Sr Manager, Quality Assurance

Curtiss-Wright Corporation•Aston Township, PA

7d•$150,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Quality Manager leads the quality organization for the Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Arresting Systems business unit (BU) and ensures products, processes, and systems meet customer, regulatory, and U.S. Government contractual requirements. Through its predecessor companies, Engineered Arresting Systems (ESCO) & Curtiss-Wright Arresting Systems, business units of the EMS division, created the first aircraft arresting system in 1960 and today is a world leader in land-based military arresting systems. Their diverse product portfolio includes energy absorbers, retractable hook cable systems, net-stanchion systems and mobile systems to support aircraft carriers and fixed land-based arresting systems. Their aftermarket business, which supports the world’s largest installed base of arresting systems, provides cradle-to-grave support from civil engineering at installation, on-site qualification through post-installation maintenance, spares, and overhaul services. The role provides leadership across Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Supplier Quality, Continuous Improvement, Process Adherence, BU KPIs and Metrics and Risk Management, ensuring compliance with ISO-based Quality Management Systems, FAR/DFARS requirements, and DCMA oversight expectations. The position drives continuous improvement, maintains audit readiness, and partners with engineering, operations, supply chain, and program management to deliver compliant, reliable products. This role is fully on-site at the Aston, PA facility.

Requirements

4 year Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical field.
5+ years of progressive experience with 2 years of quality management experience leading quality organizations in manufacturing environments.
Experience with managing business unit level KPIs, operational performance management, and cross-functional process standardization.
Expertise in Quality Management Systems (ISO9001:2015).
Strong Root Cause & Corrective Action analysis capability (8D, 5 why, fishbone, etc.).
Advanced understanding of metrology systems, calibration management, and measurement capability (MSA, GR&R).
Experience with supplier quality management.
Senior leadership and executive level communication skills.
Ability to travel up to 15% to suppliers within the USA and reporting unit in France (1 week per quarter to support BU policies and implementation).
Must be a US Person.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting U.S. Government or defense-related programs (FAR/DFARS, DCMA) is preferred.
Continuous improvement leadership using Lean / Six Sigma (Black Belt preferred).

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the organization’s quality strategy aligned with business objectives and government program requirements while ensuring effective quality planning, verification, and inspection across the product lifecycle.
Establish and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with ISO 9001 and contractual requirements, ensuring procedures, documentation, and records support regulatory and program compliance.
Develop and document internal business processes across the Business Unit to ensure, through internal audit, consistent operations and smooth cross-functional transitions.
Develop annual BU KPI targets with senior leadership and report performance monthly, leading corrective actions when targets are not met. Metrics include OTD, Late Backlog, Customer Quality, COPQ, SOTD, Utilization, Productivity, and Safety.
Drive overall risk management process for the BU, including risk identification, mitigation and corporate reporting.
Provide executive ownership of customer quality issues and escapes, ensuring immediate containment, cross-functional RCCA investigations, and closure of corrective actions with lessons learned applied across the organization.
Lead the organization’s Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) system as the Six Sigma Black Belt leader, applying structured problem-solving (DMAIC, 8D) to eliminate systemic quality and operational issues.
Ensure compliance with U.S. Government contract quality requirements, including FAR, DFARS, and applicable contract clauses, and serve as the primary quality interface with DCMA Quality Assurance Representatives (QARs) and other oversight authorities.
Ensure robust metrology, calibration, and measurement system control, including traceability to national standards, measurement capability validation, and alignment of inspection strategies with product tolerances and process capability.
Ensure effective configuration management across the product lifecycle, including baseline control, revision management, and traceability between engineering documentation, manufacturing processes, and delivered product.
Establish and maintain supplier quality management processes, ensuring suppliers meet contractual flow-down and regulatory requirements.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives and develop the quality organization through recruitment, training, and mentoring of engineers, supplier quality staff, and inspectors while promoting a culture of accountability and operational excellence.