Lead Quality Engineer

Jabil; Saint Petersburg (FL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Jabil Defense and Aerospace seeks a Direct Quality Engineer leader to drive quality across global accounts, mentor staff, and deliver excellence in manufacturing and compliance.

You will develop QA plans, support APQP initiatives, and coordinate corrective actions while steering teams toward cost-effective process improvements in a regulated aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required with seven years related experience in electronics manufacturing or a regulated industry.
• Experience in aerospace/defense manufacturing preferred and DoD MIL-SPEC awareness is a plus.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and team-development capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead quality engineers and technicians to achieve excellence in manufacturing and compliance.
• Develop and maintain QA plans and APQP processes for global customer programs.
• Coach teams, set measurable goals, and drive continuous improvement in key metrics.
• Coordinate corrective/preventive actions and drive cost-effective process improvements.

Skills

Quality systems

SPC

Root cause analysis

Data analysis

Six Sigma

Lean

Communication

Leadership

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Manufacturing processes

NPI/APQP

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

J-STD-001

Space addendum

Job description

At Jabil (NYSE: JBL), we are proud to be a trusted partner for the world's top brands, offering comprehensive engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions. With 60 years of experience across industries and a vast network of over 100 sites worldwide, Jabil combines global reach with local expertise to deliver both scalable and customized solutions. Our commitment extends beyond business success as we strive to build sustainable processes that minimize environmental impact and foster vibrant and diverse communities around the globe. Location/Division: Jabil Defense and Aerospace

How will you make an impact?

Direct Quality Engineers operating within the area of assigned responsibilities with a high level of efficiency, integrity and enthusiasm, striving to achieve excellence in all endeavors. Represent the quality function of technical support, in conjunction with other internal support groups, regarding issues affecting manufacturing on global customer accounts

What will you do?

Employee and Team Development

Identify individual and team strengths and development needs on an ongoing basis. Create and/or validate training curriculum in the area of responsibility. Coach and mentor Quality Engineering staff to deliver excellence to every internal and external customer.

Performance Management

Establish clear measurable goals and objectives by which to determine individual and team results (i.e. operational metrics, results against project timelines, training documentation, attendance records, knowledge of operational roles and responsibilities, personal development goals). Solicit ongoing feedback from Quality Engineering Manager, Workcell Manager (WCM), Business Unit Manager (BUM), peers and team members on team member’s contribution to the Workcell team. Provide ongoing coaching and counseling to team members based on feedback. Express pride in staff and encourage them to feel good about their accomplishments. Perform team member evaluations professionally and on time. Drive individuals and the team to continuously improve in key operational metrics and the achievement of the organizational goals. Coordinate activities of large teams and keep them focused in times of crisis. Ensure recognition and rewards are managed fairly and consistently in area of responsibility.

Communication

Provide communication forum for the exchange of ideas and information with the department. Organize verbal and written ideas clearly and use an appropriate business style. Ask questions; encourage input from team members. Assess communication style of individual team members and adapt their own communication style accordingly.

Business Strategy and Direction

Know and understand the campus strategic directions. Define, develop and implement Quality Engineering strategies, which contribute to the campus strategic directions. Provide regular updates to Quality Engineering Manager on the execution of the strategy.

Cost Management

Identify creative ways to reduce cost by streamlining processes and systems (i.e. modification of responsibilities or consolidation of tasks, elimination of non-value-added processes, or complete re-engineering of processes and systems). Utilize tools to monitor departmental cost and cost trends, striving continuously to improve value. Provide feedback to the Assistant Test Engineering Manager on cost and cost trends.

Technical Management

Develop and maintain QA plans and timeliness of global new product introductions utilizing Advanced Product Quality Planning and Process Optimization specific to the customer. Provide support for all quoting activities by participating in initial process design, development, and implementation phases. Evaluate and provide input to inspection processes via inspection aids and instruction guidelines. Support all global training programs specific to their customer by development and implementation of specialized training sessions for all applicable functions. Develop appropriate systems for document storage, access and review pertaining to global customer accounts. Review all supplies, internal, and customer discrepancies, coordinate and track the effectiveness of corrective/proactive action efforts. Conduct periodic review and maintenance of all documentation files; develop appropriate systems for document storage and access. Review all supplier or customer discrepancies. Coordinate and track the corrective/preventative action effort. Participate in the vendor survey activities as applicable. Drive proactive participation with suppliers and (when possible) aid in their process improvement efforts. Interface with all departments as applied to the Policies and Procedures. Provide insight and assistance of implementing and maintaining Process Improvement and Optimization concentrating on proactive methodologies. Assist in driving the standardization of manufacturing processes of global customer accounts. Interface and provide technical support on quality issues with the customer as needed.

Recruitment and Retention

Recruit and interview Quality Engineers and Technicians. Coach Quality Engineers/Technicians in the interviewing/hiring process. Monitor team member turnover; identify key factors that can be improved; make improvements.

How will you get here?

Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree required and seven years related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Preferred Electronics Manufacturing Experience including knowledge of SMT, Wave Solder, Selective Solder, and Conformal Coating 5 years of demonstrated Manufacturing experience in a regulated industry U.S. Citizenship required for site‑specific security clearance.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Quality management systems (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100)
• Statistical process control (SPC)
• Root cause analysis
• Data analysis tools and techniques
• Proficiency in Six Sigma, Lean, and other quality tools
• Strong analytical skills for identifying and resolving quality issues
• Ability to perform root cause analysis and develop effective solutions
• Problem-solving skills to address complex quality issues
• Excellent communication skills for conveying technical information and collaborating with stakeholders
• Leadership skills for managing quality projects and mentoring junior engineers
• Attention to detail and focus on quality standards
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Project management skills for managing quality projects
• Understanding of regulatory compliance requirements
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and quality control procedures
• NPI through APQP format or equivalent

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of AS9100/ISO 9001, DoD and MIL‑SPEC requirements
• Strong working knowledge of J-STD-001 and space addendum
• IPC 600, 610, 620 certifications preferred, but not required

Jabil, including its subsidiaries, is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Accessibility Accommodation

If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Jabil.com/Careers site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by sending an e‑mail to [e-mail] or calling 727-803-7988 with the nature of your request and contact information. Please do not direct any other general employment related questions to this e‑mail or phone number. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to.

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