Quality Leader - IGT

Howmet Aerospace, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. The Company's primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems and titanium structural parts necessary for mission-critical performance and efficiency in aerospace and defense applications, as well as forged wheels for commercial transportation. Howmet Aerospace is transforming the next phase of more fuel-efficient, quieter aerospace engines and sustainable ground transportation. For more information, visit www.howmet.com. Follow @howmet: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Howmet Engine Systems is currently seeking an experienced professional to join our team in Hampton, Virginia. Are you an empowered partner with the drive to transform ideas into sustainable value? We are seeking individuals who have a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a manufacturing environment, as well as the passion to put that experience to work to lead activities and support plant/location team to achieve manufacturing excellence. Our organization is dedicated to rapid, profitable growth through operational excellence and career development. If you are an energetic professional that wants to be a part of a dynamic team we encourage you to apply.

Job Summary

The Quality Engineering Team Lead is responsible for leading the Quality team in ensuring customer satisfaction, product conformity, and compliance with applicable customer, industry, and company specifications and requirements. This role serves as a key interface between the organization and its customers, driving timely resolution of quality concerns, effective corrective and preventive actions, and continuous improvement of product and process quality.

The Quality Engineering Team Lead leads efforts to reduce internal and external nonconformances, improve customer quality performance, ensure timely concession disposition and release of customer shipments, and strengthen customer relationships through proactive communication, technical support, and disciplined problem-solving. The role also supports the development of quality engineering capabilities, employee training, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across the organization.

Essential Functions and Job Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary quality interface for assigned customers, building strong working relationships and maintaining effective verbal and written communication.

• Lead the timely investigation, response, and resolution of customer complaints, quality escapes, nonconformances, and other quality-related concerns.

• Coordinate customer communications regarding quality issues, containment activities, root cause investigations, corrective actions, and effectiveness verification.

• Lead and coordinate customer quality reviews, performance discussions, and improvement initiatives to address concerns, monitor performance, and strengthen customer satisfaction.

• Monitor customer feedback, scorecards, quality metrics, and performance trends

• Ensure customer-specific quality requirements, specifications, and expectations are understood and effectively communicated to relevant internal teams.

• Lead the Quality Engineering team in investigating internal and external nonconformances using structured problem-solving methodologies, including root cause analysis, 8D, 5 Why, and corrective and preventive action processes.

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Sales on product quality, process capability, and customer requirements.

• Maintain and continuously improve the quality management system to enhance effectiveness, customer satisfaction, and operational performance.

• Support customer, internal, and external audits, ensuring findings are addressed through timely corrective actions.

• Participate in management reviews and quality planning activities, providing insight into customer performance, significant quality risks, and improvement priorities.

• Oversee the quality review and disposition of products to ensure conformity with applicable specifications and customer requirements before release.

• Coordinate with Manufacturing, Planning, Shipping, and other relevant functions to ensure customer shipments are reviewed and cleared up in a timely manner.

• Support timely resolution of quality holds and shipment-related issues while maintaining compliance with customer requirements and product acceptance criteria.

• Escalate quality risks that may affect shipment commitments, product conformity, or customer satisfaction.

• Lead, coach, and develop Quality Engineers to strengthen technical expertise, customer communication, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

• Monitor, analyze, and report customer and internal quality performance metrics, including customer complaints, defect rates, scrap, rework, MRB, cost of poor quality, and corrective action closure.

• Lead improvement initiatives based on customer feedback, performance trends, risk assessments, and business priorities.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Salary:

Anticipated Pay Range: $67K-124K per year. *Pay rates within this range are determined based on various factors including experience, education, certifications, etc.

Environmental Health & Safety Responsibilities

• Expected to assist in the implementation of Alcoa/Howmet's EHS value and policy statement and its accompanying principles.
• Comply with all departments, facility, Corporate and Regulatory EH&S regulations.
• Wear all required personal protective equipment.
• Report on all job-related illnesses and injuries. (Per employee handbook).
• Report on all Safety, Health & Environmental concerns to your supervisor in a timely manner.
• Attend all EH&S training.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS degree in Engineering, science or related field or 5+ years hands quality engineering experience with a strong manufacturing background
• This position is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which requires U.S. person status. ITAR defines U.S. person as an U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder')
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• Knowledge of AS9100
• Experience with quality tools, such as CAPA, six-sigma, lean manufacturing, PPAP, FMEA, problem solving techniques, root-cause-analysis.
• Required to pass a vision exam utilizing the Tumbling E Chart Per ISO 18490
• Experience in the investment casting industry.
• Excellent verbal and written communication/language skills required to include the ability to provide written and verbal instructions, compile and present business reports/correspondence, and present information clearly.
• Good understanding of business practices and understanding the impact quality has on the organization.
• Interpersonal and supervisory skills, such as emotional competency, coaching, providing feedback, and evaluating performance of subordinates, and the ability to coach and motivate employees.
• Demonstrated leadership, organization and project management skills to lead cross functional teams and improvements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the investment casting industry.
• Excellent verbal and written communication/language skills required to include the ability to provide written and verbal instructions, compile and present business reports/correspondence, and present information clearly.
• Good understanding of business practices and understanding the impact quality has on the organization.
• Interpersonal and supervisory skills, such as emotional competency, coaching, providing feedback, and evaluating performance of subordinates, and the ability to coach and motivate employees.
• Demonstrated leadership, organization and project management skills to lead cross functional teams and improvements.