Manufacturing Quality Engineer

Howmet Aerospace is searching for a Manufacturing Quality Engineer to join our Howmet Wheel Systems (HWS) business unit in Barberton, OH.

Howmet Aerospace (NYSE: HWM) creates breakthrough products that shape industries. Working in close partnership with our customers, we solve complex engineering challenges to transform the way we fly, drive, and power. Through the ingenuity of our people and cutting-edge advanced manufacturing techniques, we deliver these products at a quality and efficiency that ensure customer success and shareholder value. 

Howmet Wheel Systems (HWS) is a business unit with a rich tradition and a bright future. We invented the forged wheel in 1948 and have remained the global leader in providing safe, strong, lightweight, and innovative aluminum transportation products ever since. ALCOA® Wheels are highly engineered products operating in challenging environments with significant product liability risk and wide diversity of end use applications ranging from passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks to commercial and military vehicles. HWS employs 1,900 people at 14 locations worldwide and produces over 4 million aluminum wheels globally with annual sales more than $900 million.

Our customers trust us to deliver a wide range of great looking and dependable products that improve fuel economy and increase payload to address their customer’s business needs. Our Commercial Vehicle Wheel products lead the world in market innovation and truck, trailer, and bus customers recognize our LvL ONE®, Dura-Bright® and Ultra ONE® wheels as the current innovative products in this market. 

Job Dimensions:

With direction from the Quality Manager:

• Applies the quality strategy and vision as defined for the organization. 
• Implements and improves the Quality System such as ISO9001 and IATF16949 and all its functions throughout the organization.  
• Supports the quality responsibility to existing and new products and their related processes to meet customer requirements (All references to customer within this document shall apply to internal & external customers).   
• Responsibility as a liaison between all Howmet Aerospace Cleveland Flowpath manufacturing processes and the customer. 
• Responsible for monitoring and improving the quality of our operational process and products with a strong understanding of quality tools to ensure compliance with the IATF16949.  
• Provide support to Howmet Aerospace external providers for incoming product issues and problem-solving techniques such as 8D, 7 Step, 5 WHY Principle, etc. and continuous improvement development as driven from Howmet’s quality management systems and customer requirements. 
• Communicates with all levels of personnel within the organization. Supervision of quality personnel as assigned.  Provide assistance as needed to the Quality manager role in his absence.

Major Activities & Key Challenges:

• Responsible for support of Cleveland Barberton facility for closure to all customer issues, concerns, and requests; and support as needed the rest of the Cleveland Flow Path locations.
• Drives & implements the Quality Policy, develops, documents and maintains an effective Quality System in accordance with IATF16949 and customer requirements.
• Executes goals, objectives and measurables for reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness of the Quality Management System.  
• Drives organizational improvement through reporting of the performance of the Quality System and quality issues (i.e. non-conformance, Cpk, audit results, corrective & preventive action, customer rejections, etc.) to management for use as a basis for continuous improvement.  Attend daily and weekly meetings accordingly.
• Applies knowledge in quality systems to drive disciplined systems and robust processes, and focused standardization of best practices; in conjunction with managing to a cohesive set of key performance metrics that provide objective insights into the health and effectiveness of our business operating system.
• Manages risk mitigation and containment utilizing industry standards, while collaborating with the corporate legal, commercial, manufacturing and support teams to quickly resolve open customer and manufacturing issues typically with specific and broad legal implications for Cleveland Flow Path.
• Supports APQP and launches of new wheel programs including prototype, FAI, MFS, and all PPAP elements as required.
• Strong working knowledge of Quality Management Systems such as ISO9001, IATF16949 and the ability to work with supply base to continuously improve their systems resulting in improved product/service quality and reduced cost. Provide support to the supplier management process as needed.
• Provide training and development programs to support product and process quality, productivity, continuous improvement and safety performance.
• Provide quality support for the evaluation, testing, analyzing, dispositioning, and improvements from warranty returns as applicable to Cleveland Flow Path processes (i.e., casting, forging, machining, finishing, coating and outsourced processes).
• Utilizes Lean Manufacturing techniques to elevate the Quality culture of the plant while leading employee engagement teams with focus on customer Satisfaction, First Pass Yield, Scrap and rework reduction

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a Quality role located in a manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor's degree not required but strongly preferred
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. 
• This position is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which requires U.S. person status. ITAR defines U.S. person as an U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing or Mechanical Engineering, Statistics, Material Science or Industrial Engineering; MBA preferred.
• Knowledge of Quality Management Systems such as ISO9001 or IATF16949 and production systems.
• Knowledge of problem solving and error proofing concepts.  (8D, 5 Why, SS, 7 step, etc.)
• Knowledge of principles and applications of statistical methods including statistical problem solving
• Understand Quality Assurance procedures and techniques related to the metals industry.
• Evidence of Quality related continued education.
• Knowledge of AIAG Core Tools.
• Automotive manufacturing background is preferred.
• Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt Certification.
• Highly developed written and verbal (influencing) communication skills.
• Highly developed customer (internal and external) relationship skills.
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.