Full-Time

Quality Engineer 3

Deadline 4/2/27
Kirby Corporation

Kirby Corporation

201-500 employees

Operates coastal tank barges and ATBs

No salary listed

Houston, TX, USA

In Person

Travel of up to 10% is expected.

Bachelor's

Category
Manufacturing Quality & Test (1)
Required Skills
Welding
Microsoft Office
Six Sigma
ISO 9001
Word/Pages/Docs
Quality Assurance (QA)
Data Analysis
Excel/Numbers/Sheets
Microsoft Outlook

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Requirements
  • Must meet project deadlines and manage several concurrent tasks independently with direction from more senior department members.
  • Must be able to work independently and in a team setting.
  • Must work safely and follow company processes, core values, and procedures.
  • Must interact and communicate professionally with customers as needed.
  • Must have strong knowledge of ASME and NACE standards.
  • Must be able to take direction from senior department members and follow tasks with supervision.
  • Must be able to follow instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
  • Must complete and maintain required certifications and safety training.
  • Must have strong knowledge of quality management systems, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
  • Must have analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
  • Must be proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Project.
  • Must maintain a valid driver's license.
  • Must be able to wear personal protective equipment as required by the position, location, and/or customer.
  • Must have a bachelor's degree in engineering, Quality Management, or a related field; an ASQ Quality Engineer certification may be used in lieu of the bachelor's degree.
  • Must have 8 or more years of experience in quality engineering, preferably in the oil and gas or energy generation sectors.
Responsibilities
  • Develop, implement, and maintain quality systems aligned with ISO 9001 and other relevant industry standards.
  • Determine quality improvement parameters by identifying advanced statistical methods relevant to manufacturing processes.
  • Lead root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions for field failures, non-conformances, and customer complaints.
  • Maintain professional and technical knowledge through educational workshops, professional publications, personal networks, benchmarking, and professional societies.
  • Collaborate with engineering, supply chain, and production teams to build quality into product design and manufacturing processes.
  • Conduct internal and supplier audits to ensure compliance with specifications, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
  • Support First Article Inspections, Production Part Approval Process, and welding and non-destructive examination quality programs.
  • Analyze quality data, including non-conformance reports, scrap, rework, and warranty claims, and drive continuous improvement using Lean Six Sigma tools.
  • Develop and maintain inspection and test plans, control plans, and quality documentation.
  • Interface with customers and third-party inspectors during project execution and Factory Acceptance Tests.
  • Work both outside and in a shop environment.
  • Travel up to 10% as required.

Kirby Offshore Marine operates the United States’ largest coastal fleet of tank barges and towing vessels, moving refined products, black oil, and petrochemicals along Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. Its offshore fleet includes about 23 Articulated Tug/Barge (ATB) units, which pair a tug with a barge so the tug pushes the barge at sea, enabling safer, faster trips with better fuel efficiency and fewer delays compared to traditional tug-and-barge setups. Since 2015, Kirby has added six ATBs with a combined tank capacity exceeding 800,000 barrels. The company’s product flow relies on coastal shipping networks and ATB configurations to improve transit times and operational reliability, serving regional distribution in U.S. waters. The goal is to provide efficient, reliable marine transportation for refined products and petrochemicals while expanding capacity and maintaining safety in maritime operations.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Houston, Texas

Founded

1921

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Kirby raised 2026 EPS guidance to 5%-15% after strong Q1 and Q2 results.
  • Power-generation backlog reached $1 billion-$1.5 billion, driven by data-center demand in August 2026.
  • Kirby bought 23 barges and three boats, expanding fleet capacity and deployment optionality.

What critics are saying

  • Q2 2026 fuel spikes cut inland operating income 11% and compressed margins.
  • OEM engine delays pushed projects into second-half 2026, delaying power-generation revenue.
  • Oil and gas softness keeps Distribution and Services exposed if data-center orders cool.

What makes Kirby Corporation unique

  • Kirby dominates U.S. inland and coastal barge transport across refineries and petrochemicals.
  • Kirby’s Distribution and Services business ties marine repair to booming behind-the-meter power generation.
  • Kirby’s tight fleet supply and OEM allocation protect pricing through 2026 and 2027.

