Lead Program Quality Engineer

Who We Are:
Challenge’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Together we own Safety! Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:

We are searching for a Lead Program Quality Engineer to manager and support its product launch activity working closely with the supporting plants Quality and Engineering team.

What You'll Do:

• Manage a team of 10-15 employees.
• Interaction with the OEM on launch activity
• Handles all QE related launch activities for that particular plant and serves as the voice of the plant manufacturing organization.  Prepares all APQP & PPAP documentation for part files on new and existing products.  Works with Quality and Engineering departments on new part programs to verify customer requirements are met.  Communicate PP issues to suppliers.
• Attend all program team/product engineering meetings for representing Quality for Tool Building and gage and fixture design/building.
• Obtain detailed product knowledge up-front while it is being developed.
• Works with Project Engineers to ensure FMEAs are completed in time to impact tooling designs.
• Review Supplier PPAP packages for new programs and assist in supplier selection.
• Develop Control Plans.
• Evaluate and approve of final product GD&T specifications
• Evaluate and approve final product attribute checking requirements to be measured on gages.
• Participate in gage reviews and buy-off meetings.
• Attends all die and weld tool runoffs to approve part meets quality specifications.
• Supports a “Safe Launch” process to hand over QE responsibilities to the production QE.  Safe launch is defined as the period of time where the APQP QE and the plant’s Current Production QE work together to provide a thorough responsibility hand-off to learn parts, processes, and critical areas of concern. 
• The “Safe Launch” hand-off process links the APQP QE and Current Production QE when the first MRD parts are being run.  These QEs work together to obtain and complete the necessary quality system documentation, dimensional data, GP-12 support, and PTR/MRD packaging and labeling for shipment.
• Supporting the “Safe Launch” process also includes providing the plant communication linkage for a formal tooling buy-off process, including Run at Rate support and associated documentation to declare die/welder readiness for production.  This is then followed by the preparation of all PPAP documentation for submission.

When and Where:
This will be a M-F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI. 
Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

• Associate's degree in business related field; or 4 years related experience and/or training in manufacturing environment; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Advanced computer skills using Microsoft Office applications
• Strong problem solving skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Understanding of project management(experience preferred)
• Knowledge of various quality system methodologies 8D, Lean, 5 Why’s, Pareto Analysis, Six Sigma, 8-D, DFMEA,PFEMA, PPAP, etc. preferred
• Must work well with diverse groups of people and be able to function independently of direct supervision

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid S