Quality Assurance Lead - Ground Support Equipment (Onsite)

Collins Aerospace; Windsor Locks (CT); On-site; USD 87,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation

401(k) retirement plan with matching

Job summary

Collins Aerospace in Windsor Locks, CT seeks a GSE Quality Assurance Lead to ensure quality, compliance, and reliability of ground support equipment for global aerospace customers. You will lead the GSE quality team, drive audits, and manage the ISO 9001 QMS across the lifecycle from design through delivery.

Responsibilities include supplier quality management, corrective actions, internal audits, and collaboration with engineering, procurement, operations, and suppliers to meet quality

Qualifications

• University degree plus 5+ years of relevant experience or an advanced degree with 3+ years of experience.
• Experience supporting QA, supplier QA, or quality engineering in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industry.
• Ability to travel up to 30% as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the GSE Quality team with direction, coaching, and performance management.
• Own and maintain the GSE Quality Management System (ISO 9001) for ongoing compliance and improvement.
• Serve as the primary quality representative for customers and address quality concerns promptly.
• Partner with engineering, procurement, operations, and supplier teams to meet quality requirements throughout the lifecycle.
• Conduct supplier source inspections, audits, and quality validations for GSE and test systems.
• Lead supplier corrective action activities and drive sustainable improvements.
• Manage the internal audit program and support external audits (DCMA, certification bodies).
• Lead quality review boards and executive quality reporting, monitoring supplier performance.

Skills

Quality assurance

Supplier quality

Quality engineering

Travel readiness

Education

University degree

Advanced degree in related field

Job description

Location:

US-CT-WINDSOR LOCKS-B1 ~ 1 Hamilton Rd ~ BLDG 1

Date Posted:

2026-09-21

Country:

United States of America

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 Collins Aerospace, we're solving some of the world's toughest aerospace and defense challenges through innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to quality. As the GSE Quality Assurance Lead, you'll play a critical leadership role ensuring the quality, compliance, and reliability of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) supporting military and commercial aerospace customers around the globe.

GSE supports a wide variety of military and commercial Power & Controls products worldwide both through internal and external suppliers. Recently, GSE has expanded into Landing Systems and Cargo business units providing various test equipment and sustainment support. GSE’s key processes include quote and delivery of transactional tooling, strategic depot standup projects, test equipment, portable testers and entry into service programs. The GSE QA Lead supports all facets of these diverse processes throughout the life cycle of the project up to and including final delivery to the end customer. The GSE QA Lead is responsible for maintaining the Quality Management System (ISO 9001).

What You Will Do

• Lead and develop the GSE Quality team, providing daily direction, work assignments, coaching, training, performance management, and employee development.
• Own and maintain the GSE Quality Management System (ISO 9001), ensuring ongoing compliance and continuous improvement.
• Serve as the primary quality representative for customers, addressing quality concerns and driving timely resolution of issues.
• Partner with internal engineering, procurement, operations, and supplier teams to ensure quality requirements are achieved throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conduct supplier source inspections, audits, and quality validations for complex Ground Support Equipment and test systems.
• Lead supplier corrective action activities by identifying root causes, implementing corrective actions, and driving sustainable improvements.
• Manage the internal audit program while supporting customer, DCMA, certification body, and other external quality audits.
• Lead quality review boards, Corrective Action Board (CAB) meetings, Management Reviews, and executive quality reporting.
• Monitor supplier performance through scorecards, quality metrics, defect trends, escapes, scrap, rework, and repair data to drive measurable improvements.
• Review and approve quality aspects of engineering drawing changes, product releases, and Engineering Change activities.
• Support customer returns, nonconformance investigations, and onsite supplier quality activities to ensure timely delivery and customer satisfaction.
• Champion Lean, CORE, and continuous improvement initiatives while driving enhancements to standard work, business processes, and overall operational excellence.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 3 years of experience
• Experience supporting Quality Assurance, Supplier Quality, or Quality Engineering within a manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industry.
• Ability to travel as needed for the role - 30% anticipated.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience supporting Ground Support Equipment (GSE), aerospace tooling, test equipment, sustainment, or aftermarket programs.
• Experience performing supplier audits, source inspections, or supplier quality management activities.
• Knowledge of DCMA requirements and customer quality expectations within the aerospace and defense industry.
• Certified Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor for ISO 9001 or AS9100.
• Experience with Lean, CORE, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.

What We Offer

Some of our competitive benefits package includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Life insurance and disability coverage
• Optional coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance,critical illnessinsurance, group legal, ID theft protection
• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits
• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning
• Adoption Assistance
• Autism Benefit
• Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
• Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program
• Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
• And more!

May be eligible for relocation.

We make modern flight possible for millions of travelers and our military every second. Our major product lines are on-board virtually every aircraft flying. Be it keeping passengers safe with our emergency power generation systems or creating a positive in flight experience through reliable cabin pressure controls and quieter engines, Power & Controls focuses on delivering a best-in-class experience to our customers. We hire the top people in the industry. Their ideas drive our performance, and their integrity keeps our customers happy. Join us as we take flight!

Role type definition

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.

At Collins, the paths we pave together lead to limitless possibility. And the bonds we form – with our customers and with each other -- propel us all higher, again and again.

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 86,800 USD - 165,200 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 guaranteed, 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.

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