Quality Engineer

Position Overview

The Quality Engineer III serves as a senior technical resource responsible for strengthening the manufacturing Quality Management System and leading quality engineering activities across production and support functions. The role applies quality engineering methods, supports compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, improves process controls, leads corrective action and continual improvement, and provides daily technical direction to quality technicians and inspection laboratories. The position combines hands-on manufacturing quality expertise with ownership of risk-based quality planning, process auditing, root-cause analysis, control plans, inspection planning, metrology, and quality data analysis to improve product conformity, process capability, customer satisfaction, and sustained QMS performance.

Primary Job Functions

Quality Engineering & QMS Support / ISO 9001 Responsibilities

• Quality Management System Support: Participate in and support ISO 9001 quality system & ISO 14001 environmental system processes, procedures, work instructions, forms, and documented information to ensure effective implementation and ongoing compliance.
• Process Controls & Risk-Based Thinking: Develop, review, and improve best practice, inspection plans, process controls, and risk mitigation activities to prevent defects and support consistent product conformity.
• Corrective Action & Root-Cause Analysis: Lead investigations for internal nonconformances, customer complaints, supplier issues, and audit findings using structured problem-solving tools such as 5 Why, 8D, fishbone diagrams, and corrective action plans.
• Audit Readiness & Compliance: Perform, and support ISO 9001 & 14001 internal audits, customer audits, supplier audits, and certification audit activities; verify corrective actions for effectiveness and closure.
• Quality Metrics & Continual Improvement: Track, analyze, and report quality performance indicators such as scrap, rework, customer complaints, audit findings, supplier defects, and corrective action status to identify trends and drive improvement projects.
• Cross-Functional Quality Leadership: Partner with the Quality Supervisor, production, engineering, purchasing, suppliers, and management to resolve quality issues, implement process improvements, communicate requirements, and promote quality ownership throughout the organization. Provide quality input for product and process changes, recommend containment or escalation when requirements are not met, and support disposition decisions within delegated authority.

Quality Lead, Inspection

• Team Coordination: Provide day-to-day technical direction to quality technicians and inspectors; assign and coordinate inspection priorities; support qualification and training; review the completeness and accuracy of inspection work; and escalate staffing, performance, or disciplinary matters to the Quality Supervisor. This role provides functional leadership but does not have direct personnel-management responsibility.
• Advanced Inspection & Metrology: Perform inspection as needed, on critical features using CMM, optical comparators, micrometers, calipers, gages, and other precision measurement equipment.
• Inspection Planning: Create and maintain inspection requirements, sampling plans, receiving inspection criteria, in-process checks, final inspection requirements, and records needed to demonstrate product conformity.
• Calibration Management: Audit and verify our third party calibration services are effectively maintaining the calibration system and processes for measuring and monitoring equipment,  to ensure gages are properly identified and controlled, and address out-of-tolerance conditions in accordance with quality procedures.
• Documented Information Control: Support control of procedures, work instructions, inspection records, calibration records, nonconformance records, audit reports, and corrective action documentation required by the quality management system (QMS).

Qualifications & Skills Required:

• Experience: Hands-on experience in manufacturing quality, quality engineering, inspection, auditing, or Quality Management System support.
• ISO 9001 Knowledge: Working knowledge of ISO 9001 requirements, internal auditing, documented information, corrective action, risk-based thinking, customer satisfaction, and continual improvement.
• Technical Skills: High proficiency in blueprint reading, inspection planning, measurement methods.
• Quality Tools: Demonstrated experience with root-cause analysis, corrective action, Nonconformance control, and data-driven problem solving.
• Metrology: Hands-on experience using CMM equipment and standard precision measuring tools.
• Communication: Strong technical writing, audit reporting, coaching, and cross-functional communication skills, Proficient in Microsoft 365 suite.

Preferred:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering technology, quality, manufacturing, or a related technical field,  or equivalent education and experience.

• Industry Standards: Familiarity with ISO 9001 quality management systems and ISO 14001 environmental management systems preferred.

• Inspection: Gear inspection experience preferred.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Must be able to navigate a bustling manufacturing floor safely.
• Ability to lift up to 35 lbs occasionally.
• Prolonged periods of standing at inspection stations and working on a computer.

Other Requirements

This position requires a high level of confidentiality and professional judgment. The employee must practice and support the Gleason Business Philosophy (GBP), understand applicable ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 objectives and targets, and help ensure quality and environmental management system responsibilities are effectively communicated and followed.

Have a clear understanding of departmental procedures, work instructions, process controls, inspection requirements, and records needed to support product conformity and QMS effectiveness.

Employee is required to learn, understand and practice Lean Manufacturing principles within our facility and be capable of moving freely throughout the manufacturing plant and office to perform assignments.

Employee must be willing to attain or maintain ISO auditor qualification, attend additional quality engineering and QMS training as necessary, support continual improvement activities, and project a positive image of self, department, and company.