Lead Quality Engineer

Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing Inc; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Goal Share bonus

Paid volunteering time

Wellbeing support

Employee discounts

Learning and development

Employee referral program

Comprehensive medical insurance

PTO, holiday pay and sick leave

401(k) plan

9/80 work schedule

Job summary

Ontic in Chatsworth seeks a Lead Quality Engineer to provide technical leadership across quality engineering activities, ensuring aerospace products meet quality, customer and regulatory standards. You’ll work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and customers, leading nonconformance management, First Article Inspections, CAPA and process validation.

This role emphasizes data-driven problem solving, continual improvement and a culture of accountability to deliver reliable,

Qualifications

• 7+ years of quality engineering experience in aerospace or regulated manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of AS9100 and AS9102.
• Experience with MRB and nonconformance management.
• Experience leading root cause analysis and CAPA.
• Knowledge of process validation and quality management systems.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and provide technical leadership.
• ASQ certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support Quality Engineers, helping prioritize workloads, resolve complex issues and deliver quality objectives.
• Oversee Material Review Board and nonconformance activities, ensuring issues are dispositioned, documented and resolved effectively.
• Lead customer quality and RMA investigations, coordinating containment, root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Oversee process validation and First Article Inspection Reports in accordance with applicable customer, regulatory and AS9102 requirements.
• Lead corrective and preventive action activities and use quality data to identify trends, risks and continual improvement opportunities.
• Support compliance with AS9100, customer requirements and applicable regulatory standards, including internal, customer and regulatory audits.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain and Program Management to resolve quality issues and promote a culture of quality, accountability and compliance.

Skills

Quality engineering

AS9100 / AS9102

MRB / nonconformance

Root cause analysis

Process validation

Cross-functional leadership

ASQ certification

Job description

About Ontic Chatsworth

We are a fast-paced business with ambitious growth plans; so if you are dedicated, enthusiastic and always seeking ways to improve, you’ll enjoy a career with us! About Ontic Chatsworth Our 114,000 sq ft Chatsworth facility in Los Angeles specializes in electronic and electro-mechanical aerospace products, supporting critical systems including airborne radar, cabin and cockpit lighting, flight controls, engine and environmental controls and pilot controls. Behind those products is a team solving complex technical and operational challenges every day. With specialist manufacturing and testing capabilities on site, Chatsworth combines decades of aerospace expertise with the opportunity to keep improving how we deliver for our customers. Join the team and your work will contribute directly to the reliability and availability of systems used across civil and military aviation around the world.

The opportunity

As Lead Quality Engineer at Ontic, you’ll play a key role in ensuring our aerospace products meet the quality, customer and regulatory standards they depend on. You’ll provide technical leadership across quality engineering activities, helping the team resolve complex issues while maintaining product conformity and compliance. You’ll work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and customers, leading activities across nonconformance management, First Article Inspections, process validation and corrective action. You’ll also help identify opportunities for continual improvement through quality data, structured problem solving and strong quality systems. This is an opportunity to combine hands-on quality engineering expertise with leadership, helping strengthen quality performance while supporting the reliable aerospace products our customers depend on.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead and support Quality Engineers, helping prioritize workloads, resolve complex issues and deliver quality objectives.
• Oversee Material Review Board and nonconformance activities, ensuring issues are dispositioned, documented and resolved effectively.
• Lead customer quality and RMA investigations, coordinating containment, root cause analysis and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Oversee process validation and First Article Inspection Reports in accordance with applicable customer, regulatory and AS9102 requirements.
• Lead corrective and preventive action activities and use quality data to identify trends, risks and continual improvement opportunities.
• Support compliance with AS9100, customer requirements and applicable regulatory standards, including internal, customer and regulatory audits.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain and Program Management to resolve quality issues and promote a culture of quality, accountability and compliance.

What you’ll bring

• 7+ years of quality engineering experience within aerospace or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of AS9100 and AS9102 requirements.
• Experience with Material Review Board activities and nonconformance management.
• Experience leading root cause analysis and corrective and preventive action methodologies.
• Knowledge of process validation and quality management systems.
• The ability to work cross-functionally and provide technical leadership on complex quality and compliance issues.
• Desirable: American Society for Quality (ASQ) certification.

Why Ontic

At Ontic, we’re specialists in keeping critical aircraft flying. Our work supports civil and military aviation around the world, giving established aircraft products the long-term support they need to remain safe, reliable and available. But it’s our people who make that possible. We’re a growing, global team where you’re trusted to take ownership, encouraged to challenge how things have always been done and supported to develop your career as our business grows. We believe in embracing the challenge - working together to solve complex problems and create opportunities for our customers, our business and each other.

Benefits at Ontic

• Goal Share bonus program - everyone at Ontic is automatically enrolled, giving us all the opportunity to share in our success.
• Paid volunteering time - giving you time to support a cause or community that matters to you 24/7.
• Wellbeing support - confidential support available through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Employee discounts - access to discounts and offers across a range of retailers and services.
• Learning and development - opportunities to build your skills, develop your career and grow with Ontic.
• Employee referral program - rewarding you for introducing great people to Team Ontic.
• Comprehensive medical insurance.
• Competitive PTO, holiday pay and sick leave.
• 401(k) plan - with up to 4% company match.
• 9/80 work schedule - where applicable.

Compensation

Pay Range $120,000.00 - $140,000.00

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This position must meet export control compliance requirements. To meet export control compliance requirements, a "U.S. Person" as defined by 22. C.F.R. §120.15 is required. "U.S. Person" includes U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident, asylee, or refugee.

Ontic is a leading manufacturer to the world’s civil and military aircraft. By becoming the OEM to critical parts others originally developed, we provide continuity, availability and longevity to our customers’ fleets, supporting them for a lifetime of flight. Through our in-house manufacturing and engineering, MRO, spares, and AOG support, we ensure certified, safety-critical components remain available, compliant, and reliable across the full operational life of the aircraft we support.