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Company News

Yahoo Finance
Jul 30th, 2026
Kirby shares drop 8% despite Q2 beat on margin pressures and flat EPS growth

Shares of marine transportation service company Kirby fell 8% after reporting second-quarter results that revealed profitability pressures despite beating Wall Street estimates. The company posted revenue of $922.4 million and earnings per share of $1.67, surpassing analyst forecasts. However, operating margin declined to 13.3%, down 2.1 percentage points year-over-year, whilst gross margin contracted by 2.6 percentage points. Free cash flow margin also deteriorated, falling to 0.1% from 2.6% the previous year. With earnings per share remaining flat year-over-year, investors looked past the revenue beat and reacted negatively to the margin pressure and lack of bottom-line growth. The stock is trading at $130.49 per share, down 14.5% from its 52-week high of $152.59.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 30th, 2026
Kirby raises EPS outlook on strong marine utilization despite $60M fuel headwind

Kirby Corporation reported second-quarter earnings per share of $1.67, flat year-over-year but up 11% sequentially. The company now expects full-year EPS growth toward the upper end of its 5%-15% guidance range. Marine transportation revenue rose 9% year-over-year to $537 million, though operating income fell 11% due to temporarily higher fuel costs and elevated shipyard activity. Management expects to recover most fuel-cost impacts through contractual adjustments in the third quarter. The Distribution and Services segment grew 6%, driven by power generation and marine repair. The power-generation backlog expanded to between $1 billion and $1.5 billion, supported by demand from data centres and industrial customers. Kirby repurchased nearly $60 million of stock during the quarter and approximately $29 million more early in the third quarter.

Yahoo Finance
Jun 11th, 2026
Kirby shares up 24.5% in 6 months on strong revenue growth — but is KEX still a buy?

Kirby, a marine transportation services provider, has seen its shares rise 24.5% to $139.54 over the past six months, outperforming the S&P 500 by 17.5 percentage points. The company's revenue grew at an 11.1% compound annual growth rate over five years, surpassing the average industrials company. Kirby's free cash flow margin expanded by 8.9 percentage points over the past five years, reaching 14.5% over the trailing 12 months. However, the company's five-year average return on invested capital was 4.2%, below the typical cost of capital for industrials companies, suggesting historically mediocre capital efficiency. The stock currently trades at 19.9× forward price-to-earnings ratio. Kirby provides inland and coastal marine transportation services across all US coasts.

Yahoo Finance
May 26th, 2026
Kirby stock gains 11.3% on strong demand and acquisitions

Kirby Corporation shares have gained 11.3% over the past three months, outperforming its industry. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share has been revised upward by 2.2% for the current year and 2.6% for 2027, reflecting analyst confidence. The transportation and shipping company benefits from strong marine transportation market conditions and momentum in power generation. First-quarter 2026 revenues rose 12% year-over-year, whilst power generation revenues increased 45%, supported by growing demand and expanding backlog. Kirby has outperformed earnings expectations in each of the past four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 4.56%. The company recently agreed to acquire 23 barges and three boats for $95.8 million to strengthen fleet capacity. Kirby currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy).

Yahoo Finance
May 25th, 2026
Kirby beats revenue estimates by 2.7% as marine transportation stocks slide 1.3%

Genco (NYSE:GNK), a New York-based shipping company transporting dry bulk cargo along worldwide maritime routes, was the top performer amongst five marine transportation stocks tracked during Q1 earnings season. The sector reported strong results overall, with revenues beating analysts' consensus estimates by 3.5%. However, share prices have declined 1.3% on average since the latest earnings results. Kirby (NYSE:KEX), which provides inland and coastal marine transportation services across US coasts, reported revenues of $844.1 million, up 7.4% year on year and exceeding expectations by 2.7%. The company delivered strong beats on both revenue and EBITDA estimates. Despite the solid performance, Kirby's stock has fallen 6.1% since reporting and currently trades at $143.22. The marine transportation industry continues benefiting from e-commerce and global trade growth, though companies remain vulnerable to economic cycles and geopolitical tensions.