Quality Engineer 1

DENSO•Battle Creek, MI

1d•$68,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Automotive Process Change Management Quality Engineer is responsible for leading and supporting manufacturing and supplier process changes to ensure continued compliance with quality, safety, and customer requirements. This role partners closely with engineering, manufacturing, supplier quality, and program management to assess risk, manage APQP activities, and implement robust change control practices across automotive production environments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field
3+ years of Quality Engineering experience in an automotive manufacturing environment
Strong working knowledge of:
IATF 16949 and core tools (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA)
Change management and risk-based decision making
Automotive customer-specific requirements
Experience managing process changes in high-volume manufacturing
Proficient in quality documentation, data analysis, and reporting tools
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to lead cross-functional teams
Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

Experience working with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers
Familiarity with launch management and production transfers
Six Sigma Green Belt or higher
Experience with supplier change management and audits
Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles

Responsibilities

Lead process change management activities for product, process, equipment, material, and supplier changes
Ensure all changes comply with IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements, and internal quality standards
Facilitate and approve change control documentation, including:
Process Change Requests (PCRs)
DFMEA, PFMEA, and Control Plan updates
Work instructions and standard operating procedures
Conduct risk assessments and ensure mitigation plans are implemented prior to change approval
Support APQP/PPAP activities related to changes, including run-at-rate, validation builds, and capability studies
Coordinate cross-functional reviews with Manufacturing, Engineering, Purchasing, Supplier Quality, and Operations
Interface with customers on process change notifications, approvals, and audits
Lead or support internal and external audits related to process changes
Analyze quality data and trends to verify change effectiveness and prevent recurrence of issues
Drive continuous improvement using problem-solving methodologies (8D, A3, DMAIC, etc.)
Support launch readiness and production stability following approved changes