Quality Engineer I

Position Summary

The Quality Engineer I - Receiving Inspection is responsible for ensuring incoming materials, components, printed circuit boards, cable assemblies, wire harnesses, hardware, and electromechanical assemblies conform to customer, engineering, regulatory, and contractual requirements prior to release into production.

This position serves as the quality focal point for receiving inspection activities and works closely with Procurement, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Program teams to ensure effective supplier quality oversight, material traceability, counterfeit mitigation, nonconformance management, and continuous improvement. This role plays a critical part in maintaining compliance with AS9100 quality management system requirements while supporting aerospace and defense electronic manufacturing programs.

Key Responsibilities

Receiving Inspection & Product Verification

• Verify incoming materials, components, assemblies, and hardware against purchase order requirements, engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements.

• Perform receiving inspections of electronic, mechanical, and electromechanical products to identify defects, workmanship concerns, damage, contamination, and nonconforming conditions.

• Inspect printed circuit boards, electronic components, cable assemblies, wire harnesses, connectors, and hardware in accordance with drawings, specifications, IPC standards, and customer requirements.

• Verify packaging integrity, labeling accuracy, Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) requirements, and proper handling and storage controls for electronic components.

• Utilize calibrated inspection, measurement, and test equipment to verify critical dimensions, electrical characteristics, and product acceptance criteria.

• Perform X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) inspections to verify plating composition, plating thickness, and material compliance requirements.

Documentation & Traceability Verification

• Review and validate Certificates of Conformance (CoCs), material certifications, test reports, laboratory reports, and special process certifications.

• Conduct data package reviews to ensure completeness and acceptability of required quality documentation, including AS9102 First Article Inspection packages, material certifications, CoCs, acceptance test data, laboratory reports, and customer-required quality records.

• Verify lot traceability, serial number control, batch identification, and certification records in accordance with AS9100, customer, and contractual requirements.

• Maintain inspection records and quality documentation in compliance with retention requirements and company procedures.

Supplier Quality & Compliance

• Support supplier quality investigations and supplier corrective action activities.

• Perform counterfeit parts prevention and verification activities to mitigate the risk of counterfeit electronic components entering the supply chain.

• Support first article inspections, sampling plans, and risk-based inspection activities for new or high-risk suppliers.

• Collaborate with Supplier Quality, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Engineering teams to resolve incoming material quality concerns.

• Support internal audits, customer audits, and AS9100 quality system compliance initiatives.

Nonconformance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Identify, document, segregate, and process nonconforming material in accordance with company procedures.

• Participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities and support root cause investigations and corrective action implementation.

• Analyze incoming quality trends and supplier performance metrics to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Support continuous improvement, workplace organization, and 5S initiatives within the inspection function.

• Maintain calibration compliance of inspection and measurement equipment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience as approved by management.

• Experience in quality assurance, receiving inspection, supplier quality, and quality engineering with a company who provides electronics manufacturing services

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, and technical documentation.

• Working knowledge of quality management systems and quality assurance principles.

• Strong technical, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

• Ability to work effectively with customers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting receiving inspection, supplier quality, or quality engineering activities within an electronics manufacturing environment.

• Experience with SMT processes, PCB assemblies, cable assemblies, wire harnesses, connectors, and electromechanical assemblies.

• Knowledge of IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC-TM-650, and AS9100 requirements.

• Experience performing inspections of electronic, mechanical, and electromechanical components.

• Experience reviewing AS9102 First Article Inspection (FAI) documentation and certification packages.

• Experience reviewing Certificates of Conformance, material certifications, laboratory reports, test reports, and special process certifications.

• Experience utilizing inspection and measurement equipment including calipers, micrometers, optical inspection systems, multimeters, and XRF equipment.

• Knowledge of traceability requirements, counterfeit parts prevention, and supplier quality management systems.

• Aerospace, defense, medical, or other high-reliability manufacturing experience preferred.

• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience is a plus.

What You'll Bring

• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to product quality.

• Strong technical aptitude and problem-solving abilities.

• A customer-focused mindset with a commitment to compliance and operational excellence.

• Ability to make data-driven decisions and effectively prioritize work.

• A continuous improvement mindset focused on defect prevention and process effectiveness.

• Strong collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills.