QC Engineer - Automotive Industry

Job Summary

Responsible for planning, implementing, and maintaining quality control activities within automotive manufacturing and assembly operations. Ensures products, components, processes, and supplier outputs comply with approved drawings, technical specifications, customer requirements, automotive standards, and applicable regulatory requirements. Supports continuous improvement, defect prevention, root cause analysis, and delivery of safe, reliable, and conforming automotive products.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and execute quality control inspections, testing, audits, and verification activities across automotive manufacturing and assembly processes.

• Inspect raw materials, components, sub-assemblies, finished vehicles, and production processes to verify compliance with drawings, specifications, control plans, and customer requirements.

• Monitor and control:

  • Automotive body, chassis, powertrain, electrical, interior, and exterior components

  • Welding, fabrication, machining, painting, coating, assembly, and finishing processes

  • Dimensional accuracy, fit, form, function, surface finish, and visual quality

  • Incoming materials, in-process production, and final product inspection

  • Functional, performance, leak, torque, electrical, and safety testing

  • Special characteristics and critical-to-quality features

  • Supplier, subcontractor, and outsourced manufacturing quality performance

  • Packaging, labelling, traceability, storage, and dispatch requirements

• Develop, implement, and maintain inspection plans, control plans, process flow diagrams, standard operating procedures, and quality checklists.

• Carry out first-off, first article, in-process, final, and pre-delivery inspections in accordance with approved requirements.

• Use calibrated measuring and testing equipment, including vernier callipers, micrometers, gauges, torque tools, height gauges, CMM equipment, electrical testers, and other automotive inspection tools.

• Review engineering drawings, technical specifications, bills of materials, product standards, test procedures, and customer documentation.

• Record non-conformities, quality defects, inspection results, concessions, rework, and corrective actions using approved quality management systems.

• Investigate quality issues using root cause analysis, 8D, 5 Whys, fishbone analysis, Pareto analysis, and other problem-solving methods.

• Coordinate containment, segregation, rework, repair, replacement, and preventive action activities to prevent recurrence of defects.

• Monitor production quality indicators, defect rates, first-pass yield, scrap, rework, customer complaints, and supplier performance.

• Support internal, customer, process, product, and supplier audits, including preparation of evidence and follow-up of audit findings.

• Coordinate with production, engineering, maintenance, purchasing, logistics, suppliers, and customers to resolve quality issues and maintain production continuity.

• Verify that corrective and preventive actions are implemented effectively and closed within agreed timescales.

• Ensure inspection, testing, and production activities comply with health and safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

• Provide technical guidance and quality training to production operators, inspectors, technicians, and relevant team members.

• Maintain accurate quality records and provide regular reports on quality performance, trends, risks, and improvement actions.

• Support continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, waste reduction, process capability improvement, and defect prevention initiatives.

Technical Knowledge

• Automotive manufacturing, vehicle assembly, component production, and production quality control

• Automotive body, chassis, powertrain, electrical, interior, exterior, and safety-related systems

• Engineering drawings, GD&T, technical specifications, bills of materials, and product requirements

• Incoming, in-process, final, first-off, first article, and pre-delivery inspection methods

• Dimensional inspection, visual inspection, functional testing, leak testing, torque verification, and electrical testing

• Measurement systems, calibration control, gauge control, MSA, and gauge R&R

• Statistical Process Control, process capability studies, control charts, Cp, Cpk, Pp, and Ppk

• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, Control Plans, Process Flow Diagrams, and Production Part Approval Process

• Root cause analysis, 8D reporting, corrective and preventive action, non-conformance management, and continuous improvement

• IATF 16949, ISO 9001, automotive customer-specific requirements, and applicable vehicle safety regulations

• Lean manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, visual management, standard work, and waste reduction principles

• Quality management systems, inspection software, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, Microsoft Office, and technical reporting tools

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 3–7 years of quality control or quality assurance experience within the automotive, vehicle manufacturing, automotive components, or engineering sector.

• Practical experience with automotive inspection, manufacturing processes, dimensional measurement, product testing, and non-conformance control.

• Experience working with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, customer-specific requirements, and automotive quality tools.

• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, technical specifications, inspection standards, and customer requirements.

• Experience preparing inspection reports, quality alerts, non-conformance reports, 8D reports, corrective action records, and audit documentation.

• Knowledge of APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and process capability analysis.

• Experience using precision measuring equipment and maintaining calibration and measurement records.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, coordination, and reporting skills.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced production environment and manage multiple quality priorities.

• Relevant qualifications in quality management, auditing, Six Sigma, or automotive quality will be an advantage.

Key Deliverables

• Approved inspection plans, control plans, checklists, and quality procedures

• Completed incoming, in-process, final, and pre-delivery inspection records

• Accurate dimensional, functional, performance, and test reports

• Non-conformance, containment, rework, concession, and corrective action records

• Completed root cause analysis and 8D reports

• Updated SPC, process capability, MSA, and quality performance reports

• Supplier quality assessments, audit reports, and improvement action plans

• Calibration, gauge control, and measurement equipment records

• Audit evidence, closure records, and compliance documentation

• Quality trend reports and continuous improvement recommendations