Quality Engineer

Actalent; Town of Wausau (WI); On-site; USD 28,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401(k)

Paid time off

Job summary

Actalent seeks a Quality Engineer in WAUSAU, WI to own product quality across the organization. You will develop QA practices, analyze data, and guide design through manufacturing. Proficiency with SolidWorks is required, with AutoCAD experience a plus.

You will create detailed drawings, collaborate with production, and support new product development while contributing to continuous improvement in a small, hands-on team.

Qualifications

• Proven background in quality engineering within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on quality assurance and quality management principles.
• Proficiency with CAD tools for 3D modeling and drafting.
• Ability to create engineering drawings for production use.
• Experience collaborating with production to guide design through manufacturing.
• Solid understanding of product design, manufacturing, and quality fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Lead ownership of product quality across the organization.
• Develop and maintain quality engineering practices to meet standards.
• Monitor, analyze, and improve quality and processes.
• Create and modify 3D models in SolidWorks for new and existing products.
• Produce CAD drawings and specifications for production release.
• Collaborate with production to transition designs into manufacturing.
• Support new product development and review manufacturability.
• Document quality findings and process improvements for stakeholders.
• Contribute to continuous improvement in design and manufacturing.

Skills

Quality engineering

CAD design

SolidWorks

Drafting documentation

Cross-functional collaboration

New product development

AutoCAD

Production support

Problem solving

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Title: Quality EngineerJob Description

The Quality Engineer ensures that all products meet high standards of quality, reliability, and performance while supporting product design and development in a manufacturing environment. This role combines quality engineering, mechanical design, and hands-on collaboration with production to bring new and custom products successfully to market.

Responsibilities

• Lead ownership of product quality across the organization, serving as the primary quality engineer on staff.
• Develop, implement, and maintain quality engineering and quality assurance practices to ensure products meet internal standards and customer requirements.
• Apply quality management principles to monitor, analyze, and continuously improve product quality and manufacturing processes.
• Create and modify 3D models in SolidWorks for new and existing products, ensuring designs meet functional, safety, and quality requirements.
• Produce detailed mechanical design and drafting documentation, including CAD drawings and engineering specifications, for release to the production floor.
• Collaborate closely with production teams to guide products from design through manufacturing, resolving issues and ensuring smooth transitions into production.
• Support new product development activities by contributing to design concepts, reviewing manufacturability, and validating product quality.
• Participate in the design and refinement of products used in various applications, including café buffets, ovens, freezers, and racking systems.
• Customize and adjust standard racking systems and other products to meet specific customer needs while maintaining quality standards.
• Work within a small engineering team where each engineer contributes across multiple functions, supporting both design and quality initiatives.
• Document and communicate quality findings, design changes, and process improvements to engineering and production stakeholders.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts in both design and manufacturing processes to enhance product performance and reduce defects.

Essential Skills

• Proven background in quality engineering within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with quality assurance and quality management principles and practices.
• Proficiency with CAD tools, particularly SolidWorks, for 3D modeling and mechanical design.
• Ability to create accurate engineering drawings and drafting documentation suitable for production use.
• Strong mechanical engineering and mechanical design skills applied to product development.
• Capability to work directly with production teams to resolve issues and guide products through the manufacturing process.
• Solid understanding of engineering fundamentals related to product design, manufacturing, and quality.
• Comfort working in a small team environment where engineers handle multiple responsibilities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience designing in SolidWorks is preferred.
• Experience with AutoCAD for additional drafting and design support.
• background in new product development, from concept through production release.
• Exposure to products used in café buffets, ovens, freezers, or racking systems is beneficial.
• Ability to adapt to custom product requirements and make modifications to standard designs.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional work with engineering and production.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a focus on accuracy, quality, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

This role is based in a family-owned manufacturing company with approximately 90 employees and an engineering department of about nine team members. The Quality Engineer joins a small, collaborative team where each engineer wears multiple hats and contributes across design, quality, and production support. You will report into the engineering function and work closely with the production floor, regularly translating SolidWorks 3D models and design drawings into manufacturable products. The environment emphasizes close communication, shared ownership of outcomes, and hands-on involvement with products ranging from custom café buffets to ovens, freezers, and both custom and standard racking systems. Dress code and daily routines align with a typical manufacturing and engineering setting, with regular interaction between office and production areas.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of WAUSAU, WI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $28.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of WAUSAU, WI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 26, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in WAUSAU,WI.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.