Quality Engineer Jobs in Athens, AL (NOW HIRING)

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Leidos' Defense Systems Sector is seeking a Quality Engineer to join our team. This position will support a critical air defense program by implementing Quality processes in initial development and production of the system. Manufacturing activities will occur at multiple sites in different states, so consistency and coordination are critical for success. The position will be based in Huntsville, AL but will require occasional travel with an increasing frequency of travel as the project progresses.

Position Summary

The Quality Engineer will support manufacturing quality operations at the Platform Integration Facility, including new site AS9100 certification activities, first article inspection (FAI), product and execution assurance, and program-level quality compliance. This role partners closely with program quality engineers, manufacturing, and engineering teams to ensure product conformance, drive continuous improvement, and maintain rigorous quality data and reporting standards.

Primary Responsibilities

Program & Compliance Support

• Support AS9100 certification activities for a new site

• Work with program quality engineers to support program requirements

• Ensure CDRL (Contract Data Requirements List) compliance

• Approve final data packages prior to delivery

• Create and review data packages/FAI for product produced on-site

• Validate completeness and correctness of acceptance criteria

Inspection & Product/Execution Assurance

• Conduct drawing reviews

• Develop and lead first article inspection (FAI) activities

• Perform Product Assurance on assigned manufacturing outputs, or confirm full inspection by a qualified role prior to release to the next operation, integration point, or customer delivery

• Perform Execution Assurance by witnessing/verifying that manufacturing activities follow approved work instructions, drawings, specifications, inspection criteria, and configuration controls in real time

• Support process proofing activities

• Review and approve work instructions supporting the quality plan and applicable industry standards

Nonconformance & Root Cause Management

• Ensure nonconformances are properly documented; coordinate final dispositions with engineering

• Conduct root cause analysis and corrective action (RCCA) for nonconforming issues

• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for recurring defects

• Support Material Review Board (MRB) activities and defect classification accuracy

• Validate effectiveness of implemented CAPAs (Corrective and Preventive Actions)

Process Improvement & Data Analysis

• Conduct process capability studies (Cp, Cpk) and trend analyses

• Facilitate structured improvement projects and PFMEA reviews

• Develop and maintain process control plans and inspection criteria

• Track program quality metrics through Power BI and other reporting/analytics tools

• Support risk reduction and continuous improvement projects

• Identify and escalate predictive risks before they impact the customer

• Escalate when engineering maturity, configuration, or documentation is insufficient

Team & Cross-Functional Support

• Support team members in developing manufacturing work instructions

• Provide technical support during new product introduction (NPI)

• Train production staff in quality tools and defect prevention

• Coordinate with test and calibration functions to ensure measurement reliability

• Oversee quality data and reporting

• Report process changes to management

Basic Qualifications

• The Candidate must have a BS degree and with 4-8 years of relevant experience or Master's degree with 2-6 years of prior relevant experience.

• The candidate should have experience in an ISO9001/AS9100 system or equivalent experience in DOD, Aerospace, or Automotive manufacturing quality control.

• Applicant must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.

• Candidate must have experience working with non-conforming material, performing failure analysis, identifying root-cause and implementing corrective action.

• Must have experience writing work instructions, procedures, and implementing QMS documentation.

• Candidate must be able to review and interpret contract quality clauses and technical data and develop and document appropriate quality verification procedures, plans, and work instructions, including AS9102 First Article Inspection documentation.

• The position requires candidates to be capable of performing in a collaborative engineering environment working closely with multi-disciplinary teams.

• Must have demonstrated experience in effectively communicating within a team environment.

• The candidate must be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville North Alabama, AL area.

• Must have knowledge of how to efficiently use micrometers, height gages, gage blocks, radius gages, and calipers etc.

• Basic knowledge and understanding when reading and interpreting electrical and mechanical drawings with GD&T.

• Candidate must be a US Citizen

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 35 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• New product introduction

• Experience in the manufacture and inspection of complex aerospace hardware, non-conforming material, Material Review Board (MRB), review/creation of Acceptance Data Packs / First Article Inspection

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.

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.