PDS Defense, Inc. is seeking a Project Management 7, in Mountainhome, PA. Job ID#215805
Job Description:
As the Quality Assurance Manager for our Aerospace Mountainhome, PA site, you'll play a key leadership role in shaping the direction of product quality, compliance, and operational excellence. This position is ideal for a strategic thinker who thrives in a hands-on manufacturing environment and is passionate about driving a culture of accountability, precision, and continuous improvement. You'll lead a dedicated team of quality professionals, guiding them through challenges and change, while ensuring our products meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance demanded by the aerospace industry.
In this role, you'll oversee all aspects of the Quality Management System (QMS), maintain AS9100 certification, and serve as a key liaison between internal teams, customers, and regulatory agencies. You'll own initiatives that enhance product integrity, reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), and strengthen our reputation for excellence. If you're motivated by the opportunity to lead teams, solve complex problems, and influence quality across every stage of production—from concept to customer delivery—this role offers the platform to make a lasting impact within one of our clients most technically advanced sites.
Responsibilities will include:
Leadership and Team Management
• Lead, coach, train and direct the quality organization to foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Provide primary input to hiring, firing, promotion, performance and rewards decisions for quality team.
• Guide teams through change, fostering collaboration, and driving performance excellence in the processing of aerospace components.
• Establish effective relationships with internal and external customers and skillfully communicate quality subject matter knowledge as necessary to effectively manage and influence across multiple levels of stakeholders.
• Ensure employees are adequately trained and work in a safe and environmentally sound manner; execute business decisions fairly, conduct annual performance reviews, hold regular toolbox meetings, provide two-way communications, consistent application of policy/work rules, clear, consistent communication of organizational goals and objectives.
Quality Management System (QMS) and Regulatory Compliance
• Maintain and enhance Quality Management System (QMS) documentation, including work instructions, quality plans, and inspection procedures.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the QMS through internal audits, risk assessments, and performance metrics.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory agencies and customers during audits, inspections, and certifications.
• Support internal and external audits, as well as customer inspections, ensuring organizational readiness and timely closure of any findings
Product Quality Assurance
• Manage product compliance and customer satisfaction improvement initiatives.
• Ensure program estimates and proposals accurately reflect quality requirements, planning, and process consistency.
• Prepare and present departmental metrics and recovery plans as needed.
• Responsible for quality of delivered products and services to our customers, management of quality risks and opportunities, ownership of the customer escape management process, and leadership in resolution of customer expectations and relationships related to quality and mission assurance.
Corrective and Preventative Action
• Drive effective root cause analysis and ensure the implementation of corrective and preventive actions using CORE (Customer Oriented Results and Excellence) problem-solving methodologies; apply CORE (Customer Oriented Results and Excellence), Lean and other continuous improvement techniques to develop and implement process improvement initiatives aimed at increasing quality, throughput and delivery integrity.
Continuous Improvement
• Lead implementation of organization projects and processes to ensure overall quality is continuously improving.
• Develop and execute quality improvement plans that ensure on-going reductions in Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) and escapes.
Education/Experience Needed:
• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years of experience
Qualifications We Prefer:
• Prior AS9100 quality management experience
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and collaborate across departments to align quality initiatives with business goals
• Proven experience managing and developing teams, with a focus on coaching, mentoring, and fostering career growth
• Experience translating system and contractual requirements to ensure full compliance is flowed down through product, assembly, and test documentation
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with expertise in root cause analysis and preventive measures
• Experience in generation, review, and approval of first article inspection reports in accordance with AS9102
• Proficient in blueprint reading and application of GD&T
• Experience achieving/maintaining NADCAP accreditation for special processes such as brazing, heat treat, and paint
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively across teams and with regulatory agencies
• Experience Reviewing Statement of Work (SOW), Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCAR), Knowledge of Purchase Order Quality Requirements (Q-Notes, STAMP)
• Experience facilitating cross-functional teams in systematic improvement activities (e.g. 6-sigma, lean manufacturing)
• Work transfer experience
Benefits offered to vary by the contract. Depending on your temporary assignment, benefits may include direct deposit, free career counseling services, 401(k), select paid holidays, short-term disability insurance, skills training, employee referral bonus, affordable medical coverage plan, and DailyPay (in some locations). For a full description of benefits available to you, be sure to talk with your recruiter.