Quality Engineer

Philips Recruiting Services / Philips Automotive Recruiting; Plymouth (MI); On-site; USD 78,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

Philips Automotive Recruiting is seeking a Quality Engineer for a Tier 1 automotive manufacturer in Michigan. The role focuses on supporting product and process quality, resolving issues with customers and suppliers, and ensuring IATF 16949 compliance on the shop floor.

You will lead corrective actions, APQP/PPAP activities, PFMEA and SPC analyses, and partner with production, engineering, and purchasing to drive continuous improvement and lean initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 3+ years of quality engineering experience in automotive manufacturing.
• Experience with Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers desirable.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 and customer-specific requirements.
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC, and capability analysis.
• Root-cause analysis and corrective-action leadership.
• 8D problem-solving experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary quality contact for products and processes.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions for defects and supplier quality issues.
• Prepare customer corrective-action responses using structured methods (8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa).
• Support APQP and PPAP during new product launches.
• Develop and maintain PFMEAs, control plans, inspection instructions, and quality docs.
• Coordinate PPAP submissions to meet customer requirements.
• Monitor SPC and capability analyses to drive improvements.
• Analyze quality trends and reduce scrap and rework.
• Collaborate with production, engineering, maintenance, purchasing, and supply chain.
• Train staff on quality standards and inspection methods.
• Participate in Lean/Six Sigma continuous-improvement initiatives.

Skills

Problem-solving

IATF 16949

APQP/PPAP

PFMEA

SPC

Root-cause analysis

Lean/Six Sigma

Communication

GD&T

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Tools

MS Office

Quality data systems

Job description

Quality Engineer - Tier 1 Automotive Manufacturing

Position Summary

The Quality Engineer is responsible for supporting product and process quality within a fast-paced Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment. This position works closely with manufacturing, engineering, suppliers, and customers to resolve quality concerns, improve manufacturing processes, and ensure compliance with customer-specific requirements and IATF 16949 standards.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on automotive manufacturing experience, strong problem-solving skills, and practical knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, statistical process control, and corrective action methodologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary quality contact for assigned products, manufacturing processes, and automotive customers.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions related to internal defects, customer complaints, warranty concerns, and supplier quality issues.
• Prepare and submit customer corrective-action responses using 8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa, and other structured problem-solving methods.
• Support new product launches through the APQP process, including development and maintenance of PPAP documentation.
• Develop and maintain process flow diagrams, PFMEAs, control plans, inspection instructions, and quality documentation.
• Coordinate PPAP submissions and ensure all customer requirements are satisfied prior to production approval.
• Monitor manufacturing performance using SPC, capability studies, scrap data, audit results, and other quality metrics.
• Analyze quality trends and identify opportunities to reduce scrap, rework, customer complaints, and cost of poor quality.
• Partner with production and manufacturing engineering teams to improve process capability and prevent defects.
• Participate in root-cause investigations and verify the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions.
• Support validation of process changes, equipment modifications, tooling changes, and engineering changes.
• Conduct and support internal process, product, layered-process, and quality-system audits.
• Ensure compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, customer-specific requirements, and company quality procedures.
• Communicate directly with customer quality representatives regarding quality concerns, containment activities, corrective actions, and improvement plans.
• Coordinate sorting, containment, and controlled-shipping activities when required.
• Support supplier quality improvement and corrective-action activities as needed.
• Train production employees and supervisors on quality standards, inspection methods, defect recognition, and updated procedures.
• Participate in continuous-improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles.
• Maintain accurate quality records and provide regular reporting on key quality performance indicators.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, quality, or a related technical discipline preferred.
• Three or more years of quality engineering experience in an automotive manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Experience working for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 automotive supplier is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 and automotive customer-specific requirements.
• Strong experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC, and capability analysis.
• Demonstrated experience leading root-cause analysis and corrective-action activities.
• Experience responding to customer concerns using 8D problem-solving methodology.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, and GD&T.
• Familiarity with automotive customer systems and portals is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and quality-data analysis systems.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively across quality, production, engineering, maintenance, purchasing, and supply-chain functions.
• Willingness to provide hands-on support on the manufacturing floor and respond to urgent customer or production issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience supporting automotive product launches.
• Experience with OEM or major Tier 1 customer requirements.
• Knowledge of layered-process audits, error-proofing, gage calibration, and advanced problem-solving tools.
• Experience working with high-volume manufacturing, assembly, stamping, molding, welding, machining, or other automotive production processes.