Quality Assurance Engineer

We are looking for the right person to join our team as a Quality Assurance Engineer at our Hendersonville, NC location!  

Salary Range: $71K – $94K annually. (Actual base pay based on factors such as relevant experience, education, market, qualifications, and skills.) 

With nearly 80,000 employees globally, Kyocera is a leading manufacturer of high-tech ceramics in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, Medical applications, and semiconductor processing. Our innovative materials are found in everything from smartphones to space shuttles! Check out our profile video!      

Look at these PERKS!      

• Competitive pay, benefits, and hours
• 120 hours of vacation accrued per year to start (that's 3 weeks/year for regular 8-hour shifts!)
• 10 Paid Holidays per year
• 401(k) with company match
• Pension plan!
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible schedules
• Tuition reimbursement 

We have a long-tenured staff (many with over 30 years of service!), a vital company mission, and an excellent benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, paid time off to volunteer, paid leave options, tuition reimbursement, an employer-paid Pension and a 401(k) with both Roth and a healthy company match. Our larger locations also feature onsite gyms, walking tracks, exercise rooms, and employee gardens!  

We strive to have a diverse workforce from all backgrounds, including minorities, women, and veterans, who bring their experience to support the innovation and quality that Kyocera is known for.     

Kyocera International, Inc. also has a robust corporate culture and philosophy based on the experiences and writings of our founder, Dr. Kazuo Inamori, which you can learn more about here: https://global.kyocera.com/inamori/philosophy/. Our company motto is “Do the right thing as a human being,” and we try to use that motto constantly in our decision-making.    

Position Summary: 

The Quality Engineer supports the Quality Manager in maintaining and improving the Quality Management System (QMS) and serves as a quality representative with customers, suppliers, and during regulatory/customer audits.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Review customer specifications, contracts, and requirements to ensure product and process compliance
• Work with customers, Sales, Engineering, and Production to resolve quality issues and customer concerns
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions using tools such as 8D, 5-Why, FTA, and other quality methodologies
• Prepare 8D reports for major manufacturing issues and customer claims
• Support continuous improvement using Control Plans, PFMEA, SPC, and other quality tools
• Coordinate SPC activities and analyze quality data, trends, and process performance
• Create and maintain quality reports, work instructions, training materials, and QMS documentation
• Support internal, supplier, customer, and regulatory audits
• Participate in design reviews and First Article Inspections (FAIs)
• Provide incoming and outgoing inspection support as needed
• Support compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS9100, Nadcap, and other applicable standards
• Work directly in the manufacturing/cleanroom environment to identify and resolve quality issues
• Support employee training and maintain required training records
• Work with customers and other Kyocera sites to ensure quality requirements are met
• Support implementation and maintenance of QMS processes within SAP
• May supervise Quality Assurance Technicians or other quality personnel
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or another technical field; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Strong understanding of quality systems and manufacturing processes
• Experience with customer specifications, Statements of Work (SOWs), and engineering drawings
• Working knowledge of statistical methods and quality tools, including SPC, Pareto analysis, control charts, and trend analysis
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate technical information to varied audiences
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across departments without direct authority
• Ability to work in an ITAR-controlled environment
• Basic understanding of GD&T and statistical concepts

Preferred: 

• Experience working directly with customers on quality issues, audits, corrective actions, and improvement plans
• Experience with AS9100, Nadcap, ISO 9001, or ISO 14001
• Strong GD&T knowledge
• SPC experience
• Experience with SAP or other ERP systems
• Experience supervising or training quality personnel

Minimum Qualifications: 

• 4 year degree
• Ability to pass a criminal background check and drug screen
• Ability to work in an ITAR-controlled environment

Physical Activities
The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to talk or hear; regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms; occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Environmental Conditions
The following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, work in high, precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals.

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

Additional Information
The above statements are intended to describe the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. The duties and responsibilities of this position are subject to change and other duties may be assigned or removed at any time.  This position may require exposure to information subject to US Export Control regulations, i.e.: the International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be US persons within the meaning of US regulations.

Kyocera International, Inc. values diversity in its workforce, and is proud to be an AAP/EEO employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Kyocera International, Inc. Human Resources team directly.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.