Program Quality Lead (Onsite)

Collins Aerospace; City of Rome (NY); On-site; USD 108,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) match

Job summary

RTX in Rome, NY is seeking a Senior Program Quality Engineer to serve as the primary quality leader for designated customer accounts and high-visibility programs. This onsite role provides technical direction, drives customer-focused quality strategies, and leads cross-functional initiatives to ensure compliance, performance, and continuous improvement.

While not managing people directly, you will mentor peers and influence decisions across engineering, operations, and program management.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a University Degree and a minimum 8 years prior relevant experience, or An Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years experience.
• Strong understanding of root cause analysis, corrective action tools, and quality systems (ISO 9001, AS9100 or similar).
• Proven experience in customer-facing quality roles within aerospace, defense, or similarly regulated industries.

Responsibilities

• Lead as the primary quality representative for assigned customers, owning the relationship, communication cadence, issue resolution, and overall quality performance.
• Interpret and flow down complex customer-specific requirements, ensuring they are fully integrated into program documentation, production processes, and supplier expectations.
• Lead major investigations, systemic root cause analyses, and corrective/preventive actions; coordinate cross-functional teams and ensure timely, high-quality responses to customers.
• Partner with Program Management to represent quality in program reviews, risk assessments, and strategic planning activities.
• Monitor and analyze key quality and reliability metrics across assigned programs; proactively identify risk areas, systemic trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for quality tools, methods, and standards; provide coaching and guidance to program quality engineers and other team members as needed.
• Support and lead major customer audits, readiness reviews, and on-site visits; coordinate internal stakeholders and drive closure of audit findings.

Skills

Root cause analysis

Quality systems

Customer-facing quality

Cross-functional teams

Education

University degree

Advanced degree

Tools

PPAP

AS9102

APQP

Job description

Date Posted:

2026-08-13

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-NY-ROME-104 ~ 104 Otis St ~ OTIS

Position Role Type:

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are authorized to access information under this program/contract.

Security Clearance Type:

None/Not Required

Security Clearance Status:

Not Required

At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Collins Aerospace is a leader in technologically advanced, intelligent solutions that help redefine the aerospace and defense industry. With a comprehensive portfolio and deep technical expertise, we help customers meet the demands of the global market. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

The Senior Program Quality Engineer serves as the primary quality leader for designated customer accounts and high-visibility programs. This role provides technical direction, drives customer-focused quality strategies, and leads cross-functional initiatives to ensure compliance, performance, and continuous improvement. While not responsible for direct people management, the Senior Program Quality Engineer mentors peers, guides program teams, and influences decision-making across engineering, operations, and program management.

What You Will Do:

• Act as the lead quality representative for assigned customers, owning the relationship, communication cadence, issue resolution, and overall quality performance.
• Interpret and flow down complex customer-specific requirements, ensuring they are fully integrated into program documentation, production processes, and supplier expectations.
• Lead major investigations, systemic root cause analyses, and corrective/preventive actions; coordinate cross-functional teams and ensure timely, high-quality responses to customers.
• Partner with Program Management to represent quality in program reviews, risk assessments, and strategic planning activities.
• Monitor and analyze key quality and reliability metrics across assigned programs; proactively identify risk areas, systemic trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for quality tools, methods, and standards; provide coaching and guidance to program quality engineers and other team members as needed.
• Support and lead major customer audits, readiness reviews, and on-site visits; coordinate internal stakeholders and drive closure of audit findings.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a University Degree and a minimum 8 years prior relevant experience, or An Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years experience
• Strong understanding of root cause analysis, corrective action tools, and quality systems (ISO 9001, AS9100 or similar).
• Proven experience in customer-facing quality roles within aerospace, defense, or similarly regulated industries.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Strong ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills with both internal stakeholders and customers.
• Demonstrated success driving systemic improvements and resolving complex issues.
• Experience with data analysis, capability studies, and using metrics to drive decisions.
• Familiarity with PPAP, AS9102, APQP, or customer-specific requirements is preferred.
• Exceptional technical judgment and a proactive, customer-first mindset.
• Strong leadership presence without formal management responsibility.
• Analytical, structured problem-solver with a bias toward action.
• Comfortable handling ambiguity and balancing multiple high-priority programs.
• High accountability and ownership of quality performance.

Please ensure the role type defined below is appropriate for your needs before applying to this role. This position is classified as:

Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

Candidates will learn more about role type and current site status throughout the recruiting process. For onsite and hybrid roles, commuting to and from the assigned site is the employee’s personal responsibility.

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.