Advanced Quality Engineer

Position Summary: Responsible for developing quality documentation, facilitating continuous improvements, and working with suppliers and customers to resolve quality or system issues.

Essential Job Functions include, but not limited to, the following:

General:

• Develop APQP documentation to support the Product Realization Process in accordance with customer requirements, e.g. FMEA, MSA, SPC, PPAP, etc.
• Maintain required documentation that meets the Shape Corp specifications for Document Control and retrievability.
• Interface with customer personnel and facilitate the resolution of quality issues and concerns.
• Participate in the development and maintenance of formal quality systems, e.g. ISO 9001 & IATF 16949.
• Drive continuous improvement and best practice sharing of our quality systems and processes.
• Facilitate problem-solving of complex issues using advanced quality tools.
• Help onboard and training new team members.
• Provide direction and coaching to less senior team members.
• Identify and train a back-up(s) to manage key tasks when absent.
• Additional functions not specifically outlined in this position description as directed by the leader.
• Approve time and attendance and vacations for direct reports.
• Review and respond to Employee Suggestions via plex.

Launch Quality:

• Plan, support, and implement total quality management in support of zero safe launch findings at pre and post SOP.
• Ensure that appropriate inspection plans and containment plans are in place for the process value stream.
• Confirm product quality through confirmation phase exit.
• Initiate control plans and training for inspection and gage instructions in accordance with Shape and customer specific requirements.
• Develop and control all APQP documents through PPAP approval for new program launches.
• Execute PPAP submission and approval as required for customer initiated product changes.
• Understand and provide interpretation of customer specific requirements.
• Participate in GD&T development through the DFM process.
• Responsible for all aspects of gage procurement, including gage quoting, design approval, and customer approval.
• Responsible for supplier gage design approval, PPAP review and approval.

New Business Pursuit Quality:

• Have high level of GD&T knowledge and application thereof.
• Have high level of knowledge and application of KDCs, SPC, MSA, and AIAG processes.
• Participate in all Process Plan and Tolerance Assessment Reivews.
• Develop Red Pen Fixture Drawings.
• Participate in GD&T development through the DFM process.
• Author measurement plan as part of DFM Plan.
• Ensure that appropriate inspection plans and containment plans are in place for the process value stream.
• Estimate gage costs for all programs considering Shape's and each customer's specifications.

Manufacturing Quality:

• Ensure compliance to process control plan requirements.
• Lead problem solving efforts relating to production quality issues.
• Initiate actions to overcome obstacles as they are encountered and prevent potential quality problems using problem solving tools.
• Initiate interim and containment countermeasures relating to quality issues.
• Design, specifies and implements quality control sampling systems, testing mechanisms, and equipment.
• Serve as a liaison and coordinates activities with external providers as required.

Supplier Quality:

• Facilitate activates with external providers related to quality issues.
• Liase with launch or manufacturing quality when suppliers provide notification of real or potential quality issues.
• Interface with external provider personnel and facilitate the resolution of quality issues and concerns.
• Ensure external provider interim and containment countermeasures relating to quality issues.
• Interface with Shape quality department to facilitate product and system continuous improvement activities with external providers.
• Communicate Shape quality requirements to external providers.
• Provide training and development opportunities to external providers in support of Shape and customer specific requirements.
• Monitor supplier performance and facilitate development plans.
• Perform assessments and audits of external providers according to ISO 9001, IATF 16949 and customer specific requirements.
• Provide input into the selection of external providers.

Position Skills and Experience Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty effectively. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

• Bachelor's of Science in Engineering or related field required. Equivalent work experience may be substituted for a degree.
• A minimum of 5 years of Quality Engineer experience, preferably in an automotive manufacturing environment.

• Advanced knowledge of GD&T and tolerance stack up applications.

• Advanced knowledge with customer specific Program Development, e.g., AIAG Automotive Core Tools.
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems, e.g. ISO9001, TS16949 and ITF16949.

• Experience with Product Warranty documentation.
• Proven experience mentoring other Quality Engineering team members.
• Advanced project management skills using Microsoft applications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated competency in the use of problem solving tools, e.g., 5 why, 8D, Ishakawa Diagram, Root Cause Analysis, etc.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Strong CMM programming capability (not just running pre-written programs)
• 3D inspection & dimensional analysis
• Blueprint reading
• GD&T expertise
• Measurement methodology development
• MSA development
• Customer-facing validation support