Quality Engineer II

Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America is hiring a Quality Engineer II to join the team expanding the lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas. The role focuses on ensuring product quality, process stability, and continuous improvement within a world-class production environment.

You will collaborate with Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance to identify and resolve quality issues, implement corrective actions, and support DOE-style experiments and data-driven

Responsibilities

• Works with Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance to identify, investigate, and resolve quality issues, defects, and process deviations.
• Applies quality engineering fundamentals to support manufacturing quality, process stability, and continuous improvement in battery manufacturing.
• Supports containment actions, corrective and preventive actions, and escalation of complex issues.
• Provides day-to-day technical support to Quality Specialists, Technicians, and Inspectors; participates in training related to quality tools and methods.

Job description

Overview

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Quality Engineer? Then we're looking for you! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Responsibilities

Quality Engineer II

Summary

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation. Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary

The Quality Engineer II works collaboratively with Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance teams to identify, investigate, and resolve quality issues, defects, and process deviations to ensure products meet internal and customer specifications. This role applies solid quality engineering fundamentals to support manufacturing quality, process stability, and continuous improvement initiatives within a battery manufacturing environment. The Quality Engineer II operates with moderate supervision, independently managing routine assignments while escalating more complex issues as appropriate. The role primarily impacts individual projects or defined production areas.

Essential Duties

Functional Operations

• Applies working-level quality engineering knowledge to support the development, implementation, and maintenance of quality standards, procedures, and controls within assigned areas
• Supports small to medium quality and process improvement projects, assisting with scope definition, data collection, analysis, and execution of corrective actions
• Participates in quality and process improvement initiatives within assigned functional or production areas, collaborating closely with senior engineers

Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Investigates and resolves moderately complex quality and process issues using structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., 8D, A3, DMAIC) with guidance as needed
• Utilizes Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma tools to analyze process data, identify root causes, and support corrective and preventive actions
• Participates in the design and execution of experiments (e.g., DOE) to validate process changes and improvement effectiveness
• Works with cross-functional teams to support process optimization initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, reducing defects, and enhancing product quality
• Supports day-to-day containment actions, rapid countermeasures, and corrective actions within assigned production areas

Training & Team Support

• Provides day-to-day technical support to Quality Specialists, Quality Technicians, and Quality Inspectors
• Assists with training activities related to quality tools, standards, inspection methods, and problem-solving techniques
• Contributes to a culture of continuous improvement by sharing best practices and supporting team-based improvement activities

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborates with Quality Management, Operations, Engineering, and other cross-functional teams to proactively identify process inefficiencies and improvement opportunities within the battery manufacturing cycle
• Communicates investigation results, corrective actions, and improvement outcomes to team members and leadership within defined scope
• Generates routine reports on quality performance and process improvement activities, including key performance indicators (KPIs), for review by senior engineers and management
• Escalates risks, constraints, or unresolved quality issues to senior quality or management personnel as appropriate

Quality, Safety, & Compliance

• Conducts routine audits, assessments, and inspections of manufacturing processes to verify compliance with quality standards and documented procedures
• Assists in the development, implementation, and maintenance of the Quality Management System (QMS)
• Ensures work activities comply with applicable quality and regulatory standards (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949, UL, CE, RoHS) within assigned responsibilities

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Required

Education, Certifications, and Licenses