Lead, Quality Engineering - Capacity Expansion Projects

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 102,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) match

Education assistance

Parental leave

Paid time off

Company-paid holidays

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies, located in Huntsville, AL, seeks a Lead Quality Engineer to drive capacity expansion programs across the Propulsion Systems sector. You will coordinate across site teams, manage quality plans, and ensure readiness for manufacturing transitions in a fast-paced defense environment.

The role requires a strong quality engineering background, program management skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders while supporting production ramp-up and expansion efforts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 9+ years of relevant experience; or 7+ years with a master’s degree; or 13+ years without a degree.
• Four or more years of experience managing projects in manufacturing or quality environments.
• Ability to travel up to 25% and ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate quality activities supporting capacity expansion, industrialization, production ramp-up, and manufacturing transitions across the Propulsion Systems sector.
• Develop quality plans, readiness criteria, and deliverable tracking for cross-site and cross-program initiatives.
• Collaborate with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and site Quality teams to integrate quality requirements into expansion and transfer efforts.
• Support process qualification, verification/validation, and production readiness activities for new or modified manufacturing lines and processes.
• Facilitate risk assessments, including PFMEA and process risk analyses, and coordinate mitigation actions.
• Coordinate metrology, calibration, inspection readiness, and measurement system capability activities supporting expanded operations.
• Manage quality documentation, configuration control, and First Article Inspection (FAI) execution for new or transferred products and processes.
• Track quality milestones, risks, and action items to support successful project execution.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts to improve capability, reduce defects, and ensure stable production ramp-up.
• Ensure compliance with AS9100, internal quality management system requirements, and customer-specific quality requirements.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Quality engineering

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

MS Project

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Lead, Quality Engineering – Capacity Expansion Projects

Job Code: 42791

Job Location: Huntsville, AL (Preferred) or Orange, VA or Camden, AR

Job Schedule: Huntsville, AL - 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days – totaling 80 hours worked – and have every other Friday off

Camden, AR or Orange, VA - 4/10: Employees work 10 hour days, 4 days a week

Job Description

The Missile Solutions Segment of L3Harris Technologies is seeking an experienced Lead Quality Engineer to support industrial expansion readiness and strategic growth initiatives across the Propulsion Systems sector. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Quality, this individual contributor role will serve as a key Quality project lead, coordinating across sites and programs to ensure expansion, production ramp-up, and manufacturing transition efforts meet quality, compliance, and customer requirements.

This position serves as a critical interface between Program Management, Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and site Quality teams to support the execution of facility expansions, work transfers, advanced manufacturing implementation, and process qualification efforts.

The ideal candidate brings experience leading cross-functional initiatives, managing quality requirements for multiple stakeholders, and supporting operational readiness for new capabilities and increased production capacity. This role requires strong quality engineering knowledge, project management skills, and the ability to influence across a fast-paced defense manufacturing environment.

Essential Functions

• Lead and coordinate quality activities supporting capacity expansion, industrialization, production ramp-up, and manufacturing transitions across the Propulsion Systems sector.


• Develop quality plans, readiness criteria, and deliverable tracking for cross-site and cross-program initiatives.


• Collaborate with Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and site Quality teams to integrate quality requirements into expansion and transfer efforts.


• Support process qualification, verification/validation, and production readiness activities for new or modified manufacturing lines and processes.


• Facilitate risk assessments, including PFMEA and process risk analyses, and coordinate mitigation actions.


• Coordinate metrology, calibration, inspection readiness, and measurement system capability activities supporting expanded operations.


• Manage quality documentation, configuration control, and First Article Inspection (FAI) execution for new or transferred products and processes.


• Track quality milestones, risks, and action items to support successful project execution.


• Drive continuous improvement efforts to improve capability, reduce defects, and ensure stable production ramp-up.


• Ensure compliance with AS9100, internal quality management system requirements, and customer-specific quality requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience; master’s degree with a minimum of 7 years of related experience; or, in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 13 years of related experience.


• Four or more years of experience managing projects in manufacturing or quality environments.


• Ability to travel up to 25%.


• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Preferred Additional Skills

• Experience in manufacturing and quality, preferably in defense, aerospace, automotive, or similar industries.


• Ability to work independently and effectively with minimal oversight amid multiple and changing priorities.


• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or management-related discipline; master’s degree in engineering or business preferred.


• Demonstrated project management experience supporting cross-functional industrial expansion or complex technical programs.


• Demonstrated success supporting new product introduction or manufacturing scale-up efforts.


• Working knowledge of prime defense contractor quality flow-down requirements.


• PMP certification, ASQ CQM/OE or CQE certification.


• Familiarity with APQP and manufacturing risk management.


• Knowledge of Six Sigma and Lean manufacturing principles.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Virginia (outside of Greater D.C. area) is $101,500 - $188,500. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

#LI-SP1

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.