Quality Engineer

TTM Technologies•San Diego, CA

20d•$79,830 - $133,051

About The Position

The Quality Engineer is a hands-on, shop-floor-focused role responsible for driving product quality, process stability, and continuous improvement throughout the PWB manufacturing operation. The role focuses on internal manufacturing processes, identifying and eliminating process variation, preventing defects, improving first-pass yield, and ensuring consistent execution of manufacturing standards. Working with production supervisors, operators, and process engineers, the Quality Engineer uses data-driven problem-solving, root cause analysis, statistical process control, and structured corrective action methods to resolve recurring quality issues and improve manufacturing performance. The position also supports applicable quality-system requirements and must comply with TTM export-control policies and relevant laws, including ITAR, EAR, and OFAC.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related subject matter, or 5–7 years of relevant experience in lieu of education.
Working knowledge of IPC, MIL-31032, ISO9001/AS9100 standards, and/or similar quality systems.
Proven analytical and problem-solving skills, including statistical data analysis and interpretation.
Ability to develop, implement, and drive improvement plans and project teams to successful completion.
Strong background using and understanding key manufacturing performance metrics.
Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team and effectively with all levels of the organization.
Ability to comply with TTM Export Control Policies and Procedures and applicable laws, including ITAR, EAR, and OFAC requirements.

Responsibilities

Monitor manufacturing processes across the PWB production flow to identify variation, recurring defects, and improvement opportunities.
Analyze in-process inspection results, yields, scrap, rework, and defect trends to identify and prioritize quality issues.
Partner with production and process engineering teams to establish and improve process controls, inspection criteria, control plans, and standardized work practices.
Verify adherence to manufacturing procedures, process specifications, workmanship standards, and quality requirements.
Support process-monitoring methods that enable early defect detection and prevention.
Lead investigations into internal manufacturing defects, process excursions, nonconformances, and recurring quality issues.
Apply structured problem-solving methods, including 8D, 5 Why, fishbone diagrams, and fault tree analysis.
Drive corrective and preventive actions that address underlying process causes, and verify their effectiveness through data, audits, and ongoing monitoring.
Establish containment measures, track corrective actions to completion, and escalate unresolved or recurring issues.
Develop and maintain SPC methods, process capability studies, and other analytical tools relevant to PWB manufacturing.
Assess the quality impact of changes to materials, equipment, tooling, process parameters, and manufacturing methods.
Collaborate with engineering and production teams on error-proofing, defect prevention, and process verification strategies.
Ensure inspection and measurement methods provide reliable, repeatable, actionable information for process control.
Provide quality engineering support for process-specific defects, including dimensional variation, registration issues, plating defects, shorts and opens, etch anomalies, delamination, and solder mask defects.
Use process knowledge and manufacturing data to identify defect mechanisms, establish corrective actions, and prevent recurrence.
Support development and improvement of inspection methods, defect classification systems, and process-specific quality standards.
Lead and participate in continuous-improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, rework, defect rates, and process variability.
Use 9CI Elements, including Customer Satisfaction, Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, 6S/Visual Management, Total Productive Maintenance, Jidoka/Andon, Zero Defect program, 8D Problem Solving, Quality Alerts, and Design of Experiments.
Present findings and recommendations to leadership using clear, data-supported analysis; promote preventative quality practices and process ownership.
Identify opportunities to simplify controls, eliminate waste, improve inspection efficiency, and increase visibility of quality performance at the point of manufacture.
Conduct internal audits, identify gaps between documented procedures and shop-floor practices, and coordinate corrective actions.
Maintain records of internal nonconformances, investigations, process studies, and improvement activities.
Support effective implementation of AS9100, ISO14001, IPC-1791, and IPC-6018 requirements.
Comply with export-control policies and applicable laws, including identifying ITAR products, observing access restrictions, recognizing foreign visitors, following visitor authorization procedures, understanding export requirements for US shipments, and managing vendor approvals for ITAR manufacturing and services.