Program Quality Engineer

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At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

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Leidos’ Defense Systems Mission Assurance is seeking a Program Quality Engineer to serve as the quality engineering focal point for assigned programs, executing the Quality Control system in a way that drives customer satisfaction and product conformance. This role supports quality activities across Manufacturing operations - including First Article Inspection (FAI), supplier part approvals, continuous improvement, and defect reduction - for electromechanical products such as machined parts, mechanical assemblies, composite assemblies, welded assemblies, painted or coated assemblies, and flight hardware fabrication and assemblies. This position is based in the Huntsville / North Alabama, AL area.

This is a hands-on individual contributor position reporting to the Program Quality Manager, Defense Systems Mission Assurance. The Program Quality Engineer partners with program management, engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain to translate contract and customer quality requirements into executable quality plans, and owns the technical problem-solving behind nonconformances and corrective actions. The role provides day-to-day technical direction to Quality Technicians and Inspectors but carries no direct supervisory responsibility.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

Leidos Defense Systems Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions. To explore and learn more, click here!

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Primary Responsibilities.

Program Quality Engineering & Requirements Flowdown

• Serve as the quality engineering point of contact for assigned programs, supporting problem identification, resolution, loss reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain program quality plans, inspection plans, and quality requirement flowdown from contracts to manufacturing and suppliers.
• Review contract quality requirements and identify the processes, tooling, and documentation needed to comply.
• Review and provide quality inputs to aviation program manuals, forms, and records.
• Report quality issues, trends, and losses to Quality Management and program leadership.

Product Conformance, Inspection & Material Review

• Execute and disposition First Article Inspections (FAI/AS9102) and supplier part approvals.
• Participate in Material Review Board activities and disposition nonconforming material.
• Provide day-to-day technical direction and inspection guidance to Quality Technicians and Inspectors on assigned programs.
• Support internal and external quality audits, including AS9100 surveillance and customer audits.

Quality Data, Metrics & Statistical Analysis

• Develop and maintain quality metrics - including process capability studies, control charts, and measurement system analysis - to monitor Quality Control system effectiveness.
• Build and maintain statistical data collection and analysis to surface trends affecting product quality.
• Translate quality data into actionable reporting for program and manufacturing leadership.

Root Cause Analysis & Continuous Improvement

• Lead root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving (8D, 5-Why, fishbone) to identify effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Initiate and execute quality improvement activities, such as Kaizen and Six Sigma projects, to raise product line performance.
• Verify that implemented corrective actions are effective and sustained.

Customer, Supplier & Government Interface

• Interact with customers to identify quality improvement opportunities and close the feedback loop with manufacturing and development personnel.
• Collaborate with DCMA and other government and/or customer quality assurance organizations.
• Interface with supplier and customer quality representatives on quality issues and verify effective corrective action is implemented.
• Travel occasionally for in-person engagements with internal customers and suppliers across multiple Leidos sites.
• All other reasonable duties, as assigned.

Basic Qualifications.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline and 2-4 years of prior relevant experience; or master’s degree with two (2) years of prior relevant experience. Additional years of direct experience working in aviation programs in support of defense contracts may be substituted for the degree.
• Four (4+) years of hands-on quality engineering experience in a manufacturing and/or product-based environment. Eight (8+) years of relevant experience is acceptable in lieu of a degree.
• Working knowledge of:
  • AS9100 / ISO 9001 requirements
  • AS9102 First Article Inspection
  • Engineering drawings, specifications, and GD&T
  • Government and customer quality assurance requirements
• Demonstrated experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Ability to review and provide quality inputs to aviation program manuals, forms, and records.
• Must be proficient in utilizing Microsoft Office products.
• Key Competencies
  • Quality Engineering
  • First Article Inspection & Part Approval
  • Root Cause & Corrective Action
  • Statistical Analysis & Process Capability
  • Nonconformance Disposition
  • Drawing & GD&T Interpretation
  • Technical Problem Solving
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Written & Verbal Communication
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present technical findings to program and customer stakeholders.
• Candidate must be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area.
• Ability to obtain security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
• AS9100 internal auditor training or experience
• Experience with Solumina or a comparable MES/quality management system
• Experience building quality dashboards and reporting in Power BI
• Familiarity with statistical analysis tools such as Minitab
• Experience with flight hardware, composites, welding, or coatings quality requirements
• Prior experience supporting DCMA or government source inspection activities

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.