Customer Quality Engineer

PPG Industries; Louisiana (MO); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

PPG Industries in Lafayette, IN is seeking a Customer Quality Engineer (CQE) to ensure customer quality requirements are met and drive root cause analysis across the product life cycle. You will serve as the primary liaison between customers and internal teams, guiding corrective actions and continuous improvement.

Reporting to the Quality Assurance Manager, this on-site role collaborates with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Sales and Customer Service to protect customer satisfaction

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent technical field.
• 1+ years in customer quality, manufacturing quality, or automotive engineering.
• 3+ years with quality tools and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without authority.
• Experience communicating in customer-facing environments.
• Strong analytical, decision-making and risk assessment skills.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949 quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead resolution of customer quality issues from containment to closure.
• Be the primary customer contact for quality concerns, audits and escalations.
• Promote root cause analysis using 8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to investigate nonconformances.
• Ensure customer requirements are integrated into processes.
• Monitor key quality metrics and drive improvements.
• Ensure compliance with quality management systems and standards.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder communication

Analytical thinking

Risk assessment

Multi-priority management

Customer-facing communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, or related field

Tools

IATF 16949 knowledge

Job description

As the Customer Quality Engineer (CQE), you will ensure customer quality requirements are consistently met and lead the resolution of customer quality issues across the full product life cycle. Serving as the primary quality liaison between customers and internal cross-functional teams, you will drive root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role plays a critical part in maintaining customer satisfaction, ensuring compliance with quality standards, and sustaining product and process performance. This is an on-site position located at the Lafayette, IN facility, reporting to the Quality Assurance Manager.

Responsibilities

• Lead resolution of customer quality issues, complaints, and claims from containment through closure.
• Be the primary customer contact for quality concerns, escalations, audits, and issue reviews.
• Promote structured root cause analysis and corrective actions using methodologies such as 8D, 5 Whys, and Fishbone.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to investigate nonconformances and implement sustainable solutions.
• Ensure customer-specific requirements are integrated into business processes.
• Monitor and improve main quality performance metrics, including complaint reduction, prompt response, and customer scorecard performance.
• Promote compliance with quality management systems, customer requirements, and applicable industry standards.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Sales, and Customer Service to enhance customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, or a related technical field, or equivalent work experience.
• 1+ years of experience in customer quality, manufacturing quality, technical development, or automotive engineering.
• 3+ years of experience with quality tools and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority.
• Experience establishing and managing communication and engagement in customer-facing environments.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and risk assessment capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 quality management standards.

Preferred

• Automotive or coatings industry experience.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 quality management standards.
• Experience supporting customer or third-party quality audits.

About us:

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD

®

Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways thandoes any other company. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com and follow @PPG onX.

The PPG Way 2030

We are customer champions

Proactive. Bold. Trustworthy. Everything we do starts with our customers. We listen, movefastanddon’tstop until we solve their biggest challenges. When our customers win, we all grow.

We act with purpose and speed

Agile. Data-driven. Empowered. We take smart risks to stay ahead of the competition. We work proactively with agility, using quality data to develop solutions that create value.

We are excellentoperators

Productive. Collaborative. Accountable. No matter our role, weidentifyproblems, takeownershipand always bring solutions. We are both proactive and responsive to drive continuous improvement and deliver results. We support ourfrontline,the faces of PPG to our customers.

We compete to win

Future-focused. Driven. Ambitious. We are passionate about growing our business and winning with our customers. We deliver results, embrace newtechnologiesand leverage agility and speed as strengths.

We are PPG proud

Strong. United. Passionate. We work safely, act withintegrityand value our diverse perspectives. We celebrate achievements and take pride in the positive impact we create together to protect and beautify the world.

At PPG we use AI in the hiring process to make the process more efficient. AI tools do not make hiring decisions. You can learn more by going to https://careers.ppg.com/us/en/candidate-resources.

PPGprovidesequal opportunity to all candidates and employees. We offer an opportunity to grow and develop your career in an environment that provides a fulfilling workplace for employees, creates an environment for continuous learning, and embraces the ideas and diversity of others. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, pregnancy, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genderidentityor expression.

If you need an adjustment due to a disability, please email [e-mail].

PPG pay ranges and benefits can vary bylocationwhich allows us to compensate employees competitively in different geographic markets. PPG considers several factors in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, qualifications and education, licensure and certifications, and other organizational needs. Other incentives may apply.
Our employee benefits programs are designed to support the health and well-being of our employees. Any insurancecoveragesand benefits will bein accordance withthe terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.Benefits will be discussed with you by your recruiter during the hiring process.

PPG values your feedback on our recruiting process. We encourage you to visit Glassdoor.com and provide feedback on the process,so that we can do better today than yesterday.