Senior Quality Engineer
Job Description
Confidential Job Posting – Senior Quality Engineer (Process Improvement Focus)
Location: Lake Zurich, IL
Compensation: $92K – $110K (potential flexibility for top candidates)
Employment Type: Direct Hire
A well-established, U.S.-based manufacturer with over a century of industry presence is seeking a Senior Quality Engineer to join their team during a period of strong growth and recent expansion. This organization serves a diverse range of industries including aerospace, medical, automotive, and industrial sectors, and is known for its high-quality, precision-engineered components.
This is an opportunity to step into a high-impact, hands-on quality role where engineers are empowered to drive process improvements, lead initiatives, and influence production outcomes—not just manage documentation.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
- Recently completed a major multi-million-dollar facility expansion with continued growth plans
- Join a revamped quality team led by forward-thinking leadership focused on impactful engineering work
- Strong emphasis on process improvement, new product introduction, and continuous improvement initiatives
- Stable, long-standing company with minimal bureaucracy and strong internal collaboration
- Consistent work-life balance with standard daytime hours (little to no overtime)
- Competitive benefits including strong 401k match and healthcare coverage
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a key resource for quality processes, investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives
- Lead and support process improvement projects, including developing new procedures and documentation from scratch
- Apply statistical methods to analyze production data and improve efficiency and quality outcomes
- Collaborate cross-functionally to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and verify results
- Work directly with customers and suppliers to address quality concerns, complaints, and requirements
- Support internal audits, customer audits, and supplier audits as needed
- Assist with inspection processes, internal investigations, and material disposition
What We’re Looking For
- 5–8+ years of Quality Engineering experience in manufacturing environments (aerospace, automotive, medical, industrial, etc.)
- Experience working in an ISO-certified environment (AS9100 or IATF experience is a strong plus)
- Strong background in SPC and core quality tools (PPAP, APQP, Root Cause Analysis, Gage R&R, corrective actions)
- Proven ability to lead process improvement initiatives and drive change (not just support tasks)
- Experience applying statistical analysis to improve manufacturing processes
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or similar)
- Six Sigma certification (Green Belt, Black Belt, or similar) or strong experience with Lean methodologies (Kaizen, 5S, Kanban, etc.)
- Experience with auditing (internal, supplier, or customer audits)
- Familiarity with statistical software (Minitab or similar)
- ASQ / CQE certification is a plus
Additional Details
- Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Bonus: Discretionary annual bonus + annual merit increases
- Interview Process: Two virtual interviews followed by onsite final interview
- Eligibility: Must be a U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder
This is an excellent opportunity for a quality engineer who wants to take ownership of projects, drive meaningful improvements, and be part of a growing, well-established manufacturing organization without getting stuck in a purely administrative role.