Principal Engineer – Engineering Quality

Jobtailor; Farmington Hills (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a senior manager to lead Global Quality Systems for the ADAS Division, aligning with customer, regulatory, and corporate requirements. You will drive audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement across manufacturing sites.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in engineering, 8+ years in quality systems management in automotive/manufacturing, and IATF 16949 Internal Auditor certification. Travel and cross‑functional collaboration are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering required.
• 5+ years of audit experience in electronics manufacturing or equivalent.
• 8+ years in Quality Systems management in automotive/manufacturing.
• Expertise with IATF 16949, BIQS, VDA, CQIs, LPA, PMA, Line Readiness.
• IATF 16949 Internal Auditor certification preferred; strong communication and MS Office skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Global Quality Systems for the ADAS Division.
• Ensure compliance with IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3; maintain certifications and governance.
• Plan, lead, and conduct internal and external audits (IATF, VDA, LPA, PMA).
• Drive timely closure of corrective actions; analyze audit results and trends.
• Maintain and improve quality system documentation; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Deploy and train plants on quality tools (LPA, product audits, VDA, CQIs, BIQS).
• Support cross-functional problem solving and onsite launch support; report to management.

Skills

Audit experience

Quality systems management

Analytical problem solving

Team building

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

IATF 16949 Internal Auditor Certification

Tools

MS Office

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Project

Visio

Job description

Lead and manage Global Quality Systems for the ADAS Division, ensuring alignment with customer, regulatory, and ZF business requirements
Ensure full compliance with IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3, including certification maintenance, system deployment, and governance
Plan, lead, and conduct internal and external audits (IATF, VDA, LPA, PMA, Line Readiness), including coordination with auditors and report out to management
Drive timely closure of corrective actions, systematically analyze audit results and quality trends, and identify continuous improvement opportunities
Maintain and continuously improve quality system documentation, ensuring compliance with internal and external regulations
Deploy, standardize, and train sites on quality system tools (LPA, product audits, VDA, BIQS, CQIs), promoting quality awareness across manufacturing locations
Support cross functional problem solving activities, lessons learned/read across deployment, and onsite launch support at ZF and customer plants
Report quality system performance and audit outcomes to top management, lead improvement initiatives, and standardize best practices across the division

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
• 5+ years of audit experience in electronics manufacturing (through‑hole, SMT, final assembly, packaging), or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 8+ years of experience in Quality Systems management within an automotive or manufacturing environment
• Proven expertise with automotive quality standards and tools, including IATF 16949, BIQS, VDA, CQIs, Layered Process Audits, and Product Audits
• Strong analytical problem‑solving, decision‑making, and team‑building skills, with knowledge of Shainin or Red X methodologies (certification preferred)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including technical writing and presentations; proficient with MS Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Visio) and IATF 16949 Internal Auditor certified

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in managing Global Quality Systems within the automotive sector, ensuring compliance with IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3 standards. Proficient in conducting audits, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and fostering quality awareness across manufacturing locations.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• IATF 16949 Compliance
• Quality Systems Management
• Audit Experience in Electronics Manufacturing
• Analytical Problem-Solving Skills
• MS Office Proficiency

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Quality Systems Management
• IATF 16949
• VDA 6.3
• Layered Process Audits
• Product Audits
• BIQS
• CQIs
• Shainin Methodology
• Red X Methodology
• Continuous Improvement

Soft Skills

• Analytical Problem-Solving
• Decision-Making
• Team-Building
• Written Communication
• Verbal Communication

Certifications & Qualifications

• IATF 16949 Internal Auditor Certification

Industry Keywords

• Automotive Quality Standards
• Electronics Manufacturing
• Quality System Documentation
• Internal and External Audits
• Corrective Actions

Tools & Technologies

• MS Office
• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Project
• Visio