Senior Quality Engineer

dwtusa; Tustin (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Design West Technologies Inc. in Tustin, CA, seeks a Senior Quality Engineer to champion quality initiatives and drive continuous improvement across engineering, manufacturing, and operations.

You will support AS9100D compliance, develop inspection documentation, and coordinate CAPA, nonconformances, and supplier quality programs with cross-functional teams to ensure high product quality and regulatory alignment.

Qualifications

• BS/BA in Mechanical, Electrical, or Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years in Quality Engineering in aerospace/defense or regulated manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of AS9100, AS9102, ISO-9001, GD&T and metrology instruments.
• Experience with non-conformances, CAPA, root-cause analysis, and First Article Inspections.
• Strong written and verbal communication; MS Office proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Lead root-cause analysis, CAPA, and continuous improvement initiatives; develop quality processes per AS9100D/ISO-9001.
• Support First Article Inspections (FAI) and ensure AS9102 compliance.
• Analyze data to identify trends, reduce defects, and improve process capability.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and suppliers to resolve non-conformances.
• Conduct and support internal, supplier, and customer audits, including corrective actions follow-up.

Skills

CAPA

Root Cause Analysis

Quality Assurance

Continuous Improvement

AS9100D Knowledge

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

MS Office

Metrology Instruments

Job description

For more than three decades, Design West Technologies Inc. has served as a trusted partner to the Department of War (DoW), delivering mission-critical design engineering and rugged manufacturing solutions that protect our nation's warfighters. As we enter our next chapter, we are blending our deep-rooted defense heritage with a start-up culture designed to take advantage of the current DoW landscape. Operating out of our facility in Tustin, CA, we are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking Sr. Quality Engineerto help champion a culture of quality, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. This role will play a key part in supporting quality assurance initiatives and driving process improvements. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, a proactive problem-solving mindset, and the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams to ensure high standards of product quality and process performance.

POSTION SUMMARY

As a Senior Quality Engineer, you will play a key role in advancing our quality management system and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization. You will support the development and implementation of departmental processes, quality objectives, and document-control practices while ensuring compliance with AS9100D and applicable customer and regulatory requirements. In this role, you will work closely with manufacturing and cross-functional teams to ensure adherence to established procedures and quality standards. You will develop and maintain inspection documentation for receiving, in-process, and final inspections, helping ensure products consistently meet defined specifications and customer expectations. You will also support the investigation and resolution of internal and external nonconformances, coordinating corrective and preventive actions, and driving effective root-cause analysis to prevent recurrences. Additionally, you will monitor and help improve supplier quality performance, collaborate with suppliers on quality issues, and coordinate government and DCMA inspections.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES:

• Lead root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and continuous improvement initiatives to address quality issues and prevent recurrence.
  Develop, implement, and maintain quality processes and procedures in compliance with AS9100D, ISO-9001, customer and regulatory requirements.
• Support First Article Inspections (FAI) and ensure compliance with AS9102 and customer-specific requirements.
• Analyze manufacturing and quality data to identify trends, reduce defects, and improve process capability, yield, and overall product quality.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and suppliers to resolve non-conformances and drive process improvements.
• Conduct and support internal, supplier, and customer audits, including development and follow up of corrective actions.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS/BA in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or other equivalent engineering degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in Quality Engineering or manufacturing quality in aerospace, defense or highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Strong knowledge of AS9100, AS9102, ISO-9001, GD&T and the use of metrology instruments
• Strong experience with processing of non-conformances and CAPA, root cause analysis, process improvements, Material Review Board and preparing First Article Inspections.
• Possess strong written and verbal communication skills and knowledge of MS Office Suite.

ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?

We are an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER including disability/Vets