Paint Quality Engineer

Ford Motor Company; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Tuition assistance

Vehicle discount program

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Ford Motor Company is seeking a Paint Quality On-Site Engineer to support the Assembly Plant by ensuring paint appearance, durability, and process control, aligning with UPP and PCP standards. The role partners across plant teams to drive FTT improvements, reduce defects, and prepare for ISO audits.

The position requires 3–7+ years in automotive paint operations, with strong QA, RCA, and Lean experience, and a degree in chemical, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Associate degree in chemical, mechanical or manufacturing engineering or equivalent practical experience.
• 3–7+ years in automotive paint shop/quality roles or equivalent.
• Experience driving QA systems, RCA (8D) and lean manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Analyze warranty and quality data to identify defects and reduce costs.
• Support ISO and quality audits and drive corrective actions.
• Lead Variation Reduction Team activities to curb process variation and implement corrective actions.
• Govern the Uniform Paint Process to reduce defects and drive improvements.
• Develop and maintain Process Control Plans with inspection requirements and standards.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, and Operations to solve issues.

Skills

Quality management

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

Lean manufacturing

ISO compliance

Education

Bachelor's/Associate in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering

Job description

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

In this Position....

Paint Quality On-Site Engineer provides dedicated technical support and guidance for paint appearance, durability, process stability, defect elimination, and quality system compliance within the Assembly Plant environment. Operating at the intersection of Plant Engineering, Quality Operations, and VME Operations, this role collaborates with Plant Variation Reduction Team (VRT) initiatives, ensures strict adherence to the Uniform Paint Process (UPP) standard, maintains rigorous execution of the Process Control Plan (PCP), drives ISO Audit Preparation Work, and leads comprehensive Internal / External Warranty Analysis across Paint Shop operations.

The engineer partners with plant teams, to support First Time Through (FTT) improvements, reduce top paint defects (dirt in paint, chip & scratch), and assist with ISO and Ford QOS audit readiness.

What You'll Do....

• Analyze warranty and quality data to identify recurring defects, failure trends, customer concerns, and opportunities to reduce warranty costs and repeat issues.
• Support ISO and quality audits by ensuring processes, documentation, and records meet required quality standards and by driving corrective actions for audit findings.
• Lead Variation Reduction Team (VRT) activities to identify process variation, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
• Govern the Uniform Paint Process (UPP) by monitoring process performance, reducing paint defects and variation, and driving continuous process improvements.
• Develop and maintain Process Control Plans (PCPs) that define critical process controls, inspection requirements, reaction plans, and quality standards.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, and Operations to solve complex quality issues, improve process capability, and prevent recurring defects.

You'll have....

• Education & Experience: bachelor’s or associate degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent practical experience and demonstrated technical qualification.
• 3 to 7+ years of hands‑on experience in automotive assembly plant paint shop operations, OEM paint engineering, or Tier 1 paint/chemical supplier technical service.
• Quality & Operational Excellence: Hands‑on experience driving Quality Management System compliance, root‑cause analysis (8D) and Lean manufacturing processes.
• Paint Operations Knowledge: Strong experience with paint shop materials, chemicals, and automated spray booth equipment.
• Automotive Paint Standards & ISO Compliance: Proficient in OEM paint process guidelines, standardized coating quality controls, and ISO regulatory compliance.

Even better, you may have....

• Leadership: Strong cross‑functional leadership skills to drive consensus among plant operations, UAW floor operators, maintenance, and Tier 1 chemical/paint suppliers.
• Data-Driven Analysis: Ability to manipulate complex data sets to identify root causes and drive actionable engineering changes.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written technical communication skills for reporting to Plant Managers, VME Manufacturing Directors, and Global Paint Engineering leadership.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp‑up programs, subsidized back‑up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 5 and ranges from $65,100-$109,300.

This position is a salary grade 6 and ranges from $74,300-$124,500.

This position is a salary grade 7 and ranges from $86,600-$144,900.

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-$166,200.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope responsibility and competitive market value.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.

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