Job Details
Manufacturing Quality Manager Costa Mesa, CA • Posted: 10/23/2026
Job ID#: 87020
Job Category: Management
Position Type: Direct
Duration: Direct
Shift: 1
Location: Fountain Valley, CA
Employment Type: Full-Time | On-Site
Position Overview
Our client is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Quality Manager to lead quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement efforts within a specialized electronics manufacturing environment. This position is responsible for overseeing the company's Quality Management System (QMS), maintaining ISO 9001 compliance, managing inspection and quality engineering personnel, and ensuring manufactured products consistently meet internal standards, customer specifications, and applicable regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on quality leader with a strong background in electronics, electromechanical assemblies, or industrial manufacturing. This role combines strategic quality management with direct involvement in production operations, supplier performance, and cross‑functional problem‑solving.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Management & Compliance
- Oversee and maintain the ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ensuring continued certification and regulatory compliance.
- Manage internal and external audits, including preparation, documentation, corrective actions, and follow‑up activities.
- Develop, maintain, and improve quality procedures, work instructions, inspection standards, and document control processes.
- Lead management reviews and communicate quality performance, compliance risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Ensure manufacturing processes and products meet applicable industry standards and safety certification requirements, including UL, CSA, and other relevant certifications.
Manufacturing & Product Quality
- Develop and oversee incoming material inspections, in‑process quality checks, and final product testing procedures.
- Manage nonconforming materials, including containment, disposition, rework, and corrective action processes.
- Lead root cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions using methodologies such as 8D, 5‑Why, and Fishbone analysis.
- Collaborate with Engineering and Production teams to identify quality concerns, improve manufacturing processes, and resolve technical issues.
- Support new product introductions through quality planning, risk assessments, process validation, and production readiness reviews.
- Review engineering changes to evaluate quality impacts and ensure proper validation before implementation.
- Maintain calibration programs and ensure inspection and testing equipment meets established requirements.
Supplier & Customer Quality
- Evaluate supplier performance, support supplier qualification, and maintain approved supplier documentation.
- Conduct supplier audits and coordinate corrective action requests to address material or component quality concerns.
- Work closely with Procurement and Engineering to resolve supplier‑related quality issues.
- Investigate customer complaints, product returns, and warranty concerns to identify root causes and implement improvements.
- Partner with internal departments to reduce recurring defects and improve overall product reliability.
Continuous Improvement & Performance Metrics
- Establish, monitor, and report key quality performance indicators, including first‑pass yield, defect rates, scrap, rework, supplier performance, and corrective action effectiveness.
- Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency, product consistency, and quality performance.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other structured problem‑solving methodologies.
- Analyze quality trends and recommend process improvements to reduce manufacturing costs and prevent recurring issues.
Team Leadership
- Supervise and develop Quality Engineers, Quality Inspectors, and Quality Control Technicians.
- Assign priorities, oversee daily quality activities, and ensure timely resolution of manufacturing quality concerns.
- Conduct performance evaluations, provide coaching, and support employee training and professional development.
- Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production leadership to support manufacturing objectives.
- Promote a culture of accountability, safety, continuous improvement, and quality excellence.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
- Minimum of 7 years of quality experience within electronics, electromechanical, or industrial manufacturing environments.
- At least 2 years of experience supervising or managing quality personnel.
- Demonstrated experience maintaining an ISO 9001 Quality Management System and supporting external certification audits.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing quality processes, inspection procedures, corrective actions, and regulatory compliance.
- Experience with root cause analysis, FMEA, Statistical Process Control (SPC), control plans, and Material Review Board (MRB) processes.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, and electrical schematics.
- Experience collaborating with manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and supplier quality teams.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with ERP or quality management software.
- Strong communication, organizational, analytical, and leadership skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting the manufacturing of power electronics, electrical equipment, battery‑related systems, or other complex electromechanical products.
- Familiarity with UL, CSA, ETL, or other applicable product safety certification requirements.
- Knowledge of IPC‑A‑610 workmanship standards and electronics assembly inspection practices.
- Experience working with contract manufacturers, electronic component suppliers, or industrial equipment manufacturers.
- Experience using quality data analysis and reporting tools such as Excel or Power BI.
- Professional certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
- ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certification or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt certification.
Work Environment & Additional Requirements
- This is an on‑site position requiring regular interaction with manufacturing operations and production personnel.
- Ability to work in both office and manufacturing floor environments.
- Must adhere to established workplace safety procedures and applicable electrostatic discharge (ESD) requirements.
- May occasionally work near controlled electrical testing environments.
- Ability to lift up to 25 pounds as needed.
- Willingness to travel up to 15% for supplier assessments, audits, or customer‑related activities.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for a quality‑focused manufacturing leader who can take ownership of quality systems while remaining actively involved in daily production operations. The successful candidate will bring a practical, solutions‑oriented approach to quality management, demonstrate strong technical judgment, and work effectively across departments to drive measurable improvements in product quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Pay: $110,000-$130,000