Quality Assurance Manager

Finger Lakes Region
Salary: $90-$145k/year 
M-F 7am-3:30pm (flexible)
Direct Hire Opportunity! 

About the Opportunity

A growing precision manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Manager to lead its quality function. This is a hands-on leadership role with responsibility for maintaining quality standards, supporting production, addressing customer requirements, and driving continuous improvement.

The company manufactures highly engineered, close-tolerance components and assemblies using CNC machining, fabrication, welding, and other advanced manufacturing processes. The Quality Assurance Manager will work closely with Operations, Engineering, customers, and suppliers to ensure products consistently meet established specifications and quality expectations.

Position Overview

This role is responsible for the overall direction and daily operation of the Quality function. The successful candidate will combine strong technical knowledge with the ability to lead a team, solve problems, and collaborate across departments.

A strong understanding of engineering drawings, GD&T, inspection methods, and manufacturing processes is essential. The individual will also be expected to identify opportunities to improve processes, reduce quality issues, and strengthen the company's quality systems.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Lead and manage the day-to-day activities of the Quality Department.
• Provide technical Quality support to Manufacturing, Engineering, and other internal teams.
• Direct inspection activities throughout the manufacturing process, including first article, in-process, and final inspections.
• Develop departmental priorities, staffing plans, and workflows to ensure Quality resources are used effectively.
• Maintain the organization's Quality Management System and lead ongoing process improvement efforts.
• Manage employee performance, development, and annual review processes within the Quality Department.
• Coordinate the investigation and resolution of internal and external quality concerns, including corrective and preventive actions.
• Lead root-cause investigations involving non-conforming material or product and ensure corrective actions are implemented and verified for effectiveness.
• Oversee MRB activities and disposition of non-conforming product.
• Manage customer quality requirements and ensure internal processes are aligned with contractual and specification requirements.
• Serve as a key point of contact for customers on quality-related matters.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements and translate them into appropriate inspection and process plans.
• Develop inspection and quality-control strategies designed to prevent defects and maintain consistent product quality.
• Support new product introduction activities and ensure appropriate quality processes are established before production.
• Analyze quality data and trends to identify recurring issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Work collaboratively with suppliers, customers, Engineering, Manufacturing, and company leadership to resolve quality-related challenges.
• Ensure quality practices comply with applicable company procedures, customer requirements, and industry standards.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mathematics/Statistics, Applied Sciences, Quality, or a related field preferred. Candidates with significant relevant Quality Engineering experience may also be considered.
• At least 3–5 years of experience leading or managing a Quality function in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing drawings, tolerances, and GD&T.
• Experience working with precision machining or similar manufacturing processes.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate technical information effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.

Technical Qualifications

The ideal candidate will bring experience with:

• CMM programming and inspection, particularly PC-DMIS and/or Zeiss Calypso.
• Blueprint interpretation and application of GD&T.
• Microsoft Office applications.
• Six Sigma methodologies and continuous improvement practices.
• ISO 9001:2015 quality systems.
• AS9100 standards within a manufacturing environment.
• Quality documentation, corrective action, and root-cause analysis.

Additional Experience

The following experience would be beneficial:

• CNC machining and/or toolmaking.
• Experience supporting complex, close-tolerance manufactured components.
• Familiarity with Epicor or another manufacturing ERP system.
• Experience working directly with customers and suppliers on quality-related issues.
• Experience supporting new product launches or production transfers.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity for an experienced Quality professional to take ownership of a key function within a technically sophisticated manufacturing environment. The position offers the opportunity to influence quality processes, work directly with cross-functional leadership, and play a meaningful role in continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Nesco Resource provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

#LI-DZ1