Lead Quality Engineer

What you will do

We're hiring a Lead Quality Engineer to provide hands-on quality leadership in a manufacturing environment, with a strong focus on customer quality, problem solving, launch readiness, and continuous improvement.

This role will partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Supplier Quality, and other cross-functional teams to protect the customer, strengthen manufacturing quality, and drive sustainable improvements across the plant. The position is especially important in ensuring strong customer performance, robust APQP/PPAP execution, effective corrective actions, and disciplined application of automotive quality systems and tools.

What Does Success Look Like

• Lead customer quality: Manage customer complaints, warranty analysis, 8D responses, customer scorecards, audits, and escalations while driving timely resolution and customer satisfaction.
• Drive structured problem solving: Lead 8D investigations and root cause analysis, verify corrective-action effectiveness, and eliminate recurring defects through disciplined follow-up.
• Own APQP and PPAP execution: Lead APQP reviews, PPAP submissions, PFMEA reviews, Control Plan development, and launch-readiness activities to support successful product and process launches.
• Improve manufacturing quality performance: Drive measurable improvements in scrap, First Pass Yield, internal PPM, rework, and process capability using data and statistical quality methods.
• Provide technical and team leadership: Mentor Quality Engineers, provide technical guidance and training, lead quality projects, and participate in quality councils and cross-functional initiatives.
• Strengthen audit and quality-system execution: Support and lead internal, process, layered process, customer, and certification audits; ensure corrective actions are completed and sustained in alignment with IATF requirements.
• Support supplier quality: Review supplier PPM, manage SCARs, support supplier development, and analyze incoming quality issues to improve supplier performance and reduce manufacturing risk.
• Apply advanced quality tools: Use PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, GR&R, Cp/Cpk, Pp/Ppk, DOE, and statistical validation to improve process control, capability, and decision-making.

What we look for

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field, with demonstrated quality experience in an automotive or manufacturing environment.
• Strong hands-on experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, 8D/root cause analysis, MSA/SPC, and IATF 16949 quality-system requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead customer quality activities, manufacturing quality improvements, audits, corrective actions, and cross-functional problem-solving initiatives.
• Strong leadership, communication, analytical, and mentoring skills, with the ability to influence teams and translate quality data into sustainable improvements.

Preferred

• Quality-related certification or formal training such as CQE, Six Sigma, or IATF/ISO auditor certification.
• Experience with supplier quality, DOE, statistical validation, process capability analysis, layered process audits, and customer-specific automotive requirements.

Work Authorization

• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future; Clarios will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visas for this opportunity.
• What we do here

Tampa - Fully Integrated Plant

• Tampa, Florida is home to a fully integrated plant that manufactures batteries used in cars, boats, motorcycles, and heavy-duty trucks.
• As a fully integrated plant, we also decorate or label our batteries into the final product for our customers.
• We opened in 1958 and employ more than 280 people.
• We operate six days per week.
• We are actively involved in our local community and give back through Metropolitan Ministries, The United Way and Adopt-A-Road Tampa.

• #LI-SG1
• #LI-ONSITE

What you get

• Medical, dental and vision care coverage and a 401(k) savings plan with company matching - all starting on date of hire
• Tuition reimbursement, perks, and discounts
• Parental and caregiver leave programs
• All the usual benefits such as paid time off, flexible spending, short-and long-term disability, basic life insurance, business travel insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
• Global market strength and worldwide market share leadership
• HQ location earns LEED certification for sustainability plus a full-service cafeteria and workout facility
• Clarios has been recognized as one of 2026's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere. This prestigious recognition marks the fourth consecutive year Clarios has received this distinction.

Veterans/Military Spouses

We value the leadership, adaptability, and technical expertise developed through military service. At Clarios, those capabilities thrive in an environment built on grit, ingenuity, and passion-where you can grow your career while helping to power progress worldwide.