Quality Engineer

MDS Staffing; Harlan (IA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

MDS Staffing seeks a Quality Engineer in Harlan, IA to lead warranty investigations and drive product quality improvements. The role bridges project management with field-based problem solving, coordinating across PMO, Engineering, Testing, and Sales to translate field lessons into design improvements.

The ideal candidate has a mechanical engineering background, CQE certification is preferred, and the position requires hands-on analysis, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to travel up

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering and 3–7 years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification preferred
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, weldments, and fabrication processes
• Experience with failure analysis and root cause investigation techniques
• Proficiency in structured problem-solving and quality tools including 8D, A3, CAPA, PFMEA, DFMEA, Control Plans
• Strong cross-functional leadership and communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, with strong Excel skills required
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and GD&T
• Mechanical aptitude with ability to assemble and disassemble components per drawings
• Experience working within a PMO structure (CAPM or equivalent experience preferred)
• Experience with data and statistical tools such as Minitab, SAS JMP, macro-enabled Excel, or Power BI preferred

Responsibilities

• Monitor the end-to-end warranty process, including claim validation, investigation, root cause analysis, and cost tracking
• Analyze warranty trends to identify systemic or recurring issues
• Lead containment actions and corrective actions, ensuring long-term effectiveness of permanent fixes
• Conduct teardown analysis and evaluation of field failures to determine root causes
• Lead contract and project risk reviews using warranty and field performance data
• Identify historical failure risks related to design, materials, and application
• Develop project-specific quality plans and critical-to-quality (CTQ) requirements
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on warranty reduction and product improvement
• Coordinate efforts with Project Management Office (PMO), Engineering, Test Lab, Quality, and Sales teams
• Lead structured problem-solving activities (8D, 3L5 Why, Affinity Brainstorming)
• Ensure corrective actions are fully closed and validated for effectiveness
• Serve as a technical liaison for customers and field service teams, including on-site support as needed for containment and countermeasures
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools for warranty trends and project risk visibility
• Travel up to 40%

Skills

CQE (ASQ)

Root cause analysis

8D problem solving

GD&T interpretation

Mechanical aptitude

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering

Tools

Minitab

Excel

Power BI

SAS JMP

Job description

Harlan, Iowa
IDj-655
Job TypeDirect Hire
Remote TypeOn-Site
Join a cross-functional engineering team where you will play a key role in improving product quality, reducing warranty exposure, and driving continuous improvement across projects and production. This role blends proactive project quality planning with hands-on warranty investigation and root cause resolution, making it ideal for someone who enjoys both strategic engineering work and field-based problem solving.
As a Quality Engineer, you will work across Project Management, Sales, Engineering, Testing, Field Service, and Quality to ensure lessons learned from the field are effectively translated into improved designs, processes, and standard product offerings.
Duties Including but not limited to:

• Monitor the end-to-end warranty process, including claim validation, investigation, root cause analysis, and cost tracking
• Analyze warranty trends to identify systemic or recurring issues
• Lead containment actions and corrective actions, ensuring long-term effectiveness of permanent fixes
• Conduct teardown analysis and evaluation of field failures to determine root causes
• Lead contract and project risk reviews using warranty and field performance data
• Identify historical failure risks related to design, materials, and application
• Develop project-specific quality plans and critical-to-quality (CTQ) requirements
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on warranty reduction and product improvement
• Coordinate efforts with Project Management Office (PMO), Engineering, Test Lab, Quality, and Sales teams
• Lead structured problem-solving activities (8D, 3L5 Why, Affinity Brainstorming)
• Ensure corrective actions are fully closed and validated for effectiveness
• Serve as a technical liaison for customers and field service teams, including on-site support as needed for containment and countermeasures
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools for warranty trends and project risk visibility
• Travel up to 40%
  

Role Accountabilities

• Maintain visibility of warranty trends and emerging risks
• Use field data to inform engineering and business decisions
• Prevent repeat failures through effective root cause and corrective action processes
• Connect warranty performance with design intent and execution outcomes
• Drive accountability across multiple functions
  

Skills And Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Industrial Engineering and 3–7 years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification preferred
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, weldments, and fabrication processes
• Experience with failure analysis and root cause investigation techniques
• Proficiency in structured problem-solving and quality tools including 8D, A3, CAPA, PFMEA, DFMEA, Control
• Plans, and Inspection Plans
• Strong cross-functional leadership and communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, with strong Excel skills required
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and GD&T
• Mechanical aptitude with ability to assemble and disassemble components per drawings
• Experience working within a PMO structure (CAPM or equivalent experience preferred)
• Experience with data and statistical tools such as Minitab, SAS JMP, macro-enabled Excel, or Power BI preferred
  

Disclaimer: Please note that we are unable to provide job sponsorships, including, but not limited to, visas, corp-to-corp arrangements (C2C), or any other form of sponsorship for employment. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for sponsorship now or in the future.