Quality Release Engineer

Richardson Electronics, Ltd.; Illinois; On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental and Vision

Tuition reimbursement

Vacation time and holidays

Life insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Richardson Electronics, Ltd. is seeking a Quality Release Engineer to provide independent oversight of new product and process releases, ensuring quality controls are established before production and maintained during changes.

You will review PFMEAs, Control Plans, drawings and other production documentation for completeness and quality impact, lead Release Kaizen events, and verify readiness before release to manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering with 5+ years in manufacturing, process or quality engineering.
• Strong knowledge of APQP, PFMEA, Control Plans, process capability and measurement systems.
• Experience with NPI, manufacturing process release, or production quality preferred.

Responsibilities

• Schedule, coordinate, and lead Release Kaizen events to stress test production readiness.
• Provide independent quality review and approval of new product and process releases.
• Review PFMEAs, Control Plans, inspection sheets, and related quality documentation.
• Review drawings, BOMs, routings, and work instructions for quality impact.
• Verify validation activities, process capability, and first-piece inspections.
• Verify supply chain readiness and supplier qualification.
• Close Kaizen findings and manage open risks to management for conditional release.
• Monitor post-release production performance and drive lessons learned into future releases.

Skills

Release management

APQP

PFMEA

Control Plans

Process capability

Measurement systems

NPI / process release

Quality reviews

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

CQE / Six Sigma certification (plus)

Job description

Job Title: Quality Release Engineer

Company: Richardson Electronics, Ltd.

Type: Full time

Job Description: The Quality Release Engineer provides independent oversight of new product and process releases, ensuring appropriate quality controls are established before production and maintained during changes. The role reviews product, process, and documentation changes to maintain alignment with quality requirements and risk controls. The position also monitors production quality and ensures lessons learned are incorporated into future releases and controls.

Job Responsibilities

• Schedule, coordinate, and lead Release Kaizen Events, providing direction to multidisciplinary teams to stress test production readiness, including documentation, operator instructions, tooling, equipment, material flow, inspection methods, process controls, and reliance on undocumented knowledge or workarounds.
• Provide independent Quality review and approval of new product and process releases, verifying that

Production can consistently build conforming product using the released processes and documentation.

• Review PFMEAs, Control Plans, inspection sheets, and related quality documentation for adequacy, consistency, and effectiveness in controlling identified product and process risks.
• Review drawings, specifications, BOMs, routings, work instructions, and other production documentation for completeness, alignment, usability, and Quality impact.
• Review and approve applicable product, process, supplier, and documentation changes to ensure established quality controls remain effective.
• Verify completion of required validation and qualification activities, including first-piece inspections, process capability, measurement and test requirements, and other objective evidence necessary for production release.
• Verify supply chain readiness, including approved supplier status, component qualification, outsourced processes, and applicable incoming quality controls.
• Document and drive closure of Release Kaizen findings, ensuring identified gaps and risks are assigned to the appropriate functional owners and adequately resolved or formally accepted prior to release.
• Monitor post-release production performance to verify the effectiveness of established controls and identify release-related gaps.
• Review Production and Supplier Quality trends and ensure lessons learned are incorporated into Quality Planning, Release Kaizens, and future releases.
• Exercise independent Quality release authority, escalating unresolved risks and withholding approval when release requirements are not met; present open risks and incomplete Kaizen actions to management for documented conditional approval.

Key Performance Metrics

• Kaizen Schedule Performance: Percentage of Release Kaizen events completed according to the established project/release schedule.
• Release Action Closure: Percentage of Kaizen findings closed by their committed due dates, with release-critical findings closed prior to production release.
• Post-Release Quality Effectiveness: Number of issues identified within 90 days of release requiring changes to manufacturing documentation, quality controls, inspection methods, or processes due to gaps not identified during the Release Kaizen.
• Change Review Performance: Percentage of applicable product, process, and documentation revisions receiving Quality review within the established turnaround target.

Non-essential Job Functions

• Serve as a trained internal auditor and participate in QMS audits.
• Support customer, regulatory, and external audits as needed.
• Participate in continuous improvement and cross-functional problem-solving activities.
• Support Quality procedures, training, and QMS improvement initiatives.
• Provide backup support to other Quality functions as needed.

Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline, with 5+ years relevant experience in manufacturing, process or quality engineering.
• Strong knowledge of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) principles, including PFMEA, Control Plans, process capability, measurement systems, risk assessment, and product/process qualification.
• Experience with NPI, manufacturing process release, or production quality is preferred; ASQ CQE, Six Sigma, or related quality certification is a plus.

Work Environment: Work is performed in office, warehouse, and manufacturing environments. Some standing, walking, and light lifting may be required. The employee may be intermittently exposed to facility hazards, including mercury, plating processes, and high-voltage equipment, and must understand and follow applicable safety procedures and precautions. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used as required.

About Richardson Electronics

Richardson Electronics, Ltd. is a leading global manufacturer of engineered solutions, power grid and microwave tubes, and related consumables; power conversion and RF and microwave components including green energy solutions; high-value replacement parts, tubes, and service training for diagnostic imaging equipment; and customized display solutions. More than 60% of our products are manufactured in LaFox, Illinois, Marlborough, Massachusetts, or Donaueschingen, Germany, or by one of our manufacturing partners throughout the world. All our partners manufacture to our strict specifications and adhere to our supplier terms and conditions. We serve customers in the alternative energy, healthcare, aviation, broadcast, communications, industrial, marine, medical, military, scientific, and semiconductor markets. The Company’s strategy is to provide specialized technical expertise and “engineered solutions” based on our core engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The Company provides solutions and adds value through design-in support, systems integration, prototype design and manufacturing, testing, logistics, and aftermarket technical service and repair through its global infrastructure. More information is available at www.rell.com.

Our manufacturing facility operates under lean manufacturing principles, which means we are focused on efficiency, continuous improvement, and meeting customer demand in real time. As part of our team, you may be asked to flex between different areas or responsibilities depending on production needs. This flexibility is key to how we maintain a responsive, high-performing operation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

Richardson Electronics is an international organization with offices worldwide. We are committed to fostering a workplace where all employees have equal opportunities to succeed, grow, and contribute. We believe in creating an environment where every individual is valued, respected, and supported. By promoting fairness, inclusivity, and a culture of mutual respect, we ensure that our employees, customers, and the communities we serve can achieve their goals. Our ability to bring together individuals with diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our continued global success.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

• Must be authorized to work in the US.

Required Postings

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmlafollia.pdf

Employer Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppac.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Know Your Rights https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

Invitation to Self-Identify https://www.rell.com/webfoo/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Invitation-to-Self-Identify.pdf

Pay Range: $100,000 to $120,000 per year plus incentive

Benefits: Our benefits package includes comprehensive health insurance with multiple PPO and HSA plan options, as well as dental and vision coverage. We offer flexible spending accounts (FSA), life insurance, voluntary life insurance, short- and long-term disability (STD & LTD), an employee assistance program (EAP), smoking cessation support, weight management program, pet insurance, LifeLock identity protection, and a 401(k)-retirement plan. Additionally, we provide generous vacation time, sick/personal days, 10 paid holidays, and tuition reimbursement to support ongoing education and work-life balance.