Senior Quality Engineer

Position Overview

As a Quality Engineer Senior at Irwin, you will play a critical leadership role in advancing product and process quality across the organization. Building on deep expertise and proven experience, you will oversee quality systems, mentor team members, and drive cross-functional collaboration to ensure high standards of safety, compliance, and performance. This role requires autonomy, strong analytical and leadership skills, and the ability to prepare and present enterprise-level metrics that inform decision-making. The Senior Quality Engineer will lead key processes such as non-conformance management, QA lab oversight, and supplier quality development, while also facilitating continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across locations.

Responsibilities

Quality Leadership & Oversight

• Lead the QA Lab and oversee the non-conformance process, ensuring accurate, timely, and effective issue resolution.
• Prepare enterprise-level data and develop metrics to report monthly on cost of quality, corrective actions, and trends to cross-functional leadership teams.
• Directly lead and coach team members involved in non-conformance and test lab activities, ensuring accountability and professional development.
• Serve as a mentor to other quality team members, building capability across the function.

Enterprise & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate across multiple locations to facilitate learnings, standardize best practices, and support enterprise-wide quality objectives.
• Act as a key partner to engineering, supply chain, and production leaders to align on quality requirements and process improvements.
• Provide leadership in cross-functional meetings, including production walks and enterprise quality reviews.

Process & Product Quality

• Investigate and resolve complex quality issues using root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action methodologies.
• Lead or participate in PFMEAs, DFMEAs, and maintain ownership of control plans.
• Drive quality assurance activities through design, pilot runs, safe launch, and ongoing production.
• Ensure rigorous testing of new and existing products, supporting innovation and continuous improvement.

Supplier Quality & Development

• Partner with supply chain teams to enforce supplier quality standards and expectations.
• Issue and oversee SCARs when appropriate, and guide suppliers in executing corrective actions effectively.
• Evaluate purchased materials for defects, compliance, and durability.

Continuous Improvement

• Champion continuous improvement initiatives aimed at reducing cost of quality and building quality into every process.
• Collaborate with engineering to design and implement fixtures, gauges, and other tools to ensure consistent quality.
• Use data and metrics to identify improvement opportunities and measure progress.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Quality Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field from a four-year college or university; or 8+ years relevant experience in manufacturing
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring and managing direct reports.
• Strong knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, and related quality systems.
• Experience in wood, upholstery, welding, and/or assembly operations preferred.
• ERP and/or quality software system experience preferred.
• Proven ability to autonomously lead initiatives, influence cross-functional teams, and drive alignment across multiple sites.
• Exceptional problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills with both internal and external partners.
• Strong track record of building collaboration across functions and geographies.
• Continuous improvement experience (e.g., Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma) strongly preferred.