Quality Engineer - FAA Repair Station, Quality

What you’ll do:

This position is responsible for maintaining all aspects of FAA Part 145 Repair Station procedures, processes and Quality Systems compliance. Reporting to the Beltsville Site Quality Manager & FAA Repair Station Accountable Manager, the role serves as both the FAA Repair Station Quality Engineer & FAA Chief Inspector. It oversees and implements regulatory compliance with FAA, EASA, CAAC, ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 14001, and Eaton Quality System standards. The position ensures that all repair station activities meet the highest quality and safety standards, while maintaining up-to-date manuals, managing audits, and supervising inspection personnel. This role is part of a high-performance work team and will work closely with operations. 
  
This role requires active oversight of the Repair Station Certificate and is subject to DOT drug testing in accordance with regulatory guidelines. 
                                             
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 
•    Maintain and update FAA, EASA, CAAC, and internal quality manuals, including Repair Station, EASA, Form, and Training Manuals in accordance with regulatory requirements. 
•    Serve as FAA Chief Inspector, managing the repair station rosters, training records and ensuring that changes in job personnel or job duties are reflected on the roster within five business days as required by this manual. 
•    Supervise 3–5 inspection personnel; ensure training, qualification, and performance standards are met. 
•    Perform supplier quality surveillance. 
•    Complete customer quality surveys. 
•    Ensuring proper calibration and maintenance of equipment. 
•    Define, implement and enforce quality standards, inspection methods, and compliance procedures aligned with FAA, 14 CFR Part 145 and Part 43, AS9100 and Aerospace standards. 
•    Host and support audits from customers, regulatory agencies, and third parties; lead audit response, corrective action, and follow-up processes. 
•    Lead or provide technical advice and counsel to cross-functional teams assigned to process improvement projects / problem solving teams / product development teams. 
•    Ensure product conformity and traceability; oversee incoming inspection, calibration, and release of parts and components. 
•    Lead internal audits, root cause investigations, and corrective/preventive action systems (CAPA). 
•    Submit reports of serious defects or recurring un-worthy conditions to the FAA in accordance with the procedures in the manual. 
•    Ensure the Repair Station personnel have access to a current library of 14 CFR documents, including applicable CFR's, FAA Airworthiness Directives, FAA Orders, FAA Notices, FAA Advisory Circulars, and other pertinent publications. 
•    Provide technical guidance to inspectors, engineers, suppliers, and customers on quality and compliance matters. 
•    Ensure compliance with the Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO) Doctrine through active oversight and due diligence. 
•    Other duties as assigned. 
 

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications: 
•    Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
•    Minimum of 2 years of experience in a quality role.
•    Experience within aerospace or other manufacturing plant environment.
•    This position requires access to export-controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must be a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158. 
 
Preferred Qualifications:  
•    Experience with FAA regulations 14 CFR Part 145 and Part 43
•    Minimum 3 years of experience as a quality engineer in an aerospace FAA repair station 
•    ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA)  
•    Thorough understanding of machining, welding, assembly operations, gauging, SPC, APQP, and quality assurance systems (ISO 9001, AS9100) and/or FAA Repair Station standards/experience. 

Skills:

•    Demonstrates ability and can meet requirements to obtain FAA Repairman certificate (18+ years old, employed by repair station, 18 months of practical experience – can be obtained on the job, English language knowledge, etc). 
•    Skills in Microsoft Office, ERP systems, SQL, and project management tools
•    Must comply with DOT drug testing requirements due to Repair Station Certificate responsibilities. 
•    Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills. 
•    Experience with AS9100, AS9102, and continuous improvement tools (8D, FMEA, process flow diagrams). 
•    Prior experience working in a Part 145 repair station or similar operation. 
•    Ability to read and interpret blueprints, specifications, and regulatory documentation. 
•    Experience with Material Review Board and Corrective Action Board functions. 
•    Must have strong interpersonal skills: position requires interaction with external customers and internal personnel at all levels of the organization. 
•    Minimum travel may be required. Travel may include either international or domestic assignments. 
•    This position subject to FAA DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing.