Automotive Customer Quality Engineer - APQP and Warranty

Nidec; St. Charles (IL); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Nidec is seeking a Customer Quality Engineer to manage strategic customer accounts, resolve complex quality issues, and collaborate across global teams. The role emphasizes APQP/AQP for launches and strong data-driven problem solving.

Travel up to 15% may be required, with a bachelor’s degree and automotive quality experience. You will engage manufacturing and design teams to drive continuous improvements and uphold ISO 14001 / IATF 16949 standards.

Qualifications

• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Analytical thinking with problem-solving methods (Pareto charts, cause-and-effect, histograms).
• Technical thinking and core tool knowledge; plating, plastic molding, metal stamping and/or welding a plus.
• Written and verbal communication with customers (internal & external).
• Quality/manufacturing engineering experience in automated high-volume automotive production.
• Familiarity with charts, corrective action programs, DOE, and SPC tools.
• Some knowledge of soldering, electronic components and PCB assembly a plus.
• Expertise with ISO 14001 / IATF 16949.
• Strong PC skills (Microsoft Office, Word, Excel and Access).

Responsibilities

• Develop strategy to manage specific customer accounts.
• Lead customer quality issue resolution.
• Interact with customer to satisfy their requirements.
• Understand customer specific requirements.
• Maintain daily quality and cost data (PPM / KPI targets).
• Engage site production team to drive manufacturing improvements.
• Support new business opportunities and new product development programs.
• Gather warranty data, generate warranty charts, analyze trends and reduce warranty cost.
• Support change management programs with customers and at plant level.
• Submit all new parts submission (PPAP) requirements.
• Perform APQP for new product launches and AQP for changes.
• Act as key member of FMEA development and liaison between Manufacturing and Design Engineering.
• Set quality goals and improvement plans.
• Review and improve control plans.
• Lead customer issues to closure using 8D, 5P, 5 Whys, Fault Tree Analysis.
• Possibly participate in New Product Launch activities and FMEA Moderator training.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Customer communication

Quality engineering

Cross-functional collaboration

SPC tools knowledge

ISO 14001 / IATF 16949

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

MS Office

Excel

Word

Access

Job description

Nidec is seeking a Customer Quality Engineer to manage strategic customer accounts, resolve complex quality issues, and collaborate across global teams. The role emphasizes APQP/AQP for launches and strong data-driven problem solving.

Travel up to 15% may be required, with a bachelor’s degree and automotive quality experience. You will engage manufacturing and design teams to drive continuous improvements and uphold ISO 14001 / IATF 16949 standards.