Quality Engineer - CNC Process & Inspection Planning

laborup; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision

401k

PTO

Job summary

laborup in the San Jose area is seeking a Quality Engineer who will focus on developing detailed inspection plans for CNC-machined components. You will link CNC programming, manufacturing, and quality to define what to inspect and when, ensuring clear expectations and robust inspection strategies.

The role emphasizes understanding machining processes, GD&T application, FAIs, and collaboration with CMM programmers and machinists to catch issues earlier in production.

Qualifications

• Experience with precision CNC-machined components.
• Solid GD&T knowledge and ability to interpret complex drawings.
• Proven track record in FAIs and detailed inspection plans.

Responsibilities

• Create the inspection strategy for complex machined parts.
• Review drawings, CAD models, CNC operations and docs.
• Determine what to measure and how to inspect at each operation.
• Interpret GD&T, datums, tolerances, and critical characteristics.
• Develop and support First Article Inspections.
• Collaborate with CNC programmers and machinists to resolve issues.
• Work with inspectors and engineers to prevent defects on the floor.

Skills

CNC machining understanding

GD&T expertise

Inspection planning

FAI experience

CMM knowledge

Dimensional inspection

Inspection strategy

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

1Factory

Job description

We’re hiring a Quality Engineer to join a rapidly growing, high-precision manufacturing operation in the San Jose area, supporting complex work across the aerospace, defense, medical, and semiconductor industries.

This is not a traditional Quality Engineer role centered around audits, supplier quality, or paperwork. This position is much closer to the manufacturing process and will spend the majority of its time developing detailed inspection plans for CNC-machined components.

If you enjoy looking at a complex part, understanding how it is being machined, what features are being created at each operation, and how those features should be inspected, this is the type of role we’re looking to fill.

What You'll Be Doing:

You’ll work directly between CNC Programming, Manufacturing, and Quality to create the inspection strategy for complex machined parts.

On a typical day, you will:

• Review engineering drawings, CAD models, CNC operations, and manufacturing documentation.
• Understand what each CNC operation is doing to the part and which features are being created or modified.
• Use 1Factory to build detailed, operation-level inspection plans.
• Determine what needs to be measured, when it needs to be measured, and how it should be inspected.
• Interpret complex GD&T, datums, tolerances, and critical characteristics.
• Develop and support First Article Inspections (FAIs).
• Work directly with CNC programmers when machining intent or process documentation isn't clear.
• Partner with machinists, CMM programmers, inspectors, and engineers to resolve inspection and manufacturing issues.
• Help catch quality problems earlier in the manufacturing process rather than waiting until final inspection.

The goal is simple: when a job reaches the floor, the machinist should know what they're responsible for producing, and Quality should know exactly what needs to be verified after each operation.

We’re open to several different backgrounds. You could currently be a:

• Quality Engineer
• Manufacturing Quality Engineer
• Inspection / Quality Planner
• CMM Programmer
• Senior Quality Inspector
• Manufacturing or Process Engineer with strong inspection experience

More important than your current title is your ability to understand both CNC machining and dimensional inspection.

Strong candidates will have:

• Experience working with precision CNC-machined components.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and complex engineering drawings.
• Experience with First Article Inspections / FAIs.
• Experience developing or working from detailed inspection plans.
• Understanding of how a machined part progresses through multiple CNC operations.
• Knowledge of dimensional inspection methods, CMMs, and precision measurement equipment.
• 1Factory experience is a major plus.
• Aerospace, defense, medical, semiconductor, or similar high-precision manufacturing experience is preferred.

• Health, Dental, and Vision
• 401k
• PTO