Sr. Quality Manager

Advanced Recruiting Partners; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Advanced Recruiting Partners is seeking a seasoned Quality Leader to build and head a comprehensive Quality organization, spanning quality engineering, laboratory, metrology, and supplier quality. This role will establish a plant QMS and drive ISO 9001 readiness, aligning with automotive and aerospace supplier requirements.

You will own nonconformance processes, traceability, audits, change control, and continuous improvement while steering lab readiness for product commissioning and full-rate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline related to materials or manufacturing.
• 10+ years in manufacturing quality with leadership experience.
• Experience in a materials-intensive or precision-parts environment (metals, automotive, aerospace).
• Experience spanning material/process quality and finished-part quality including metrology.
• Experience implementing PFMEAs, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and corrective actions in production.
• Experience with APQP/PPAP and translating drawings into quality requirements.
• Experience establishing or leading ISO 9001 or similar QMS.
• Strong customer-facing problem-solving and formal RCA/8D skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Quality organization including quality engineering, laboratory, metrology, and supplier quality.
• Establish the plant QMS and lead ISO 9001 certification with automotive/aerospace-aligned requirements.
• Own nonconformance handling, corrective actions, traceability, audits, change control, and continuous improvement.
• Lead establishment of analytical laboratory and production inspection for commissioning and full-rate manufacturing.
• Define lab and metrology equipment requirements and manage vendors through installation and qualification.
• Partner with R&D and pilot facilities on validation, transfer, control, and implementation for production.
• Lead cross-functional PFMEAs, Control Plans, inspection/test plans, sampling, MSA, and reaction plans for key characteristics.
• Serve as Quality lead for technology transfer from pilot to commercial manufacturing.

Skills

Leadership experience

10+ years experience

PFMEA/PPAP experience

ISO 9001 knowledge

APQP/PPAP experience

Dimensional metrology

Root cause analysis (RCA/8D)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science / Metallurgical/ Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering or related discipline

Job description

• Build and lead the Quality organization, including quality engineering, laboratory, metrology/inspection, and supplier quality capabilities.
• Establish the plant Quality Management System and lead ISO 9001 certification, with systems scalable to automotive and aerospace customer requirements.
• Establish effective processes for nonconformance and product disposition, corrective action, traceability, calibration, audits, change control, and continuous improvement.
• Own the buildout and readiness of the analytical laboratory and production inspection capability for product commissioning, qualification, and full-rate manufacturing.
• Define required laboratory and metrology equipment, technical requirements, and acceptance criteria; partner with Procurement and Engineering to place equipment purchase orders and manage vendors through installation, calibration, training, and acceptance.
• Partner with R&D and pilot facilities on analytical and test-method development, and own validation, transfer, control, and implementation for commercial production.
• Lead cross-functional development and release of process flows, PFMEAs, Control Plans, inspection/test plans, sampling strategies, MSA, and reaction plans for critical material, process, and finished-part characteristics.
• Serve as the Quality lead for pilot-to-commercial technology transfer, ensuring critical material attributes, process parameters, test methods, specifications, and lessons learned are incorporated into commercial manufacturing controls.
• Work closely with Commercial and customer teams to translate customer drawings, specifications, and qualification requirements into measurable manufacturing controls and acceptance criteria.
• Ensure manufacturing processes and measurement systems demonstrate appropriate capability before product release.
• Lead Quality deliverables for product and process qualification, APQP/PPAP, first article, safe launch, and customer-specific requirements, as applicable.
• Provide Quality leadership through equipment commissioning, manufacturing readiness, startup, and production ramp.
• Own quality performance across incoming material, metallurgical processing, machining, coating, inspection, and finished-product release.
• Serve as the Quality focal point for manufacturing-related customer concerns and complaints, leading containment, characterization, root cause investigation, corrective action, and formal customer response.
• Ensure manufacturing issues are rigorously documented and that lessons learned are incorporated into PFMEAs, Control Plans, specifications, and operating practices.
• Drive process capability, first-pass yield, defect reduction, supplier quality, customer PPM/escapes, and other key quality metrics.

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change based on business needs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing quality, materials/metallurgical engineering, or manufacturing operations, including 5+ years of leadership experience.
• Experience in a materials-intensive and/or precision-parts manufacturing environment, such as metals, powder metallurgy, automotive, aerospace, advanced materials, heat treatment, machining, or similar manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience spanning material/process quality and finished-part quality, including dimensional inspection, metrology, machining, or precision manufacturing.
• Experience developing and implementing PFMEAs, Control Plans, MSA, SPC/process capability, inspection plans, and corrective actions in a production environment.
• Demonstrated experience with APQP/PPAP or comparable customer product and process qualification, including translating drawings and specifications into manufacturing quality requirements.
• Experience establishing or significantly developing a manufacturing QMS and supporting or leading ISO 9001 or comparable certification.
• Strong customer-facing problem-solving and communication skills, including structured root cause analysis (RCA/8D) and resolution of manufacturing quality issues.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to export-controlled information or facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Greenfield manufacturing, major expansion, or new-product/process launch experience.
• Experience establishing or managing a metallurgical/materials laboratory, dimensional metrology function, or production testing organization.
• Experience transferring new materials or processes from development or pilot scale into commercial manufacturing.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements, GD&T, AS9100, magnetic materials, or powder metallurgy.