Customer Launch & Field Quality Manager

Flint Hills Resources; Rochester Hills (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Koch Industries is seeking a customer-facing quality leader in the United States to drive successful product launches and resolve field-quality issues across new product introductions and production programs. You will lead APQP, DFMEA, PFMEA, and Special Characteristics with a systems-level quality improvement focus.

The role requires cross-functional leadership across design, process, manufacturing, project management, and supplier quality, with travel 20-30% domestically and internationally.

Qualifications

• APQP, AIAG Core Tools, DFMEA/PFMEA, MSA and SPC knowledge required.
• Experience with OEM/Tier1 quality escalation and customer communications.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive risk reduction beyond check-box tasks.
• Travel approximately 20-30% domestically and internationally.
• Strong understanding of control plans, special characteristics, and readiness for launches.

Responsibilities

• Lead quality for new product launches; ensure APQP deliverables and milestones are met.
• Serve as NA customer quality interface for launch and production issues.
• Drive containment, root cause validation, corrective actions, and effectiveness reviews.
• Facilitate DFMEA/PFMEA to embed lessons learned into risk assessments and controls.
• Identify and deploy Special Characteristics in control plans and measurement systems.
• Translate customer issues into DFMEA/PFMEA updates and process improvements.
• Lead cross-functional teams to prevent repeat failures and ensure flawless launches.
• Follow Koch quality principles and continuous improvement standards.

Skills

APQP

DFMEA/PFMEA

QMS

Cross-functional leadership

Root cause analysis

8D problem solving

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical/Electrical/Manufacturing/Quality)

Tools

Minitab

Statistical analysis tools

Job description

Serve as a customer-facing quality leader responsible for driving successful product launches and supporting customer quality issues across new product introduction and production programs. The position focuses on risk prevention and system-level quality improvement through strong leadership of APQP, DFMEA, PFMEA, Control Plan, and Special Characteristics activities while acting as a primary interface between customers and internal engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams.

Our Team

Molex is a leading provider of electronic solutions, committed to innovation and excellence. Our team is dedicated to delivering high-quality products and services to our customers worldwide. Join us and be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking organization.

What You Will Do

• Customer Launch & Field Quality Leadership: Leadquality execution for new product launches, ensuring APQP deliverables and customer milestones are achieved on time.
• Customer Interface: Act as the primary North America customer quality interface for launch and production-related quality issues, including escalation communication and status alignment.
• Customer Issue Resolution: Driveresolution of customer concerns and field quality issues, including containment coordination, root cause validation, corrective action follow-up, and effectiveness review.
• DFMEA /PFMEA : Facilitate and challenge DFMEA and PFMEA activities to ensure lessons learned, warranty trends, and field issues are effectively incorporated into risk assessments, process controls, and quality planning deliverables.
• Risk-Based Challenge: Challengetechnical assumptions and drive meaningful risk reduction rather than documentation completion only.
• Special Characteristics Management: Leadidentification and alignment of Critical and Significant Characteristics; ensure proper deployment into control plans, measurement systems, reaction plans, and traceability.
• System-Level Quality Improvement: Translatecustomer issues, launch lessons learned, and manufacturing feedback into updates for DFMEA, PFMEA, control plans, work instructions, and future program quality planning.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Leadand influence cross-functional teams across design, process, manufacturing, project management, and supplier quality to prevent repeat failures and support flawless launch performance.
• Quality System & PBM: Understand and practice Koch Guiding Principles, quality management system requirements, APQP discipline, and continuous improvement expectations by following stated policies and procedures.
• Other Duties: Performother relatedduties asassigned by management.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• 7+ years of experience in Quality Engineering, Advanced Quality Planning, Launch Quality,Manufacturingengineeringor Design Engineeringfield; experience working with automotive or similar high-reliability customers.
• Experience with OEM and/or Tier1 customers, customer quality escalation.
• Strong knowledge of APQP, DFMEA, PFMEA, Control Plan, AIAG Core Tools, 8D, root cause analysis, and customer quality communicationand negotiation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority. Strong accountability, ownership mindset, and professional communication skills.
• Travel requirements 20-30% (domestic and international).

What Will Put You Ahead

• Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Quality, or related Engineering discipline; training in APQP, AIAG Core Tools, DFMEA, PFMEA, MSA, SPC, or Lean/Six Sigma.
• Cable/connector design or manufacturing, APQP deliverables, DFMEA/PFMEA facilitationand challenging process, control plan development, problem solving, and cross-functional launch execution.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949, VDA, metrology, GD&T, MSA, statistical analysis, Minitab or equivalent tools, cable/connector manufacturing processes, customer-specific requirements, and launch readiness assessment.

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .

Who We Are

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquí , or tu ).