Senior Quality Engineer

Proto Labs; Nashua, Northern (NH, KY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental and Vision

401k with company match

Paid time off

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Volunteer hours

Job summary

Protolabs is seeking a Senior Quality Engineer to lead quality initiatives across manufacturing, ensuring products and processes meet the highest standards. You will drive investigations, implement process improvements, and collaborate across engineering, operations, and customers.

You will strengthen quality systems, optimize controls, and lead cross-functional teams to resolve complex quality issues. This role rewards problem solvers in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of quality engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Deep understanding of quality systems and practices in manufacturing.
• Proficiency in ISO 9001, 13485, AS9100.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; continuous improvement focus.
• Proficiency with statistics and analytical tools (JMP, Minitab).

Responsibilities

• Provide QA leadership in manufacturing quality initiatives.
• Define QC inspection procedures and select testing equipment.
• Lead quality investigations and RCA using DMAIC/8D.
• Collaborate with Engineering to characterize processes and control plans.
• Review post-market quality results and customer complaint investigations.
• Support audits and supplier quality activities.
• Coach engineers and drive corrective/preventive actions.

Skills

Quality engineering

Process improvement

Statistical analysis

Lean DMAIC

English fluency

Education

B.S. in Engineering

Tools

JMP

Minitab

CMM

VMM

R&R

MSA

Job description

Be yourself at Protolabs

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace. So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply! You can help make our company even better. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself. We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams.

Why Protolabs?

We are the leaders in digital manufacturing. We hire doers, makers, and creative thinkers who tackle our roles with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our culture is centered around meaningful work that brings new and innovative products to market at unprecedented speeds. We are a diverse team that comes from all walks of life and take pride in our team who is smart, genuine, humble, and passionate about what we do. It’s our people who fuel our creativity and make our culture feel like home.

Join our team as a

Senior Quality Engineer!

Drive quality excellence at the forefront of digital manufacturing! As a Senior Quality Engineer at Protolabs, you will serve as a key leader in ensuring our products, processes, and systems consistently meet the highest standards of quality and customer satisfaction. In this impactful role, you'll lead complex investigations, solve challenging quality issues, implement sustainable process improvements, and collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, operations, and customers.

Your expertise will help strengthen quality systems, optimize process controls, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance product performance and operational excellence. This is an exciting opportunity for a quality professional who is passionate about problem-solving, innovation, and making a measurable impact in a fast-paced, technology-driven manufacturing environment.

What You Will Do:

• Provide Quality Assurance technical leadership in support of manufacturing. Analyze the cost of poor quality
• Define Quality Control inspection procedures and specify, procure and implement testing equipment
• Support continuous improvement activities, including Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, kaizens, and lean manufacturing activities. Where appropriate, drive project completion in quality disciplines related to continuous improvement, problem solving (using formal methods such as DMAIC, 8D, etc.), and statistical data analysis
• Collaborate with Engineering to characterize manufacturing processes. Determine process capability, identify sources of variation in production processes, implement adequate control plans, and establish feedback mechanisms
• Review, analyze and improve results of post market quality. Conduct investigations of customer complaints to identify causes and appropriate actions to prevent recurrence
• Support requirement evaluation, process and final product verifications, and customer inquiries as required.
• Lead and facilitate required audits including but not limited to, internal, external and customers.
• Support and Ensure thorough investigation and execution of corrective and preventative actions associated with internal process, customer, vendor, and audit findings.
• Continuously evaluate and revise processes and acceptance criteria for products produced by Proto Labs services
• Lead, coach, and guide other quality and operations engineers to support successful completion of projects
• Define requirement for product line transfers and new process introductions
• Support the audit and qualification of new suppliers, and resolve supplier quality issues
• Perform internal audits of the Quality System, and support external audits of the Quality System
• Investigate, collect and analyze data, develop and implement effective solutions

What You Will Bring:

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering (Industrial, Manufacturing, or Mechanical), physical Science, or related field, from an accredited college or university.
• 7 or more years of experience as a quality engineer in a manufacturing environment
• Existing deep and broad understanding of Quality systems and practices in a manufacturing environment
• Proficiency in Quality System Standards such as ISO 9001, 13485 and AS9100
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated success in applying continuous improvement concepts, such as Lean and DMAIC.
• Proficiency in using statistical analysis software (such as JMP or Minitab), and in applying statistics to industrial practices.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment.
• Good written and oral communication skills: able to communicate complex technical information to all levels of the organization, able to write technical procedures and work instructions.
• Excellent verbal communication, presentation, training and leadership skills.
• Must be able to read, write and speak English fluently

What Sets You Apart:

• Certifications (Audit/ASQ/Lean/Six sigma Etc..)
• Measurement system and software expertise (CMM, VMM, R&R, MSA)
• Experience in CNC machining, injection molding, and/or 3D printing environment(s) is preferred

What's In It For You:

• We offer a competitive salary and total rewards package
• We offer amazing benefits including but not limited to:
  • Health Insurance: Traditional OR High Deductible plan
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Health Savings Account (including employer contributions)
  • Dental and Vision
  • Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
  • Paid caregiver leave
• You will receive at least 3 weeks of PTO + Wellness + Holiday Pay + Volunteer Hours
• 401k with company match and immediate vest
• Employee Stock Purchase Program at a discounted rate
• Matching grants through Protolabs foundation
• And More!

$99,900 - $124,900 a year

Protolabs offers a competitive total rewards package, and compensation mix vary based on position, such as base wage, as well as other earnings including incentives and commissions. Actual pay offered will vary depending on multiple factors which may include, without limitation, job function, work experience, specialized skills, training, education, and certifications.

Proto Labs maintains ITAR-compliant operations in all of our United States based facilities. Due to ITAR regulations, this role is only open to U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or foreign nationals granted refugee or asylee status. Individuals with temporary visas (e.g. E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, TN or OPT) are not eligible for hire in this role.

Proto Labs, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Physical Demands:

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use a computer keyboard, monitor and mouse, telephone and printer; reach with hands, and arms, talk, see and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop or kneel and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment:

Indoors (A/C); nonsmoking; the majority of this job function is performed in an office setting requiring normal safety precautions. However, there may be job duties that require the employee to spend time in the manufacturing areas exposed to machinery and noise; eye protection occasionally required. Occasionally works in outside weather conditions. Occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.