Quality Engineer: Drive Product Quality & Process Improvement

AeroVironment, Inc.; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 75,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. seeks a Quality Engineer to ensure delivered product quality across the lifecycle, performing quality engineering tasks, solving moderately complex problems, and partnering with product teams to reduce costs and flow disruptions.

The role includes supporting customer-facing quality activities and mentoring junior staff. Responsibilities span quality planning, defect management, MRB participation, and cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Operations, and Supply

Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, or a related technical discipline and a minimum of 2 years of related experience.
• Hands-on experience with quality tools and concepts such as DMAIC, FMEA, APQP, SPC, Gage R&R, or lean manufacturing.
• Awareness of quality management system concepts; exposure to ISO 9001, AS9100, or similar standards is preferred but not required.
• Fundamental understanding of engineering drawings and tolerances; familiarity with dimensional inspection concepts and GD&T is desirable but can be developed on the job.
• Ability to collect and organize data using spreadsheets or basic statistical tools, and to follow established procedures for problem identification and corrective action.
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn use of quality testing equipment, measurement tools, and inspection techniques.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain quality assurance and quality control plans.
• Define and document quality metrics, basic testing methods, and inspection procedures to support adherence to quality standards throughout the product lifecycle.
• Coordinate day-to-day work with Quality Technicians and inspectors as directed to support inspections and data collection.
• Support basic process capability activities on key characteristics and help maintain Inspection and Quality Plans.
• Independently verify that product acceptance criteria are correctly applied and aligned to documented customer requirements, seeking guidance when criteria are unclear.
• Work with senior engineers in reviewing customer contracts and purchase orders to understand and help flow down quality requirements.
• Support collaboration with customer representatives as requested.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to understand and apply quality requirements, specifications, and standards for new product development.
• Provide basic input to design teams on manufacturability and assembly considerations from a quality perspective, drawing on established standards and guidance from senior staff.
• Support risk assessments on designs by gathering data and documenting potential quality and reliability risks identified by more senior engineers.
• Participate in the preparation and maintenance of FMEA documentation and similar risk_analysis tools.
• Participate in Product Readiness Reviews (PRR) and support Final Inspection activities (e.g., preparing documentation, collecting data, coordinating with inspectors).
• Perform review of engineering specifications to check for the inclusion of required quality and reliability requirements.
• Support quality's contribution to APQP activities by maintaining documentation, tracking deliverables, and helping ensure quality requirements are captured in design and manufacturing processes.
• Provide assistance in implementing quality enhancement strategies (e.g., updating checklists, work instructions) and applying workmanship criteria under guidance.
• Support internal and supplier audit activities (e.g., collecting objective evidence, documenting findings, tracking closure) related to quality management systems, purchasing, contract review, and manufacturing processes.
• Collect and summarize internal and external quality performance data and identify basic trends to support improvement initiatives.

Skills

DMAIC

FMEA

APQP

SPC

Gage R&R

Lean manufacturing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, or related technical discipline

Job description

AeroVironment, Inc. seeks a Quality Engineer to ensure delivered product quality across the lifecycle, performing quality engineering tasks, solving moderately complex problems, and partnering with product teams to reduce costs and flow disruptions.

The role includes supporting customer-facing quality activities and mentoring junior staff. Responsibilities span quality planning, defect management, MRB participation, and cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Operations, and Supply