Quality Assurance Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Build Quality Into Mission-Critical Aerospace Products

Applied Aerospace & Defense is seeking an experienced, hands-on Quality Manager to lead quality activities within our Santa Ana aerospace manufacturing operation.

This is an opportunity for a quality leader who enjoys being close to the product and the manufacturing process—not someone who wants to manage quality from behind a desk. You will work directly with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, customers, suppliers, and your Quality team to solve complex manufacturing challenges, strengthen our Quality Management System, and ensure that highly engineered aerospace and defense products meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance.

If you have strong aerospace manufacturing experience, understand AS9100 requirements, and enjoy developing teams while solving problems on the manufacturing floor, we want to hear from you.

About Applied Aerospace & Defense

Applied Aerospace & Defense is a leading aerospace and defense manufacturer supporting mission-critical applications for military, space, and commercial customers.

Our teams manufacture highly engineered, flight-critical components and complex assemblies, including pressure vessels and tanks, structural assemblies, composites, machined components, and other advanced aerospace products.

We combine technical expertise, precision manufacturing, and a commitment to continuous improvement to deliver products our customers can depend on when performance matters most.

The Opportunity

The Quality Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating quality assurance and inspection activities to ensure products, processes, and systems comply with customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.

This position provides leadership to Quality personnel while remaining actively engaged with the manufacturing floor. The Quality Manager will partner closely with Engineering and Operations on nonconformances, Material Review Board (MRB) activities, root cause investigations, corrective actions, inspections, audits, supplier quality issues, and continuous improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will be a strong technical problem solver who can balance customer requirements, compliance, production needs, and sound quality practices.

Pay Range: $130,000.00 to $155,000.00 per year, depending on experience

What You'll Do

Lead, coach, and develop Quality team members responsible for inspection, testing, and quality assurance activities.

Ensure products and manufacturing processes comply with drawings, specifications, customer requirements, internal procedures, and applicable regulatory standards.

Establish quality control criteria, inspection requirements, methods, and flow-down requirements based on customer and contractual requirements.

Serve as an active member of the Material Review Board (MRB) and support appropriate disposition of nonconforming hardware.

Partner with Engineering, Operations, and Quality teams to evaluate nonconformances and determine appropriate rework, repair, scrap, or customer-submittal actions.

Lead root cause and corrective action efforts using methodologies such as 5 Why, Fishbone, 8D, and other structured problem-solving techniques.

Identify systemic quality issues and implement effective corrective and preventive actions to reduce repeat nonconformances.

Review and approve manufacturing routings to ensure inspection points and quality requirements are appropriately defined.

Develop and maintain quality procedures, inspection plans, control plans, and other Quality Management System documentation.

Lead or support FMEAs, statistical analysis, First Pass Yield (FPY), quality performance trending, and other key quality metrics.

Utilize Lean and continuous improvement tools to improve processes within the Quality Management System.

Support and maintain compliance with AS9100 requirements and participate in activities necessary to maintain certification.

Support customer and regulatory audits, assessments, source inspections, new product introductions, and on-site customer visits.

Develop, coordinate, and submit corrective action responses to customers as required.

Review engineering changes to assess impacts to inspection, testing, documentation, and manufacturing requirements.

Perform contract and supplier purchase order reviews to ensure applicable quality requirements are properly flowed down.

Partner with Supply Chain and suppliers to resolve supplier quality issues, establish inspection requirements, monitor performance, and implement improvement plans.

Serve as a primary quality point of contact for assigned customers and drive quality concerns through resolution.

Monitor customer portals and ensure applicable customer quality requirements are communicated and implemented.

Work directly with cross-functional teams on the manufacturing floor to resolve quality and production issues in real time.

Provide procedural guidance, training, and technical support to employees as needed.

Perform inspections and testing when necessary to support business and production requirements.

Support company Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through data collection, analysis, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Perform additional duties necessary to support the effectiveness, compliance, and sustainability of the Quality Management System.

What We're Looking For

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree preferred.

Minimum of 5 years of Quality Engineering and/or Quality Management experience within the aerospace or aviation industry.

Strong knowledge and practical experience with AS9100 requirements.

Knowledge and experience with AS9102 First Article Inspection requirements and reporting.

Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes and controls, including machining, heat treatment, welding, and NDT/NDE processes such as penetrant and X-ray inspection.

Technical knowledge of machining, welding, NDE/NDT, and composite manufacturing processes.

Strong knowledge of metrology, blueprint reading, and GD&T.

Experience interpreting engineering drawings, technical data, industry specifications, material requirements, process specifications, and customer requirements.

Experience working with aerospace OEMs, customers, and government/regulatory organizations such as Boeing and DCMA.

Experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and structured problem-solving methodologies.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.

What Will Help You Succeed

Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and hold teams accountable.

A hands-on leadership style and willingness to spend time on the manufacturing floor.

Strong technical judgment and the ability to make timely, fact-based decisions.

Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Ability to collaborate effectively across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Program Management, and other functions.

Experience developing quality procedures, inspection plans, and control plans.

Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and aerospace Quality Management Systems.

Experience with FMEA and PPAP requirements and execution.

A continuous-improvement mindset with the ability to identify opportunities and drive sustainable change.

Ability to effectively interface with customers, suppliers, auditors, and regulatory representatives.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

The employee must be able to:

Work at a computer for extended periods.

Regularly move throughout an aerospace manufacturing environment.

Interact with employees and inspect manufacturing processes on the production floor.

Lift up to 15 pounds as needed.

The noise level within the work environment is generally moderate and may vary when working in manufacturing areas.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

Legal authorization to work in the United States is required. Applied Aerospace & Defense will not sponsor employment visas for this position, now or in the future.

Applicants must be able to meet applicable U.S. Government and Department of Defense security and export-control requirements associated with the position. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon successful completion of applicable background screening and drug testing.

Applied Aerospace & Defense participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm identity and employment authorization for newly hired employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Applied Aerospace & Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Why Join Applied Aerospace & Defense?

At Applied Aerospace & Defense, you'll have the opportunity to lead quality in an environment where precision, accountability, and technical excellence matter. You'll work alongside talented aerospace professionals, tackle challenging manufacturing problems, influence how we improve our processes, and contribute directly to products supporting critical aerospace, defense, and space missions.

If you're a hands-on aerospace quality leader who enjoys solving problems, developing people, and driving continuous improvement, we'd like to hear from you.