Quality Engineer

Job Title: Quality Engineer

Job Description

The Quality Engineer supports product and process quality within a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing and assembly environment, with a strong focus on aerospace applications. This role develops, implements, and monitors quality systems and processes across the manufacturing lifecycle to ensure compliance with industry standards and to consistently meet customer and internal quality expectations. The position is well suited to someone who enjoys investigating complex issues, identifying root causes, and collaborating across multiple functions to drive effective, data-driven solutions in a dynamic, fast-paced manufacturing setting. The Quality Engineer also serves as a key liaison between customers, suppliers, and internal departments, helping to maintain robust relationships and uphold high reliability standards required in aerospace and defense programs.

Responsibilities

• Partner with internal teams and customers to ensure quality requirements, standards, and expectations are clearly understood and consistently achieved.
• Serve as a primary contact for customer quality concerns and inquiries, providing timely communication, technical support, and issue resolution.
• Collect, analyze, and report quality data to support problem resolution, trend analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead and support quality improvement activities, including Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Control Plans, Process Flow documentation, PFMEA, Risk Assessments, and related quality tools.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits, including those related to ISO 9001, AS9100, NADCAP, and DLA requirements.
• Investigate quality issues and nonconformances, perform root cause analysis, and drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) through completion.
• Maintain accurate quality documentation and tracking for SCARs, corrective actions, rework and remake activity, inspections, and other quality records.
• Review and disposition nonconforming products and materials during the manufacturing process, ensuring appropriate remedial actions are taken.
• Interpret mechanical and electrical drawings, blueprints, specifications, and technical documentation, including GD&T, to support quality assessments and product verification.
• Build strong working relationships with customers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to proactively address quality challenges and support supplier quality activities.
• Contribute to the development, maintenance, and improvement of quality management systems, including ISO 9001 and AS9100 frameworks.
• Support and participate in continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma initiatives to enhance processes, reduce defects, and improve overall quality performance.
• Perform additional duties and quality-related projects as assigned to support evolving business and customer needs.

Essential Skills

• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills to manage multiple quality activities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with customers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams.
• Analytical and data-driven problem-solving skills, including the ability to investigate root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment when handling sensitive information and customer issues.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and Outlook, for data analysis, documentation, and communication.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical and electrical drawings, blueprints, specifications, and technical documentation, including GD&T.
• Experience reviewing customer specifications, contracts, and quality requirements to ensure compliance and alignment with internal processes.
• Working knowledge of PCB manufacturing processes and associated quality systems.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience working within ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 quality management systems.
• Familiarity with aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments and their quality expectations.
• Knowledge of IPC and J-STD requirements (preferred).
• Customer-facing quality experience, including handling customer concerns and supporting audits.
• Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action planning, including CAPA and SCAR management.
• Ability to build strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders while managing varying quality challenges.
• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent industry experience.
• At least 2 years of experience in Quality Engineering, Quality Assurance, or a related manufacturing environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Quality engineering experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally within aerospace or other high-reliability sectors.
• Experience with AS9100, ISO 9001, or medical device quality systems and standards.
• Previous experience in Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), PFMEA, and other FMEA methodologies.
• Experience with supplier quality activities, including audits, corrective actions, and quality performance monitoring.
• Hands-on experience with inspection, quality control, and quality assurance processes in PCB or electronic manufacturing.
• Knowledge of quality management systems, quality standards, and regulatory requirements relevant to aerospace and defense programs.
• Demonstrated involvement in continuous improvement initiatives, Lean/Six Sigma projects, and process optimization.
• Ability to interpret and apply quality standards such as IPC, J-STD, and aerospace-specific requirements.
• Commitment to learning and professional growth, with motivation to engage in challenging, mission-critical work.
• Detail-oriented and disciplined approach to documentation, analysis, and follow-through on quality issues.
• Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to present findings, recommendations, and reports to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships across engineering, operations, supply chain, and customer teams.
• Motivation and connection to the aerospace mission, with interest in supporting products used in advanced aerospace and defense programs.

Work Environment

This role operates within a dynamic PCB manufacturing and assembly environment that supports advanced aerospace and defense programs. The work involves hands-on engagement with production processes, inspections, and quality activities for high-reliability, mission-critical products. You will collaborate closely with engineering, operations, supply chain, and customer teams, and work within structured quality management systems such as ISO 9001 and AS9100, along with IPC and J-STD standards. The environment is fast-paced and quality-driven, with varying daily challenges that require flexibility, disciplined attention to detail, and a strong focus on continuous improvement. Standard office productivity tools, including Microsoft Office, are used extensively for data analysis, reporting, and documentation, while access to manufacturing areas and inspection equipment is common as part of day-to-day responsibilities.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Ana, CA.

The pay range for this position is $43.00 - $55.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Santa Ana,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 21, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.