QE Exterior Specialist

KIA Motors Group; West Point (GA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

KIA Motors Group in West Point, GA is seeking an automotive quality professional to review dealer claims related to exterior parts, analyze performance, identify root causes, and prioritize opportunities for KPI improvement.

You will test parts against applicable specifications, coordinate countermeasures across departments, audit processes, and maintain comprehensive records to ensure timely, data-driven improvements and accurate reporting to leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field with 2–5 years in manufacturing.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Experience analyzing warranty, dealer claim, PDI, or customer quality data.
• Proficient in problem-solving methods and data reporting.

Responsibilities

• Review Dealer Claim and PDI data to analyze exterior part performance and KPI improvement opportunities.
• Evaluate returned exterior parts, test against specifications, identify failure modes and root causes.
• Audit assembly processes to identify root causes of dealer claim concerns and verify countermeasures.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain records of concerns, investigations, countermeasures, and resolutions.
• Generate reports to identify trends and quality risks, and communicate findings for action.
• Handle complex problem solving from production or dealer claim inputs as assigned.

Skills

KPI reporting

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

Trend analysis

KPI reporting

Spreadsheets

Databases

Presentation software

Job description

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Review and analyze dealer claims related to exterior parts, identify quality concerns and root causes, coordinate effective countermeasures, and report improvement results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Review Dealer Claim and PDI data to analyze exterior part performance, identify main contributors, and prioritize opportunities for KPI improvement. Investigate failures, identify trends, and evaluate improvement opportunities.
• Review and evaluate returned exterior parts related to Dealer Claims. Test parts against applicable specifications and standards to identify failure modes and root causes. Coordinate countermeasure implementation and verify effectiveness.
• Audit assembly processes to identify root causes of known, emerging, or new concerns related to Dealer Claims. Communicate findings to responsible teams, collaborate with stakeholders to develop countermeasures, and report investigation results.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to investigate root causes of Dealer Claim quality concerns. Develop effective countermeasures based on investigation results and support implementation across relevant departments.
• Maintain comprehensive records of Dealer Claim concerns, investigations, root causes, and countermeasures. Regularly update countermeasure status, findings, and resolutions to ensure accurate information is available for review by relevant stakeholders.
• Generate detailed reports to identify Dealer Claim trends, recurring concerns, and potential quality risks. Analyze results to identify improvement opportunities and communicate findings to relevant departments to support corrective actions and KPI improvement.
• Work on complex problem solving topics from production, dealer claim or other inputs as assigned.

The above typical duties are characteristic of this job and demonstrate a level of difficulty and are not intended to list or limit the duties that may be required or assigned to a team member in this classification.

The above typical duties are characteristic of this job and demonstrate a level of difficulty and are not intended to list or limit the duties that may be required or assigned to a team member in this classification.

Qualifications & Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field along with two (2) to five (5) years of progressive experience in a manufacturing environment (preferably within the automotive industry), or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong planning, and organizational skills.
• Flexible schedule to work overtime, holidays and weekends as required.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• Experience analyzing warranty, dealer claim, PDI, or customer quality data is preferred.
• Knowledge of structured problem-solving methods, including 5 Why, fishbone analysis, and other root-cause analysis tools.
• Strong data-analysis, technical reporting, and presentation skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional investigations and follow corrective actions through closure.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, inspection standards, and technical reports.
• Ability to multi-task and accomplish priorities within a designated time frame.
• Ability to work calmly and with a sense of urgency in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to communicate well and work well with others.
• Broad understanding of automobile parts, assembly, and design and how these interrelate to the complete car and customer experience is desirable.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and discretion in both exercising company decisions and carrying out essential job duties that affect efficient business operations and its objectives, policies, practices, and conditions.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to those who are able to perform the essential duties of the job.

Specialized Skills and Knowledge Required

• Experience working with Trend analysis and KPI reporting, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation applications and/or software.
• Experience with managing programs and projects
• Dealer Claim, warranty, PDI, and customer quality data analysis
• Supplier and manufacturing process investigation
• Vehicle Exterior troubleshooting experience in the following areas is preferred:
• Material manufacturing, evaluation, and control of plastics, sheet metal, Headlamp, and glass
• Flush and Gap measurement and management
• Body, paint, and moving parts sealing systems
• Color Harmony
• Air and Water Leak detection and correction