Quality Engineer: NPI & Customer Quality

Rittal LLC•Urbana, OH

83d

About The Position

The Customer Quality Engineer acts as the primary liaison between Rittal and global customers for all product quality matters, with a strong focus on supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) activities. This role ensures customer requirements are integrated into product design and manufacturing processes, drives proactive quality planning, and leads continuous improvement initiatives within an ISO 9001:2015-certified environment.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 and quality tools (FMEA, 8D, SPC, PPAP, APQP)
Experience working with global customers and managing cross-functional teams
Familiarity with industry standards (ISO 9001/AS9100)
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, or related field
OR Associate degree and 2–4 years related experience
OR 5–8 years related experience in manufacturing quality role

Nice To Haves

Background in R&D, Product Development, or developing manufacturing platforms (preferred)
Certifications such as CQE, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, or Lead Auditor (preferred)

Responsibilities

Serve as the main point of contact for global customer quality concerns, complaints, and audits
Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action processes for customer-reported issues using tools such as 8D, Fishbone, DMAIC
Communicate resolution plans and updates to customers professionally and promptly
Monitor and report customer quality metrics (defect rates, warranty claims, satisfaction scores) and drive improvement initiatives
Lead quality planning activities for new product launches in alignment with APQP requirements
Participate in NPI activities to integrate customer requirements into design and manufacturing
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Engineering, Production, Supply Chain) to ensure robust quality standards during product development
Validate manufacturing processes through capability studies and PPAP submissions
Ensure compliance with ISO 9001:2015 and customer-specific quality requirements
Support internal and external audits, including customer and regulatory audits
Maintain accurate documentation (control plans, FMEAs, inspection criteria) and records for quality activities
Identify opportunities for process improvement and cost reduction without compromising quality
Drive quality improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and other problem-solving methodologies