Quality Lab Manager, Sealants

PPG Industries, Inc; Mojave (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Retirement plan

Paid vacation & holidays

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Disability/Leave

Job summary

PPG Industries, Inc. in Mojave, CA seeks a Quality Lab Manager for the Aerospace Sealants Lab. You will lead the Sealants Quality Laboratory, drive testing, release activities, and ensure compliance with AS9100/Nadcap requirements.

You will develop and mentor staff, manage resources, and collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, and S&T to resolve issues while maintaining regulatory and customer specs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible lab, quality, or manufacturing experience with leadership.
• Experience driving process, laboratory, or quality improvements in a technical environment.
• Working knowledge of quality systems, root cause analysis, corrective action, and continuous improvement.
• Experience with aerospace quality requirements, AS9100 and Nadcap preferred.
• Familiarity with aerospace coatings or sealants manufacturing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Sealants Quality Laboratory, ensuring safe, accurate testing and product release.
• Coach and develop laboratory personnel, setting clear performance expectations.
• Manage workload, staffing, and resources to support manufacturing needs and customer commitments.
• Ensure testing and documentation meet customer specs, procedures, and QA systems (AS9100/Nadcap).
• Lead investigations into failures and complaints using root cause and corrective action methods.
• Ensure corrective actions address root causes and are sustained.
• Maintain lab readiness for audits and support actions from findings.
• Ensure staff are trained, qualified, and competent for testing and quality activities.
• Monitor performance to improve turnaround, testing efficiency, and first-time quality.
• Review and implement changes to specs, methods, and QA requirements in lab operations.
• Lead and participate in cross-functional quality and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Laboratory Leadership

Quality Management

Root Cause Analysis

Continuous Improvement

Team Coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

PPG's Aerospace Business is looking for a Quality Lab Manager for our Aerospace Sealants Lab in Mojave, CA. As the Sealants Quality Lab Manager, you will be responsible for the leadership and overall performance of the Sealants Quality Laboratory. You will work closely with Manufacturing, Quality, S&T, and other functions to resolve product and process issues while maintaining compliance with applicable aerospace quality standards and customer requirements.

This is an onsite position in our Aerospace facility in Mojave, CA reporting to the Site Quality Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operations and performance of the Sealants Quality Laboratory, ensuring testing and product release activities are completed safely, accurately, and in accordance with established requirements.

• Lead, coach, and develop laboratory personnel while establishing clear expectations for performance, accountability, technical competency, and continuous improvement.

• Manage laboratory workload, priorities, staffing, and resources to support manufacturing requirements and customer commitments.

• Ensure laboratory testing and documentation comply with customer specifications, internal procedures, the site Quality Management System, and applicable AS9100 and Nadcap requirements.

• Lead and support investigations into product failures, customer complaints, and laboratory nonconformances using appropriate root cause and corrective action methodologies.

• Ensure corrective actions address identified root causes and are effectively implemented and sustained.

• Maintain laboratory readiness for customer, regulatory, AS9100, Nadcap, and internal audits and support corrective actions resulting from audit findings.

• Ensure laboratory personnel are appropriately trained, qualified, and competent to perform assigned testing and quality activities.

• Monitor laboratory performance and identify opportunities to improve turnaround time, testing efficiency, first-time quality, reliability, and overall laboratory effectiveness.

• Ensure changes to customer specifications, test methods, procedures, and quality requirements are appropriately reviewed and implemented within laboratory operations.

• Lead and participate in cross-functional quality and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

• 5+ years of progressively responsible laboratory, quality, or manufacturing experience, including demonstrated leadership experience managing, coaching, and developing technical teams.

• Demonstrated experience driving process, laboratory, or quality improvements in a manufacturing, research, or similar technical environment.

• Working knowledge of quality systems, root cause analysis, corrective action, and continuous improvement methodologies.

• Experience supporting aerospace quality requirements, including AS9100 and/or Nadcap, preferred.

• Familiarity with aerospace coatings or sealants manufacturing preferred.

• Able to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Only U.S. Citizens, Green Card holders, and political asylees or refugees are eligible to apply.

The base salary range for this position is $100,000 to $115,000, with a possibility of an annual bonus up to 10% of base salary. PPG offers comprehensive benefits such as Health, Dental, Life, Retirement Plan, Paid Vacation & Holidays, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Disability/Leave, and other Voluntary benefit offerings. Actual benefit offerings confirmed at the time of hire.

PPG