Quality Lead Quality Engineer

Custom Cylinders, Inc; Cary (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Competitive salary

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Job summary

Custom Cylinders, Inc. is seeking a Quality Engineer to drive quality in pneumatic and hydraulic cylinder production. You will oversee inspection programs and contribute to ISO 9001 compliance while collaborating with engineering, production, and suppliers.

Responsibilities include leading root-cause investigations, implementing corrective actions, and maintaining documentation and quality reports to ensure conformance to prints and specifications.

Qualifications

• Certification or training in Quality Management (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally with fluid power components or precision‑machined parts.
• Strong understanding of ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, or other quality management systems.
• Proficiency with measurement tools (calipers, micrometers, bore gauges, CMMs).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience with root‑cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain quality control plans for pneumatic and hydraulic cylinder manufacturing processes.
• Perform in‑process and final inspections using precision measurement tools and CMM equipment.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements to ensure compliance.
• Support ongoing maintenance and improvement of the ISO 9001 quality management system.
• Lead investigations into nonconformances, customer complaints, and production issues.

Skills

Certification in Quality Management

Manufacturing experience

ISO 9001/other QMS knowledge

Measurement tools (calipers, microm, C

Reading GD&T & drawings

Root-cause analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

PC-DMIS

Calypso

CMM programming

Job description

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

About the Role

As a Quality Engineer, you’ll help ensure that our pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders meet demanding performance and reliability standards. You’ll support our ISO 9001–certified quality management system by driving continuous improvement, leading root‑cause investigations, and working closely with engineering, production, and suppliers. A key part of this role includes developing and maintaining CMM programs to support accurate inspection of precision‑machined components.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Assurance & Control

• Develop, implement, and maintain quality control plans for pneumatic and hydraulic cylinder manufacturing processes.
• Perform in‑process and final inspections using precision measurement tools and CMM equipment.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements to ensure compliance.

ISO 9001 Compliance

• Support ongoing maintenance and improvement of the ISO 9001 quality management system.
• Participate in internal audits and assist with external audit preparation and corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate documentation, records, and quality reports in accordance with ISO requirements.

Root Cause Analysis & Continuous Improvement

• Lead investigations into nonconformances, customer complaints, and production issues.
• Use structured problem‑solving tools (5 Why, Fishbone, FMEA, PDCA) to identify root causes and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Analyze quality data and trends to recommend process improvements and reduce scrap, rework, and defects.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with engineering to validate new designs, materials, and processes.
• Partner with production teams to ensure quality standards are understood and consistently applied.
• Collaborate with suppliers on quality expectations, incoming inspection, and supplier corrective actions.

Testing & Validation

• Oversee measurement and validation of component parts to ensure conformance to prints.
• Oversee functional testing of cylinders, including pressure testing, leak testing, and performance verification.
• Develop test procedures and ensure equipment calibration and maintenance.

Qualifications

Required

• Certification or training in Quality Management (or equivalent experience)
• Experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally with fluid power components or precision‑machined parts.
• Strong understanding of ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, or other quality management systems.
• Proficiency with measurement tools (calipers, micrometers, bore gauges, CMMs).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience with root‑cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder manufacturing.
• Knowledge of machining, welding, assembly, and surface finishing processes.
• Familiarity with SPC and quality software tools.
• Certifications such as CQE, CQA, or Six Sigma Green Belt.
• Hands‑on experience with CMM programming (PC‑DMIS, Calypso, or similar)
• Experience with AS9100 or ISO 13485 a plus

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Detail‑oriented with a commitment to accuracy
• Clear communication and documentation abilities
• Collaborative mindset with a continuous improvement focus