, reliability improvement, product design influence, and continuous improvement.

Summary:

The Quality Engineer is responsible for improving manufacturing quality through data-driven problem solving, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This position partners closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Service to improve first-pass yield, reduce defects, strengthen manufacturing processes, and support new product introductions.

In addition to leading quality improvement initiatives, the Quality Engineer provides daily leadership and direction to the Quality Inspection team, ensuring inspection activities effectively support manufacturing while maintaining Winston's quality standards.

This is a highly collaborative role requiring a strong technical foundation, a hands-on approach, and a passion for building sustainable processes rather than simply reacting to problems.

Basically, Engineer Quality Into Everything We Do!

Why You'll Love This Role

This isn't a traditional Quality Engineer position where success is measured by the number of defects you find.Success is measured by the defects that never happen.

You'll spend less time behind a desk and more time partnering with Manufacturing and Engineering to improve processes, solve challenging problems, and make a visible impact on the products we build every day.

If you enjoy digging into root causes, collaborating with great people, and leaving systems better than you found them, you'll thrive at Winston.

Key Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering related technical discipline or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of quality or manufacturing engineering experience.
• Experience with structured problem-solving and root cause analysis.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Preferred

• Lean Manufacturing experience.
• Experience with CAPA systems.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or willingness to pursue certification.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction.
• ERP experience (Epicor preferred).
• Knowledge of statistical process control and quality metrics.

Responsibilities:

Drive Manufacturing Quality

• Champion manufacturing quality across all Winston product lines.
• Analyze production data to identify trends and prioritize improvement opportunities.
• Lead structured root cause investigations using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone, Pareto Analysis, and Process Mapping.
• Reduce recurring manufacturing defects through permanent corrective actions.
• Improve First Pass Yield (FPY) through collaboration with Manufacturing and Engineering.
• Provide daily quality support to production teams.

Lead Corrective & Preventive Actions (CAPA)

• Own Winston's CAPA process from initiation through effectiveness verification.
• Facilitate cross-functional CAPA meetings.
• Drive accountability for corrective actions across departments.
• Verify implemented improvements eliminate root causes.
• Communicate quality trends and improvement progress to leadership.

Improve Manufacturing Processes

• Lead small- to medium-scale continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and improve inspection methods, quality documentation, and standardized work.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve consistency, and simplify manufacturing processes.
• Participate in Lean events and process improvement activities.

Lead the Inspection Team

• Provide daily direction and leadership to the Quality Inspectors.
• Prioritize incoming, in-process, and final inspection activities.
• Coach and develop inspectors to improve technical knowledge and consistency.
• Ensure inspection procedures remain standardized and effective.
• Balance inspection resources to support production needs.

Support Supplier & Incoming Quality

• Investigate supplier-related quality issues.
• Support supplier corrective actions.
• Collaborate with Purchasing and Engineering to improve supplier performance.
• Assist with incoming inspection standards.

Support New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Partner with Engineering during new product launches.
• Develop inspection plans for new products.
• Participate in manufacturing validation activities.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness from a quality perspective.

Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate demonstrates:

• Ownership and accountability.
• Technical curiosity.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Strong analytical thinking.
• Data-driven decision making.
• Collaborative leadership.
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Hands-on engagement with manufacturing teams.

What are the unique demands:

Physical Demands: ??Varied Work: Mostly Sedentary with frequent sitting, walking, and/or standing. Occasional requirement to lift/carry up to 50# or to push, pull or otherwise move finished products >100#. ?

Travel: ??Limited Travel: Less than 25% Domestic and/or International (all transportation types required)?