Quality Engineering Manager

THE COMPANY

Our client is a growing company based in California that has over twenty-five years’ experience specializing in the design and manufacture of high-quality RF & Microwave ceramic chip capacitors, inductors and integrated passives. Our client is a global leader in the production of high frequency ceramic solutions through optimization of ceramics, inks, and RF circuit designs.

THE POSITION

The Quality Engineering Manager reports to the corporate Director of Quality. Responsible for the entire site’s Quality functions, including:

• Customer Quality Engineering, “CQE”.
• Supplier Quality Engineering, “SQE.”
• Manufacturing Quality Engineering, “MQE”.
• Failure analysis and reliability engineering, “FAE/Rel”.
• Quality management systems and document control “QMS”.
• Calibration/Metrology

Responsibilities:

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Lead customers’ visits and audits. Encourage customer satisfaction initiatives by driving
• corrective action and decreasing customer returns. Monitor customers’ metrics: RMA, Corrective Action response time, 8D’s, and DPPM. When the occasion calls for it, pay a visit to a customer.
• Provide support and guidance to the Supplier Quality Engineer on on-going supplier evaluation, monitoring, improvements, and the company-wide approved supplier list. Proactive concepts such as ship to stock and electronic data should be promoted in order to proactively monitor suppliers on critical parameters and processes.
• Manage Quality Engineers for manufacturing process controls, including the use of modern quality systems: SPC, APQP, FMEA, Control Plans, OCAPs, Measurement Systems Analysis.
• Provide guidance and assistance to the material review board (MRB) for nonconformance products.
• Promote 8D methodology for problem solving.
• Create continuous improvement plans to drive demanding yield targets and KPI’s with cross-functional teams (design engineering, process engineering, test engineering, and manufacturing).
• Manage Sr. Failure Analysis Engineer to address process and product level defects. Encourage cross-functional collaboration with engineering and manufacturing on identifying defects and initiating improvement plans.
• Manage the Hi-Reliability department on product and process qualifications. Develop and improve  the department’s effectiveness and efficiencies in testing and capacity. Assist the department head with qualification reports, FAIRs, certifications, and other industry or customer needs.
• Manage Quality Management Systems (QMS), including environmental management systems (EMS). Promote cross-functional internal auditors and execute systems-level audits, maintainer company’s certifications of ISO-9001, AS9100, IATF 16949, and ISO-14001. Work with an external registrar to improve audit efficiencies and reporting. Manage and enhance company documentation systems and promote paperless concepts.
• Manage the metrology department for on-time equipment calibration. Drive precision and efficiency. Maintain external body certification, including NIST, ISO, and other international instruments standards.
• This function may require direct involvement in quality engineering functions/tasks, and it’s expected to play hands on engineering, technician, and inspector function/ roles.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Organizational and Project Management skills.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• This position has supervisory responsibilities and oversees a team of 33+ people including 4 direct report (2 Sr Quality Engineer – Failure Analysis, Sr Quality Engineer – manufacturing, Sr. Quality Engineer – quality system, and Quality leader – inspection.

Responsibility For Confidentiality:

• As the position involves handling confidential information and is expected to maintain proper security for all documents and follow privacy procedures at all times.

Work Environment

• This job operates in an open floor layout office and manufacturing/ production environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Must be able to do the following:

• Required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and talk or hear.
• While performing the job duties, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and talk or hear.
• The employee is frequently required to reach with hands/arms.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Alternative or combined skills in understanding, counseling, and/or influencing people are important in achieving job objectives, causing action, understanding others, or changing behavior; and, skills of persuasiveness or assertiveness, as well as sensitivity to the point of view of others.
• Work with little need for guidance or reliance on oral or written instructions.
• Performs a wide range of tasks as dictated by variable demands and changing conditions.
• Free to plan work assignments and schedule to meet long-term goals and objectives.
• Performs a wide range of complex tasks with little predictable as to their occurrence.
• Relate sensitive information to diverse groups.
• Works with diverse groups to obtain consensus on complex issues.
• Must independently apply abstract principles to solve complex conceptual issues.
• Must write letters to explain complex issues.
• Persuade or explain complex issues in person or by phone.

Position Type/Expected Hours Of Work

• This is a full-time exempt position. Forty-eight or more (48+) hours within a workweek

TRAVEL

• Occasional travel to the U.S. facility in California is expected for this position. Other travel may include customer(s) or supplier(s) visiting both domestic and international.

Required Education And Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Material Science Engineering or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum of seven (7+) years of leadership experience in a high-volume manufacturing sector as a Quality Manager, Quality Assurance Manager or Engineering Manager with quality oversight.
• Experience in mentoring and developing Engineers and Technicians.
• Knowledge of Quality Systems
• Knowledge of Industry Tools (Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, FMEA, Root Cause Analysis, Problem Solving Tools). APQP a plus.
• Certified Quality Engineer, or Certified Quality Manager is ideal (almost required).
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook, Excel, Word, Project, PowerPoint, MS Teams) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Proficient communications skills in Spanish and English (80%+).
• Experience in ISO 9001

Preferred Education And Experience:

• Master’s Degree is a plus
• Experience in ceramic capacitors or semiconductor industries
• Experience in AS9100 or IATF16949
• Certification as a Lead Auditor

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be able to professionally interact with all levels of staff such as production personnel, leads/supervisors, engineers, sales representatives, executive staff members, and external auditors.
• Colaborative Management style.
• Hands-on and loves the manufacturing floor.
• Project Mangement skills