Quality Engineer

The Design Quality Engineer (DQE) is the designated owner of DIS specifications, product quality specifications, visual acceptance standards, inspection criteria, workmanship requirements, critical-to-quality (CTQ) requirements, and packaging specifications throughout the product lifecycle. The DQE ensures specifications remain complete, current, measurable, unambiguous, aligned downstream, and under revision control. The DQE role is established to eliminate specification ownership gaps that result in production holds, conflicting interpretations, quality escapes, preventable ECOs, supplier confusion, and packaging-related failures.

The DQE serves as the bridge between Design Engineering, Suppliers, Process Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, and Program Management, ensuring design intent is translated into executable and verifiable requirements before release.

Key Responsibilities

1. Specification Ownership and Governance

Own the development, maintenance, control, revision, and alignment of:

• DIS standards
• Product quality specifications
• Product acceptance criteria
• Visual inspection standards
• Workmanship standards
• Packaging requirements
• Product-specific quality requirements

2. Product Development and NPI Quality

Participate in all major product development phases, including:

• Concept Reviews
• Design Reviews
• NPI Reviews
• Readiness Reviews
• ECO Reviews
• Product Release Reviews

3. Specification Alignment and Cross-Functional Coordination

Lead specification reviews with

• Design Engineering
• Process QE
• SQE
• QC
• IQC
• Manufacturing
• Suppliers
• Program Management

4. CTQ and Acceptance Criteria Development

Facilitate creation of

• Product CTQs
• Inspection requirements
• Visual criteria
• Workmanship requirements
• Functional acceptance requirements

Support Design Engineering in translating design intent into:

• Measurable limits
• Objective acceptance criteria
• Inspection methods
• Verification requirements

Design remains the approval authority for technical limits.

Deliverables

• CTQ Matrix
• Acceptance Criteria
• Verification Requirements
• Inspection Standards

5. Packaging Quality Ownership

Own the packaging specification including:

• Product protection requirements
• ESD requirements
• Moisture sensitivity requirements
• Packing methods
• Transit protection
• Labeling requirements
• Receiving acceptance criteria

Ensure packaging specifications prevent:

• Mechanical damage
• Cosmetic damage
• ESD damage
• Transit damage
• Handling damage

Supply Chain remains responsible for purchasing packaging materials and SQE remains responsible for supplier compliance.

Deliverables

• Packaging Specifications
• Packaging Validation Requirements
• Packaging Risk Assessments

6. Engineering Change and Revision Control

Review all product changes for impact to:

• Specifications
• CTQs
• Packaging requirements
• Inspection standards
• Supplier requirements
• Acceptance criteria

7. Quality Escape and Lessons Learned Management

Lead specification-related investigations involving:

• Specification ambiguity
• Inspection disputes
• Quality escapes
• Customer complaints
• Repeat specification questions

8. Standards and Compliance Management

Maintain working knowledge of applicable standards and ensure specifications remain aligned with:

• ISO 9001
• Corporate QMS Requirements
• IPC Standards
• Customer Standards
• Regulatory Requirements
• Industry Best Practices

Lead periodic reviews of DIS standards and product quality standards against new revisions and industry changes.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree in

• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Quality Engineering
• Related Technical Discipline

Experience

Minimum 7 years' experience in one or more of the following:

• Design Engineering
• Product Engineering
• R&D Engineering
• NPI Engineering
• Design Quality Engineering
• Quality Engineering

Demonstrated experience in:

• Product development lifecycle
• NPI
• Engineering Change Management
• Design Review Processes
• Product Release Processes
• Technical Standards Development
• Root Cause Analysis
• Failure Analysis
• Risk Assessment

Required Technical Competencies Design Engineering Knowledge

Must be capable of

• Reading engineering drawings
• Understanding design intent
• Understanding electronic and mechanical assemblies
• Reviewing BOM structures
• Evaluating technical requirements
• Participating effectively in design reviews

R&D and NPI Knowledge

Must understand

• Product development lifecycle
• Prototype development
• Verification and validation activities
• Qualification requirements
• Technology transfer
• Product release processes

Standards Knowledge Working knowledge of:

• ISO 9001
• IPC-A-610
• IPC J-STD-001
• IPC-7711/7721
• IPC-2221/2222
• IPC-6012
• JEDEC Standards
• Customer-specific standards
• Configuration Management
• Document Control Systems

Quality Engineering Knowledge Working knowledge of:

• CTQ Development
• DFMEA
• Risk Management
• Statistical Analysis
• Measurement Systems
• Inspection Methodology
• Defect Classification
• Problem Solving Methodologies