APQP Program Quality Engineer

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate APQP teams through all five phases of the APQP process in accordance with AIAG standards.
• Develop, maintain, and track APQP timing plans to ensure all milestones and customer gate reviews are met.
• Support cross-functional team activities including kickoff meetings, design reviews, and launch readiness reviews.
• Support the contract review process. Monitor program status and escalate risks or timing concerns proactively to program leadership.
• Prepare, compile, and submit Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) packages to customer level requirements (Level 1–5). This may also include internal PPAP submissions.
• Develop and maintain key APQP deliverables: Control Plans, Process Flow Diagrams, PFMEAs, and Measurement System Analyses (MSA).
• Ensure dimensional reports, material certifications, etc. are completed accurately and on time.
• Maintain all quality records in compliance with ISO9001:2015 and customer-specific requirements.
• Support inspections and the non-conformance management process.
• Support in review and/or generation of AS9102 Documentation as required.
• Participate in the PRB/MRB meeting and support documentation of customer returns.
• Support DFMEA and PFMEA development and review sessions with engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Identify, document, and drive closure of open issues through disciplined corrective action processes.
• Manage and update risk logs throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary customer quality contact for all APQP and launch-related activities.
• Participate in customer product development meetings and respond to customer quality concerns during the pre-production phase.
• Support supplier quality activities including supplier APQP reviews and sub-tier PPAP approvals where applicable.
• Capture and share lessons learned across programs to improve future launch effectiveness.
• Support process improvement initiatives related to the APQP and PPAP systems.
• Contribute to internal audits and management review activities as needed.
• Support process development and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, or a related technical discipline.
• 5-8 years of experience in APQP, PPAP, or product launch engineering in an automotive or manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with inspection principles and work instructions.
• Proficiency with core AIAG tools: APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plan, MSA, and SPC.
• Solid understanding of ISO 9001:2015 quality management system requirements.
• Experience with electronic components (Cables and PCBs).
• Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, GD&T, and specifications.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously.
• Familiarity with IPC/WHMA-A-620 requirements.
• Auditing experience (Product/Process).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Project).

Nice-to-Haves

• Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Six Sigma Green Belt / Black Belt certification.
• Certified Quality Auditor.
• Experience with customer portals and submission systems.
• Experience with Supplier Quality Management.

Compensation

US Salary Range $110,000 - $150,000. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including premium healthcare benefits, basic life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance, generous company holiday calendar, competitive PTO (20 days accrued per year), 7 weeks fully paid parental leave, $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend, 401(k) with company match up to 4%.