Quality Specialist MRB Nonconformance

Hikinex; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Hikinex seeks a Quality Specialist – MRB & Nonconformance to support aerospace-grade quality operations on-site in Santa Ana or Costa Mesa, CA. The role focuses on MRB management, containment of nonconforming materials, and cross-functional collaboration to resolve issues and improve production quality.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with MRB, inspection methods, and AS9100/ISO quality systems, plus strong analytical and problem-solving skills for continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing and/or quality or engineering-related roles.
• Experience supporting hardware development and quality management.
• Proficiency with CAD software and inspection data management software.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, wire diagrams, work instructions, and CAD.
• Experience with calibrated inspection equipment such as calipers, micrometers, CMM, Faro arm, or OMM.
• Experience within AS9100, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar QMS environment.
• Experience with validation and testing of assemblies and components.

Responsibilities

• Manage the MRB process and nonconformance activities with cross-functional teams.
• Lead containment and disposition for nonconforming materials and parts.
• Review work instructions and provide quality feedback for go/no-go decisions.
• Coordinate internal triage with engineering to support nonconformance dispositions.
• Track investigative actions and MRB metrics; ensure on-time completion.
• Execute vendor RMAs in partnership with Warehouse and Purchasing.
• Create inspection plans for incoming, in-process, and end-of-line inspections.
• Train technicians on inspection plans and data capture requirements.
• Propose and implement quality assurance policies and procedures.
• Perform internal audits of processes and procedures as directed.

Skills

MRB management

Quality data analysis

Reading engineering drawings

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Attention to detail

Independent and collaborative work

Education

Associate degree or equivalent experience

Quality/Engineering related degree preferred

Tools

CAD software

Inspection data management software

Jira

MES

ERP

Teamcenter

CAD (General)

Job description

Location: Santa Ana / Costa Mesa, CA
Work Arrangement: On-Site
Start Date: TBD
Compensation: TBD — based on skills and experience

Important Screening Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret / SCI (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• Associate degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, quality, or engineering-related roles.
• Experience supporting hardware development and quality management in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, work instructions, CAD, and wire diagrams.
• Experience using calibrated inspection equipment such as calipers, micrometers, CMM, Faro arm, or OMM.
• Experience working within AS9100, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or a similar quality management system.
• Must be able to work on-site in Santa Ana or Costa Mesa, CA.

About the Role

We are seeking a Quality Specialist – MRB & Nonconformance to support manufacturing quality operations within an advanced aerospace and defense environment.

This role will manage the Materials Review Board (MRB) process and work closely with manufacturing, engineering, quality, inspection, warehouse, suppliers, and other cross-functional teams to resolve nonconforming materials and improve production quality.

The ideal candidate is hands-on, highly detail-oriented, and comfortable working directly within a manufacturing environment to identify issues, drive containment, support investigations, and improve quality processes.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a hands-on quality professional who can take ownership of MRB and nonconformance activities while working directly with manufacturing and engineering teams.

The successful candidate will be comfortable investigating quality issues, coordinating containment and disposition activities, analyzing inspection and traceability data, and identifying opportunities to improve manufacturing quality and productivity.

Key Responsibilities

MRB & Nonconformance Management

• Manage the site Materials Review Board (MRB) process.
• Work closely with manufacturing operations to support resolution, containment, and improvement of nonconforming materials.
• Review manufacturing work instructions and provide quality feedback.
• Provide clarification and support go/no-go decisions for inspectors.
• Lead containment activities for nonconforming items, including inspection and verification of affected parts.
• Assist with root-cause investigations.
• Coordinate internal triage with engineering teams to support nonconformance dispositions.
• Track investigative actions and ensure required tasks are completed on time.
• Ensure MRB data collection and entry are accurate and complete.
• Communicate quality issues and process performance to key stakeholders.
• Track and report MRB metrics on a weekly basis.

Inspection & Quality Operations

• Execute vendor Return Material Authorizations (RMAs) in partnership with Warehouse and Purchasing teams.
• Manage quality containment for materials, tooling, and inspection equipment associated with nonconformances.
• Create inspection plans for incoming materials, in-process inspections, and end-of-line inspection activities under the direction of Product Quality Engineers.
• Train technicians and inspectors on inspection plans and data-capture requirements.
• Propose, develop, and implement quality assurance policies and procedures.
• Perform internal audits of processes and procedures as directed by Quality Systems Engineering.

Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and recommend continuous improvement projects focused on productivity, quality, and process effectiveness.
• Analyze quality and traceability data to identify trends, inconsistencies, variation, and process issues.
• Stay current with inspection technologies and techniques and recommend improvements to inspection processes.
• Analyze inspection results and provide actionable feedback to production, manufacturing engineering, and quality engineering teams.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing and/or quality or engineering-related roles.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment supporting hardware development and quality management.
• Proficiency with CAD software and inspection data management software.
• Experience using calibrated inspection equipment, including:
  • Calipers
  • Micrometers
  • CMM
  • Faro arm
  • OMM
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, wire diagrams, work instructions, and CAD.
• Experience with investigative and inspection methods such as X-ray inspection, digital characterization, and material certificates of compliance.
• Experience working within an AS9100, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar QMS environment.
• Experience with validation and testing of assemblies and components.
• Experience communicating with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Technical or Associate degree in Quality, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Direct experience conducting First Article Inspection (FAI) and preparing First Article Inspection Reports.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Quality Improvement Associate , or equivalent certification.
• IPC-A-610 or IPC-A-620 certification.
• Experience in low-rate production manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD &T).
• Experience inspecting electrical and electronic components, including power supplies, PCBs, and wire harnesses.
• Experience with manufacturing systems and tools such as Jira, MES, ERP, Teamcenter, and CAD.
• Experience auditing manufacturing processes and procedures.
• Strong communication skills across engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and other cross-functional teams.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidates will bring a combination of hands-on manufacturing quality experience, MRB/nonconformance expertise, inspection knowledge, and strong problem-solving skills. Experience with aerospace quality systems, FAI, GD&T, and electronic hardware inspection will be especially valuable.