Quality Engineer APQP Program Lead

Purpose: 

The Quality Engineer – APQP Program Lead is responsible for day-to-day Quality Engineering activities while serving as the primary owner of the company's Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process. This role plans, tracks, and drives active APQP projects to ensure they are completed on time and meet customer requirements. The position serves as the central point of accountability for APQP timelines, cross-functional task completion, quality documentation, and gate-readiness reporting to leadership and customers.

The anticipated initial allocation of responsibilities is approximately 50% APQP, 35% Quality Engineering, and 15% Compliance. This allocation may evolve as business and compliance needs change.

Essential Functions:

APQP Program Management – Approximately 50%

• Own and maintain the APQP tracking system across active programs and part numbers, ensuring task owners, due dates, and statuses remain current. 
• Schedule and lead cross-functional APQP kickoff and status meetings with      Engineering, Quality, Production, Purchasing, and other applicable functions. 
• Track program timelines against customer-required PPAP and part due dates, proactively identify at-risk activities, and drive follow-up to maintain program timing. 
• Coordinate the timing and completion of required quality documentation throughout the      APQP process. 
• Maintain APQP documentation packages, revision history, PPAP requirements, and customer-specific submission requirements. 
• Lead or support safe-launch activities in accordance with internal and customer requirements. 
• Serve as the primary Quality liaison for assigned launch programs and communicate program status, risks, and key milestones to internal leadership and customers as required. 
• Train and support functional owners on APQP tools, task expectations, and documentation standards. 

Quality Engineering – Approximately 35%

• Develop, review, and maintain PFMEAs and Control Plans for new and existing customer parts. 
• Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective action responses for internal, supplier, and customer quality issues related to launch or production parts. 
• Support first article inspections, PPAP submissions, and customer approval activities. 
• Coordinate with metrology/CMM programming and inspection planning to ensure Control Plan characteristics are measurable and capable. 
• Support supplier quality activities related to new product introduction, including supplier PPAP review when applicable. 
• Develop and improve processes related to stability, efficiency, quality, and operations. 
• Ensure appropriate inspection and containment plans are established and maintained. 
• Provide day-to-day Quality Engineering support to manufacturing operations. 

Compliance – Approximately 15%

• Participate in internal process, product, and quality system audits and support closure of associated corrective actions. 
• Support compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, customer-specific requirements, and established Quality Management System processes. 
• Assist with maintaining required quality documentation and records. 
• Support compliance-related activities and requirements as business needs evolve.

Requirements Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, or a related technical field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 
•  To prove you are a human reading this, please select the word Blackberry in the corresponding screening question. 
• 3+ years of Quality Engineering and/or APQP/program management experience. 
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949 and/or ISO 9001 Quality Management System requirements. 
• Hands-on experience developing PFMEAs, Control Plans, and Process Flow Diagrams. 
• Experience managing or coordinating APQP timelines across multiple simultaneous programs. 
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and cross-functional responsibilities. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate program status to internal leadership and external customers. 

Preferred

• Familiarity with CMM programming, metrology, and dimensional inspection planning. 
• Experience with PPAP submission processes and customer supplier portals. 
• Experience administering APQP tracking tools.

Work Environment

This is an onsite full-time salary position and operates in both an office and manufacturing environment and requires regular presence on the production floor to support quality engineering, APQP activities, inspections, audits, and production needs. The employee may occasionally be exposed to moving mechanical parts, noise, and other conditions typical of a manufacturing environment. Employees must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) while in designated areas.

Americans with Disabilities Specifications

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Physical Summary

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use his/her hands; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop; kneel; talk or hear. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Hearing capacity is required to maximize the ability to understand all verbal communication and react accordingly.