Plant Production Quality Engineer level 1

faurecia S.A.; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Forvia in Louisville, KY is seeking a Senior Quality Lead to act as the Quality Manager’s delegate and ensure production meets IATF 16949 and customer requirements. You will drive the deployment of the 8 Quality Basics (8QB), perform line walks, and verify qualified personnel operate production lines.

You will coordinate with customers and suppliers, escalate issues, and lead investigations using 8D, Ishikawa, and 5Why while supporting continuous improvement across processes and changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent experience.
• 1–5 years of automotive quality experience.
• Fluent English; Spanish is desired.

Responsibilities

• Act as the Quality Manager’s delegate and align with site and customer priorities.
• Ensure production compliance with IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements, and Forvia quality standards.
• Maintain validated control plans, conduct regular audits, and implement updates with customer and engineering input.
• Monitor documentation and apply document control best practices, ensuring audit readiness.
• Lead and sustain the deployment of the 8 Quality Basics (8QB), using audits and action plans to ensure effectiveness.
• Conduct daily line walks to identify issues, validate solutions, and reinforce compliance.
• Validate final inspectors per Forvia methodology; ensure only qualified personnel operate production lines.
• Coordinate timely disposition of nonconforming products and maintain accurate records.
• Trigger containment using quality alerts; lead investigations using 8D, Ishikawa, 5Why, QRCI, and related tools.
• Drive corrective actions and quality improvement initiatives tied to scrap, rework, and process variation.
• Participate in the FES Deployment Plan and oversee Quality chapters in the assigned area.
• Promote continuous improvement by proposing and implementing solutions across processes, subcontracting, and inspection systems (TQW).
• Represent Forvia in quality matters during customer interactions and ECC meetings.
• Lead the response to customer complaints and prepare PPAPs as required.
• Maintain communication with customer liaisons and support visits; access customer portals to provide required updates.
• Coordinate with Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) to identify and resolve supplier-related issues.
• Apply APQP tools and participate in FMEA reviews throughout the product lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain SPC, sampling methods, inspection systems, and control plans.
• Maintain Gage R&R records and perform capability analyses.
• Support the definition and implementation of quality specs and testing standards across raw materials and finished goods.
• Facilitate training for employees on inspection methods, 8QB principles, and quality procedures.
• Conduct and support product, process, and special audits; follow up on corrective actions.
• Instruct personnel on proper audit techniques and use of testing devices.
• Handle Ariba PR submissions, invoice validation (VIM), and follow-up with AP as needed.
• Support multiple projects concurrently, ensuring quality integration in engineering changes and new programs.
• Monitor and validate service shipments and support TCS, TQW, and quality campaign activities.
• Escalate quality risks to the Quality Manager and stop production when authorized to protect customer interests.

Skills

Communication skills

Quality system knowledge

Teamwork and collaboration

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent

Tools

APQP methods

FMEA

SPC

Job description

Your mission, roles and responsibilities

Quality Leadership & Compliance

• Act as the Quality Manager’s delegate in the assigned area, aligning with site and customer priorities.
• Ensure production compliance with IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements, and Forvia quality standards.
• Maintain validated control plans, conduct regular audits, and implement necessary updates with customer and engineering input.
• Monitor documentation and apply document control best practices, ensuring audit readiness.

Production Support & Control

• Lead and sustain the deployment of the 8 Quality Basics (8QB), using audits and action plans to ensure effectiveness.
• Conduct daily line walks to identify issues, validate solutions, and reinforce compliance.
• Validate final inspectors per Forvia methodology; ensure only qualified personnel operate production lines.
• Coordinate timely disposition of nonconforming products and maintain accurate records.

Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement

• Trigger containment using quality alerts; lead investigations using 8D, Ishikawa, 5Why, QRCI, and related tools.
• Drive corrective actions and quality improvement initiatives tied to scrap, rework, and process variation.
• Participate in the FES Deployment Plan and oversee Quality chapters in the assigned area.
• Promote continuous improvement by proposing and implementing solutions across processes, subcontracting, and inspection systems (TQW).

Customer & Supplier Interface

• Represent Forvia in quality matters during customer interactions and ECC meetings.
• Lead the response to customer complaints and prepare PPAPs as required.
• Maintain communication with customer liaisons and support visits; access customer portals to provide required updates.
• Coordinate with Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) to identify and resolve supplier-related issues.

Process Control & Technical Support

• Apply APQP tools and participate in FMEA reviews throughout the product lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain SPC, sampling methods, inspection systems, and control plans.
• Maintain Gage R&R records and perform capability analyses.
• Support the definition and implementation of quality specs and testing standards across raw materials and finished goods.

Training & Auditing

• Facilitate training for employees on inspection methods, 8QB principles, and quality procedures.
• Conduct and support product, process, and special audits; follow up on corrective actions.
• Instruct personnel on proper audit techniques and use of testing devices.

Administrative & Project Support

• Handle Ariba PR submissions, invoice validation (VIM), and follow-up with AP as needed.
• Support multiple projects concurrently, ensuring quality integration in engineering changes and new programs.
• Monitor and validate service shipments and support TCS, TQW, and quality campaign activities.
• Escalate quality risks to the Quality Manager and stop production when authorized to protect customer interests.

Your profile and competencies to succeed

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, be willing to learn and disseminate company policies and procedures, and be able to work on multiple high priority projects. Availability to travel to visit and support customers in case of need.

Minimum education level: Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent experience.

Experience:

• 1 to 5 years of experience in the automotive industry
• 1 to 5 years of experience in quality

Skills and competencies:

• Firm grasp of basic economic skills, including cost tracking
• Working knowledge of quality systems, core tools and safety and environment practices
• Strong teamwork, interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work in a matrix organization.
• Fluent English language knowledge – written and spoken. Spanish is desired.

Leadership Competencies:

• Cultivates Innovation
• Manages Complexity
• Drives Results
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness
• Collaborates with Others

Physical Requirements:

• Exposed to heat in the summer and cold in the winter.
• Job involves lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Steel-toed shoes, safety glasses, gloves, ear protection, and safety anti-cut sleeves required in production area due to physical hazards from moving equipment, machine parts, and product.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position now or in the future.

What we can do for you

• Provide an engaging and dynamic environment where you can contribute to the development of sustainable mobility leading technologies.
• Offer opportunities for career development within one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers.
• Encourage a collaborative mindset and a passion for delivering high standards.
• Support lifelong learning with more than 22 hours of online and in-person training within FORVIA University.
• Offer a multicultural environment that values diversity and international collaboration, with gender diversity targets and inclusion action plans.
• Commit to achieving CO2 Net Zero, aligning with the 2015 Paris Agreement and SBTi Net-Zero Standard.