Quality Engineering Senior Associate

Job Title: Senior Associate, Quality Engineering (Londonderry, NH)

Job Code: 38168

Job Location: Londonderry, NH

Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days, totaling 80 hours worked- and have every other Friday Off

Job Description:

Support and interface with Program Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality personnel to assist in the establishment and implementation of effective process controls geared toward risk mitigation within internal optics and tube cleanroom operations. This role supports sub-assembly operations that feed downstream systems and goggle production, with focus on product conformance, contamination control, defect reduction, yield improvement, and Cost of Poor Quality reduction. The position applies practical knowledge of quality, manufacturing, and cleanroom processes to support operational objectives, communicate process requirements, and address issues within the assigned job area. 

Essential Functions:

• Proactively monitor, analyze, report, and participate in the improvement of process and product performance within optics and tube cleanroom operations using established Six Sigma, Lean, and problem-solving methodologies.
• Support failure analysis and corrective action efforts by investigating optical, tube, contamination, workmanship, and process-related defects using structured problem-solving tools to help develop effective technical solutions.
• Support training, interpretation, and application of optical defect evaluation, defect categorization, and workmanship standards, including ISO 10110 and MIL-PRF-13830, as applicable to optics and cleanroom operations.
• Manage assigned projects and/or processes with moderate supervision and recommend improvements to systems, inspection methods, and operational practices within the job area.
• Work to achieve operational targets for assigned programs and projects with some impact on departmental results, including Cost of Poor Quality reduction, yield improvement, and support of system-level financial commitments.
•  Support Cost of Poor Quality improvement activities, including annual reduction targets, through data analysis, project participation, corrective actions, and process improvement initiatives.
• Support yield improvement efforts by identifying and reducing sources of scrap, rework, contamination, workmanship issues, and recurring variation within optics and tube cleanroom operations.
• Coordinate and communicate real-time feedback of supplier-related defects observed in production to support containment, escalation, trend tracking, and corrective action follow-up with internal stakeholders.
• Verify and validate products and processes to confirm conformance to engineering, quality, workmanship, and operational requirements.
• Review and verify applicable contractual, customer, regulatory, and industry requirements and help ensure these are translated, as appropriate, into operational plans, inspection criteria, acceptance standards, and test procedures.
• Participate in the verification, validation, and acceptance of proposed product design and process changes with consideration for manufacturability, contamination control, quality, and downstream operational impact.
• Participate in the review, defect categorization, and disposition of nonconforming product, including optical defects, tube-related defects, contamination concerns, workmanship nonconformances, and assembly deviations.
• Apply defect categorization methods for optical and cleanroom hardware, including scratch-dig criteria, cosmetic workmanship standards, contamination acceptance criteria, and internal classification methods.
• Communicate with contacts inside and outside the immediate team to explain and interpret operational processes, practices, procedures, and quality expectations related to optics and cleanroom operations.
• Identify and address changes within the assigned job area and support updates to methods, controls, documentation, and training as needed.
• Interface with customers and their agents, including DCMA, as required, during the production phase of applicable programs.
• Support qualification activities by helping track progress, review documentation, and assist with closure of quality-related actions associated with optics and tube cleanroom processes.
• As required, support the training, mentoring, and coaching of lab, inspection, manufacturing, and cleanroom personnel in technical product requirements, contamination control, defect categorization, and optical workmanship expectations.
• Ensure work is performed in accordance with applicable internal quality management system requirements and relevant external standards, including ISO 9001 and applicable optical inspection and cleanroom process requirements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 2 years of prior related experience, or 2 years post-secondary/Associate’s Degree and a minimum of 6 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 8 years of prior related experience. 

Preferred Additional Skills:

• Familiarity with optical workmanship, inspection, and defect categorization standards, including ISO 10110 and MIL-PRF-13830, relevant to optics, tube processing, and cleanroom assembly operations.
• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering-related discipline preferred (e.g. Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing, Systems, or related discipline).
• Practical experience in manufacturing, quality, process engineering, or cleanroom operations involving optics, electro-optical systems, tube processing, or precision assembly.
• Working knowledge of optics cleanroom operations, contamination control practices, and defect prevention methods.
• Experience with Cost of Poor Quality metrics, yield improvement efforts, and continuous improvement projects tied to operational performance targets.
• Experience with optical inspection methods, including scratch-dig measurement and analysis, cosmetic defect evaluation, surface quality inspection, and defect categorization.
• Familiarity with cleanroom assembly processes for optical assemblies, tube sub-assemblies, and precision electro-optical hardware.
• Experience coordinating production feedback for supplier-related defects and supporting containment and corrective action activities.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems and requirements.
• Experience in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies is desired.
• ASQ Certified Quality Technician (CQT) certification is desired and may be considered in lieu of Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
• Strong problem-solving and statistical skills including 8D, DOE, SPC, PFMEA, root cause analysis, and corrective action development.
• Proficient in MS Office.
• Proficient in Minitab or similar statistical software, and Microsoft Visio.
• Experience supporting qualification activities, readiness reviews, process validation, and closure of quality actions.
• Experience supporting or participating in training related to optical defect classification, workmanship standards, and contamination-sensitive optical handling; Savvy or equivalent external training is acceptable.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across Manufacturing, Engineering, Program Management, Supply Chain, and Quality organizations.
• Hands-on experience with optical lens inspection and scratch-dig measurement/analysis.
• Familiarity with cleanroom assembly processes for optical assembly.
• QMS audit experience is a plus.
• Excellent communication and teambuilding skills, with the ability to manage relationships with internal and external customers and foster trust and mutual respect.

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