Principal Engineer-Eng'g Qual

ZF Group•Farmington Hills, MI

64d•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Engineer- Engineering Quality plays a key role in shaping and sustaining the Global Quality Systems for the ADAS Division, ensuring robust compliance with IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3 standards. This role partners closely with manufacturing sites and design centers worldwide to coordinate ISO/TS activities, drive audit readiness, and strengthen quality system consistency across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline with 5+ years of audit experience in electronics manufacturing (through‑hole, SMT, final assembly, packaging), or an equivalent combination of education and experience
8+ years of experience in Quality Systems management within an automotive or manufacturing environment
Proven expertise with automotive quality standards and tools, including IATF 16949, BIQS, VDA, CQIs, Layered Process Audits, and Product Audits
Strong analytical problem‑solving, decision‑making, and team‑building skills, with knowledge of Shainin or Red X methodologies (certification preferred)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including technical writing and presentations; proficient with MS Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Visio) and IATF 16949 Internal Auditor certified

Nice To Haves

Shainin or Red X methodologies (certification preferred)

Responsibilities

Lead and manage Global Quality Systems for the ADAS Division, ensuring alignment with customer, regulatory, and ZF business requirements
Ensure full compliance with IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3, including certification maintenance, system deployment, and governance
Plan, lead, and conduct internal and external audits (IATF, VDA, LPA, PMA, Line Readiness), including coordination with auditors and report out to management
Drive timely closure of corrective actions, systematically analyze audit results and quality trends, and identify continuous improvement opportunities
Maintain and continuously improve quality system documentation, ensuring compliance with internal and external regulations
Deploy, standardize, and train sites on quality system tools (LPA, product audits, VDA, BIQS, CQIs), promoting quality awareness across manufacturing locations
Support cross functional problem solving activities, lessons learned/read across deployment, and onsite launch support at ZF and customer plants
Report quality system performance and audit outcomes to top management, lead improvement initiatives, and standardize best practices across the division