| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Quality |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Quality Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in quality engineering in manufacturing |
Quality Engineer job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Quality Engineer
Department: Quality
Reports to: Quality Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Quality Engineer owns the quality of a product or line from planning to production. They prepare control plans and process FMEAs, set inspection standards, analyse defects, and drive corrective action so parts meet specification. The role supports new product launches, handles day-to-day quality issues on the floor, and coordinates with production, suppliers and customers. In an Indian manufacturing plant the quality engineer is the technical quality problem solver for their area, using data to reduce rejections and keep the process making conforming parts.
Key responsibilities
- Prepare and maintain control plans and process FMEAs for the assigned product or line.
- Set inspection standards, check sheets and sampling for incoming, in-process and final stages.
- Analyse rejection and defect data and lead corrective action on the top issues.
- Support new product and process launches with quality planning, trials and first-article checks.
- Investigate quality problems on the floor and drive root cause and permanent fixes.
- Coordinate with suppliers and customers on quality issues affecting the assigned product.
- Review process capability and push improvements where the process cannot hold tolerance.
- Maintain quality records and documentation so the assigned area stays audit ready.
- Guide inspectors on standards, gauges and how to judge borderline parts.
- Prepare quality reports and present defect trends and actions to the quality manager.
Requirements
- B.E. or B.Tech in an engineering discipline
- Knowledge of core quality tools and inspection methods
- A Six Sigma Green Belt is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in quality engineering in manufacturing
KRAs and KPIs for a Quality Engineer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Defect reduction | Rejection and rework for the assigned product reduced to the agreed target |
| Corrective action | Root cause actions on top defects closed within the agreed time and verified |
| Launch quality | New product launches cleared quality planning and first-article checks on schedule |
| Documentation | Control plans and quality records kept current and audit ready |
| Process capability | Capability indices for key characteristics meet the agreed target |
| Issue resolution | Quality issues on the assigned product resolved within the agreed time |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Quality management system (QMS), Measuring instruments and gauges, SPC software, FMEA and control plan tools, MS Excel.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Assistant Quality Manager, Process Quality Engineer, Quality Manager
Interview questions for a Quality Engineer
- Walk me through building a control plan for a new part.
- How do you find the root cause of a defect that keeps returning?
- How do you set a sampling plan for in-process inspection?
- A process cannot hold its tolerance. What steps do you take?
- How do you prepare quality for a new product launch?
- How do you guide an inspector judging a borderline part?
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What does a quality engineer do?
A quality engineer owns the quality of a product or line from planning to production. They prepare control plans and process FMEAs, set inspection standards, analyse defects, and drive corrective action so parts meet specification. They support launches, solve floor quality problems, coordinate with suppliers and customers, and use data to reduce rejections.
What is the difference between a quality engineer and a QC inspector?
A quality engineer plans and improves quality: control plans, defect analysis, corrective action and launches, using engineering and data. A QC inspector checks parts against specification with gauges and records results. The engineer designs the checks and solves the problems, while the inspector carries out the inspection on the floor.
What qualifications does a quality engineer need?
A B.E. or B.Tech in an engineering discipline is the usual base, with knowledge of the core quality tools and inspection methods. A Six Sigma Green Belt is an advantage. Employers value a few years in quality engineering, strong data and problem-solving skills, and the ability to work with production and suppliers.