2nd Shift Quality Engineer – Plant & VAA – Orion Assembly

General Motors•Auburn Hills, MI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The 2nd Shift Quality Engineer – Plant & VAA provides on-shift quality engineering support for both Orion Assembly production operations (Interior, Exterior, Electrical, Chassis) and VAA‑supplied modules installed at the plant. This role is critical in ensuring that components, systems, and modules meet GM specifications, BIQ/BIQS requirements, and customer expectations. The 2nd Shift QE is the primary quality liaison on shift—driving fast response, problem solving, and containment on the floor—while acting as a key interface between Manufacturing, Engineering, Supplier Quality, VAA partners, and Product Engineering.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in manufacturing, quality, or engineering.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, or related technical field, or equivalent experience.
Experience in plant quality and/or supplier/module (VAA) quality, with understanding of how supplier processes impact plant performance.
General knowledge of print reading, GD&T interpretation, and part measurement.
Working knowledge of PFMEA, PCP, PPAP, SPC, BIQ/BIQS, and structured problem solving (7 Diamonds, SPPS, 5‑Why, Fishbone).
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and convert it into clear, actionable plans.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; able to influence without direct authority.
Ability to work collaboratively across teams (Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Launch, Supplier Quality, VAA).
Customer-focused mindset, managerial courage, and effective decision-making in a fast-paced production environment.
Comfortable working 2nd shift and providing hands‑on support on the production floor.

Nice To Haves

Quality Engineering and/or Supplier Quality experience in an automotive assembly environment.
Experience with chassis systems, torque management, alignment, or functional testing.
Experience supporting VAA or module assembly and SOR/Operations Quality requirements.
Manufacturing production floor experience leading real-time containment and change events.
ISO/IATF experience, including audit preparation and response.
Experience leading cross‑functional projects or small teams.
Red X or DFSS training/certification and strong data analysis capability.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary on‑shift quality engineering contact for assigned areas (Interior, Exterior, Electrical, Chassis), supporting Group Leaders and Quality Operations.
Lead on‑shift containment, problem identification, and initial root cause analysis for plant and customer-driven issues, ensuring effective handoff to 1st shift and central teams.
Support GCA, DRR, Fast Response, SPPS, and FTQ activities on 2nd shift to reduce defects, escapes, and rework.
Own/assist with plant quality metrics and defect reduction for assigned content (DRR, GCA, SPPS, warranty, field issues).
Monitor quality alarms, verification stations, and key process parameters, ensuring robust response to alarms and effective breakpoints for suspect material.
Maintain and support continuous improvement of PFMEAs, Process Control Plans, torque strategies, and alignment/functional controls for assigned operations (especially chassis/underbody where applicable).
Participate in Change Management for plant changes (ECRs, tooling changes, process changes), including PTR builds, documentation of issues, and pass/fail feedback.
Act as on‑shift Quality liaison for VAA modules, supporting real‑time issue resolution and communication with VAA quality teams and GM Supplier Quality.
Ensure VAA processes and interface to Orion conform to SOR Appendix I – Operations Quality requirements, including error proofing, torque/angle control, traceability, and repair/rework controls.
Own and maintain awareness of quality standards, PFMEAs, PCPs, and verification methods for VAA‑built modules, ensuring controls are reflected in standardized work, error proofing, and inspection plans.
Coordinate containment, repair, and rework activities for VAA-related spills, including 24‑hour containment plans, breakpoint control, and confirmation of effectiveness.
Document issues in PRTS and drive resolution through the CPIT process; ensure supplier‑responsible issues are documented and worked in SPPS.
Support implementation and closure of supplier Controlled Shipping activities and provide responses to Supplier Action Center (SAC) and manufacturing floor issues.
Support yard sweeps and inspection method development when VAA/module issues affect yard or finished vehicle inventory.
Support implementation of GMS BIQ/BIQS requirements to ensure product quality and reliability across both plant and VAA content.
Validate compliance to PCPs, TEBs, BoOs, and standardized work, identifying gaps and partnering with Manufacturing and Quality Operations to close them.
Participate in quality audits and reviews (e.g., BIQ/BIQS, MQRR, internal assessments) and help close findings tied to 2nd shift operations or VAA content.
Attend and actively contribute to Fast Response, GCA, and quality review meetings, ensuring chassis/module/commodity issues are represented and progressed.
Document and communicate Emerging Issues summaries and Lessons Learned to Engineering, Validation, Supplier Quality, and Quality leadership.
Support warranty reduction initiatives, including use of field data and plant metrics to prioritize issues and drive durable corrective actions.
When needed, support supplier visits, Temporary Work Orders (TWO) requests, and Production Trial Run (PTR) events as the 2nd shift quality representative.