Quality Engineer - Manufacturing - Portland, ME

Quality Engineer

Serve as the primary quality contact for customer complaints and quality concerns. Lead customer quality issues from initial investigation through root cause, corrective action, and closure. Communicate professionally with customers through phone, email, virtual meetings, and on-site visits. Lead investigations involving manufactured and fielded pump products, components, processes, and equipment. Partner with production teams to identify and eliminate manufacturing-related quality issues. Develop corrective action plans, timelines, and status updates for customers and internal stakeholders. Perform root cause analysis using data, statistical methods, and structured problem-solving techniques. Analyze quality trends and develop initiatives to improve product and process performance. Evaluate and disposition nonconforming products and materials. Develop and maintain inspection, testing, and evaluation methods for products and manufacturing processes. Provide quality input to Product Development teams throughout the product realization process. Support APQP activities and provide input related to manufacturability and quality requirements. Support PPAP, document control, and other applicable quality system activities. Perform internal audits and surveys to ensure compliance with established quality requirements. Support customer and supplier audits, including coordinating and following through on corrective actions. Travel to customer and supplier locations to investigate issues, perform audits, and verify corrective actions. Work closely with suppliers to address component and manufacturing quality concerns. Present quality data, root causes, corrective actions, and improvement plans to customers, leadership, and internal teams. Educate Value Stream Teams on quality processes, APQP, PPAP, and problem-solving techniques. Contribute to Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations. Maintain awareness of industry best practices, quality standards, and emerging manufacturing technologies.

The Successful Applicant

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related field.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment with hands-on exposure to production processes.
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Ability to manage multiple customer quality issues and competing priorities.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and customer communication skills.
• Comfortable working directly with customers, suppliers, production teams, and leadership.
• Ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and present quality data.
• Knowledge of quality inspection, testing, engineering, and assurance methods.
• Experience with continuous improvement, Lean, or Six Sigma tools preferred.
• Experience with ISO 9001 and/or IATF 16949 quality systems preferred.
• Familiarity with AIAG Core Tools, APQP, and PPAP preferred.
• Experience with pumps, rotating equipment, fluid-handling products, or similar engineered manufacturing products is a plus.
• Ability to establish priorities, manage timelines, and drive issues to closure.
• Willingness to travel to customer and supplier locations as needed.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment involving dust, oils, chemicals, noise, and powdered metal.
• Ability to lift up to 35 lbs. independently and occasionally up to 50 lbs. following safe lifting procedures.

What's on Offer

• Competitive benefits - medical, dental, vision, and additional coverage options.
• 401(k) & retirement support - build toward your long-term financial goals.
• Customer-facing ownership - solve real-world quality challenges with visible impact.
• Manufacturing + field exposure - take issues from the production floor to the customer.
• Technical variety - work across pumps, processes, suppliers, products, and quality systems.
• Career development - expand your expertise across quality, APQP, audits, and improvement.
• Work-life support - a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees beyond work.

Job Summary

Sector: Engineering & Manufacturing

Sub Sector: Quality, Technical

Industry: Industrial / Manufacturing

Where: South Portland

Contract Type: Permanent

Consultant name: Jenny Ly

Job Reference: JN-092026-7105308