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Kaman Precision Products Fuzing · 1 month ago

Principal Quality Engineer (Contractor)

Middletown, CT

Full-time, Contract

Onsite

Lead/Staff

$120K/yr - $130K/yr

15+ years exp

Kaman Precision Products Fuzing is seeking a seasoned Principal Quality Engineer to join their dynamic aerospace manufacturing team. In this senior leadership position, you will champion quality excellence across supply chain and production processes, ensuring compliance with industry standards and driving the resolution of complex quality challenges.

Defense & Space

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Lead AS9100 Compliance Initiatives: Serve as the organization's AS9100 subject matter expert, overseeing the implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS)

Expertise in AS9102 First Article Inspections (FAIs): Act as the primary authority on AS9102 standards, guiding the team through the full FAI lifecycle. Specialize in identifying and resolving incomplete FAIs by meticulously reviewing inspection records, ballooned engineering drawings, and serialized part data. Proactively coordinate with suppliers to gather missing documentation, such as material certifications, dimensional reports, or test results, while negotiating timelines and implementing escalation protocols to prevent production delays

Supplier Coordination and Risk Management: Build and maintain strategic relationships with our network of aerospace suppliers. Develop and execute supplier quality audits, performance scorecards, and improvement programs focused on AS9102 compliance. Lead root cause analysis (e.g., using 8D or Fishbone methodologies) for FAI discrepancies and implement preventive measures to reduce recurrence rates, targeting a supplier FAI completion rate of 95%+ within agreed SLAs

Team Leadership and Organizational Direction: Assemble, mentor, and direct a cross-functional team of quality engineers, inspectors, and analysts (6-8 team members) to resolve large-scale and intricate documentation issues. Foster a culture of accountability and innovation by setting clear objectives and facilitating knowledge-sharing sessions on AS9100/AS9102 best practices. Drive agile problem-solving for high-impact challenges

Process Optimization and Documentation Excellence: Design and deploy standardized workflows for FAI processing, leveraging tools like electronic data management systems (e.g., Net-Inspect or similar) to streamline incomplete record handling. Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and procurement teams to integrate quality gates into the product development lifecycle, reducing documentation errors

Risk Assessment and Continuous Improvement: Perform advanced risk analyses on quality processes, with a focus on AS9102 vulnerabilities in supplier-submitted FAIs. Champion Lean Six Sigma initiatives to enhance efficiency, and prepare executive-level reports on quality metrics, trends, and ROI from team-led resolutions

Qualification

AS9100 ComplianceAS9102 FAI ExpertiseSupplier ManagementLean Six SigmaRisk AssessmentTeam LeadershipStrategic CommunicationAnalytical MindsetMotivational CoachingConflict Resolution

Required

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or related field) or equivalent

ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or equivalent certification required

15+ years in aerospace quality engineering, with at least 5 years in a senior or principal role focused on AS9100/AS9102 compliance

Proven expertise in AS9102 FAI processes, including hands-on experience resolving incomplete FAIs through supplier coordination

Experience directing teams on complex documentation projects, with demonstrated success in resolving enterprise-level quality issues

In-depth knowledge of AS9100D requirements, including clauses on risk-based thinking, supplier management (Clause 8.4), and performance evaluation (Clause 9)

Expert-level proficiency in AS9102B/C forms (e.g., Form 1: Part Information; Form 2: Design Characteristics; Form 3: Process Characteristics)

Skilled in contract review, SCAR (Supplier Corrective Action Request) processes, and negotiation tactics for obtaining critical FAI data under tight deadlines

Exceptional ability to organize and direct high-performing teams, with experience in agile methodologies, conflict resolution, and motivational coaching

Strategic communicator with strong presentation skills and adept at translating technical jargon into actionable insights

Analytical mindset with a data-driven approach to problem-solving

U.S. citizenship or ability to obtain security clearance required due to ITAR compliance