Senior Quality Engineer (Automotive)

Quick Facts

• Role: Senior Quality Engineer (Automotive)

• Focus: quality issue resolution, customer partnership, and process improvement

Description

You will take ownership of internal, customer, and supplier quality topics in automotive manufacturing—finding the root cause and driving lasting solutions. The role combines structured problem-solving with automotive quality planning and documentation (APQP/PPAP), while you monitor customer quality performance and respond quickly to deviations. For severe events, you will coordinate containment and may stop production and block nonconforming material.

Responsibilities

• Own quality issue resolution across internal, customer, and supplier topics
• Lead systematic problem-solving using 8D, 5Why, Fishbone and other Core Tools
• Act as a key partner for automotive customers in complaints and technical quality matters
• Track Customer Quality Performance, customer ratings/portals, and ensure timely responses to deviations
• In severe cases: authorize production stop, block nonconforming material, and coordinate containment
• Support customer visits and audits and represent the plant on quality topics
• Participate in APQP and the transfer of new projects into serial production (with Program Management)
• Prepare and submit PPAP documentation
• Work with Control Plans, PFMEA/DFMEA, and SPC
• Collaborate with Manufacturing and Engineering to implement sustainable root-cause solutions
• Support supplier quality issue resolution as needed
• Train and develop colleagues in quality systems, methods, and tools
• Identify improvement opportunities for quality, process stability, customer results, and costs

Requirements

• Technical secondary or university degree
• Minimum 2+ years of relevant manufacturing experience (preferably automotive)
• Practical knowledge of IATF 16949 / ISO 9001
• Strong knowledge of 8D, 5Why, FMEA, SPC, PPAP, APQP
• Knowledge of VDA, AIAG, and Formel Q
• Ability to read technical/drawing documentation
• Analytical mindset and ability to work with data
• Customer communication skills and ability to defend technical positions
• Willingness to travel to customer locations
• Advantage: Automotive Quality Engineer certification or equivalent qualification

Benefits

• Influence quality across the product lifecycle—from project setup to serial production
• Authority to act in serious quality events (containment and production stop decisions)
• Customer-facing responsibility for sustainable improvements and root-cause elimination