Quality Leader - IGT

Howmet Aerospace•Hampton, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Howmet Engine Systems is seeking a Quality Engineering Team Lead in Hampton, Virginia. The role leads the Quality team to ensure customer satisfaction, product conformity, and compliance with customer, industry, and company specifications and requirements. It serves as a key interface between the organization and its customers, leading timely responses to quality concerns, corrective and preventive actions, and continuous improvement of product and process quality. The position focuses on reducing internal and external nonconformances, improving customer quality performance, ensuring timely concession disposition and release of customer shipments, and strengthening customer relationships through proactive communication, technical support, and disciplined problem-solving. It also supports quality engineering capability development, employee training, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. The role is subject to ITAR requirements, which require U.S. person status. Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available. The anticipated pay range is $67,000–$124,000 per year, with rates determined by factors including experience, education, and certifications.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a related field, or at least 5 years of hands-on quality engineering experience with a strong manufacturing background.
Knowledge of AS9100.
Experience with quality tools such as CAPA, Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, PPAP, FMEA, problem-solving techniques, and root-cause analysis.
Must pass a vision exam using the Tumbling E Chart per ISO 18490.
Must meet ITAR U.S. person requirements and be legally authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is unavailable.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to provide instructions, prepare and present business reports and correspondence, and communicate information clearly.
Good understanding of business practices and the impact of quality on an organization.
Interpersonal and supervisory skills, including emotional competency, coaching, providing feedback, and evaluating subordinate performance.
Demonstrated leadership, organization, and project management skills, including leading cross-functional teams and improvement efforts.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the investment casting industry.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary quality interface for assigned customers and maintain effective working relationships and communication.
Lead investigation, response, and resolution of customer complaints, quality escapes, nonconformances, and other quality concerns.
Coordinate customer communications about quality issues, containment, root-cause investigations, corrective actions, and effectiveness verification.
Lead customer quality reviews, performance discussions, and improvement initiatives.
Monitor customer feedback, scorecards, quality metrics, and performance trends.
Ensure customer-specific quality requirements, specifications, and expectations are understood and communicated to internal teams.
Lead the Quality Engineering team in investigating internal and external nonconformances using structured problem-solving methods, including root-cause analysis, 8D, 5 Why, and corrective and preventive action processes.
Provide technical leadership and guidance to Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Sales regarding product quality, process capability, and customer requirements.
Maintain and continually improve the quality management system.
Support customer, internal, and external audits and ensure findings are addressed through corrective actions.
Participate in management reviews and quality planning, providing insight into customer performance, quality risks, and improvement priorities.
Oversee quality review and disposition of products to ensure conformity before release.
Coordinate with Manufacturing, Planning, Shipping, and other functions to ensure customer shipments are reviewed and cleared in a timely manner.
Support resolution of quality holds and shipment issues while maintaining compliance with customer requirements and product acceptance criteria.
Escalate quality risks that may affect shipment commitments, product conformity, or customer satisfaction.
Lead, coach, and develop Quality Engineers in technical expertise, customer communication, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Monitor, analyze, and report customer and internal quality metrics, including complaints, defect rates, scrap, rework, MRB, cost of poor quality, and corrective-action closure.
Lead improvement initiatives based on customer feedback, performance trends, risk assessments, and business priorities.
Assist with implementation of the company’s EHS value and policy statement and principles; comply with EHS regulations, wear required PPE, report job-related illnesses and injuries and EHS concerns, and attend EHS training.
Perform other duties as assigned.