Specialist, Quality Engineering - Aircraft Quality Inspector

L3Harris Technologies; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies in Tucson, AZ, seeks a Specialist, Quality Engineering – Aircraft Quality Inspector to support Davis-Monthan AFB onsite. The role involves conducting aircraft inspections, audits, and document reviews to ensure compliance with FAA, manufacturer, and customer requirements, serving as part of the QA team to keep mission-ready aircraft.

The ideal candidate holds an FAA A&P license with IA, a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and 2+ years of hands-on aircraft maintenance and 1+

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with relevant experience; or 8+ years related experience in lieu of degree.
• FAA A&P license with IA certification.
• Minimum 2 years hands-on aircraft maintenance as FAA mechanic.
• Minimum 1 year quality control/assurance in aviation.
• Valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Conduct scheduled, unscheduled, special, and critical-task inspections of aircraft maintenance actions, aircraft systems, support equipment, work areas, and maintenance processes in accordance with approved quality plans and procedures.
• Review aircraft maintenance records, logbooks, inspection forms, technical publications, and associated documentation for accuracy, completeness, traceability, and compliance with applicable maintenance and regulatory requirements.
• Perform quality audits and surveillance of maintenance operations, flight-line activities, tool and equipment control, safety practices, hazardous-material handling, and environmental-protection processes; document findings and communicate results to the QA Chief and responsible organizations.
• Interpret and apply aircraft technical orders, job guides, maintenance manuals, engineering instructions, schematics, drawings, charts, and other technical publications to verify maintenance conformity and inspection acceptability.
• Maintain accurate inspection reports, audit records, discrepancy logs, corrective-action status, and quality metrics using approved systems and documentation processes.

Skills

Security clearance

Communication

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

FAA IA certification

FAA A&P license

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Tools

Quality management systems

Maintenance information systems

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers' mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

Job Title: Specialist, Quality Engineering – Aircraft Quality Inspector

Job Code: 45877

Job Location: Tucson, AZ - Davis-Monthan AFB (Onsite)

Schedule: 5/8: Employees work 8 hours per day, 5 days a week; Rotating Shifts; Mission Dependent

Job Description

The Quality Assurance (QA) Inspector reports to the QA Chief and supports the program’s quality management system at Davis-Monthan AFB by conducting aircraft-maintenance inspections, audits, records reviews, and critical-task inspections. The Quality Assurance Inspector performs assigned inspection, audit, documentation-review, and corrective-action support activities. The role verifies that maintenance actions, documentation, personnel practices, and associated processes conform to manufacturer, company, FAA, customer, and applicable regulatory requirements. The QA Inspector identifies quality and safety discrepancies, supports root-cause and corrective-action activities, and works with maintenance, engineering, supply, customer, vendor, and subcontractor representatives to maintain safe, compliant, mission-ready aircraft.

Essential Functions

• Ability to obtain a US Secret security clearance.
• Willingness and ability to work day shift, night shift, weekend duty, and schedule adjustments as assigned to support mission requirements.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 10% as part of a maintenance recovery team and qualify for CONUS and OCONUS deployments, including extended work schedules of up to 12 hours per day and 7 days per week when required.
• Ability to meet all medical, physical, training, passport, theater-clearance, and other requirements for OCONUS deployment, including completion and maintenance of required annual deployment or CRC physical examinations.
• Willingness and ability to work temporarily in OCONUS locations, including hazardous or hardship living and working conditions, as mission requirements dictate.
• Ability to obtain a government flight-line driver's license.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret aircraft maintenance technical data, technical orders, job guides, schematics, drawings, charts, and publications.

Quality Inspection and Audit

• Conduct scheduled, unscheduled, special, and critical-task inspections of aircraft maintenance actions, aircraft systems, support equipment, work areas, and maintenance processes in accordance with approved quality plans and procedures.
• Review aircraft maintenance records, logbooks, inspection forms, technical publications, and associated documentation for accuracy, completeness, traceability, and compliance with applicable maintenance and regulatory requirements.
• Perform quality audits and surveillance of maintenance operations, flight-line activities, tool and equipment control, safety practices, hazardous-material handling, and environmental-protection processes; document findings and communicate results to the QA Chief and responsible organizations.
• Interpret and apply aircraft technical orders, job guides, maintenance manuals, engineering instructions, schematics, drawings, charts, and other technical publications to verify maintenance conformity and inspection acceptability.

Quality System and Corrective Action

• Support the QA Chief in implementing and maintaining quality, safety, hazardous-material, analysis, training, Functional Check Flight, publications and technical-order, and environmental-protection programs.
• Analyze quality and safety discrepancies, recurring defects, maintenance escapes, and adverse trends; support root-cause analysis, corrective-action development, disposition, verification of effectiveness, and closure documentation.
• Coordinate with maintenance, engineering, supply, customer, vendor, and subcontractor representatives to clarify requirements, resolve nonconformances, recommend corrective actions or modifications, and sustain OA-1K aircraft readiness.
• Maintain accurate inspection reports, audit records, discrepancy logs, corrective-action status, and quality metrics using approved systems and documentation processes.

Training, Safety, and Flight-Line Support

• Provide or support specialty on-the-job training, inspection feedback, and quality-awareness coaching for maintenance personnel as directed by the QA Chief.
• Apply in-depth knowledge of aircraft safety directives, flight-line operations, aircraft and vehicle movement, operational hazards, FOD prevention, and hazardous-material handling while performing assigned duties.
• Comply with required Communications Security policies and procedures while performing assigned quality and inspection activities.
• Use approved computer systems to input, retrieve, analyze, and report maintenance, inspection, and quality data.
• Perform other assigned duties as required by Management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 4 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 2 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 8 years of prior related experience.
• FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license.
• Current FAA Inspection Authorization (IA).
• Minimum 2 years of hands-on aircraft-maintenance experience as a practicing FAA Airframe and Powerplant mechanic.
• Minimum of 1 year of aircraft quality control or quality assurance experience.
• Valid driver’s license.

Preferred Additional Skills

• Active US Secret security clearance.
• Air Tractor or similar single‑engine turboprop airframe experience.
• Experience supporting military, special‑mission, contractor logistics support, deployed, or austere aircraft-maintenance operations.
• Experience with quality management systems, corrective‑action programs, audit preparation, maintenance information systems, and technical‑publication control.
• Strong written and verbal communication, attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to work independently with maintenance and program stakeholders.
• Valid US Passport

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug‑free workplace and performs pre‑employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.