Product Quality Engineer

Operations Engineering is NetApp’s Global Operations technical team that ensures our hardware platforms are designed for manufacturability and testability, ramp smoothly at partners, and deliver consistent quality in the field. The organization leads DFx/NPI, process and test engineering, product quality ownership, supplier collaboration, and compliance using data-driven methods to improve yield, reliability, and customer outcomes.

We’re seeking an experienced Manufacturing Quality Engineer to serve as the Product Quality Engineer for one or more product families. In this role, you’ll own product quality strategy and outcomes from new product introduction through full-rate manufacturing and field performance. You’ll lead cross-functional problem solving, define critical-to-quality requirements, deploy robust controls, and drive systemic improvements that reduce defects, escapes, and warranty/returns.

You are a hands-on technical leader who partners with Design, Manufacturing, Test, Supplier Quality, Reliability, and Customer teams to ensure products meet specifications, regulations, and customer expectations, every time. 

Job Requirements

Key Responsibilities

Product Quality Ownership

• Serve as the single point of accountability for product quality across the lifecycle (NPI → production → field).
• Define CTQs, acceptance criteria, and quality plans aligned with customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.
• Lead PFMEA/DFMEA, Control Plans, process validation, and risk mitigation activities.

New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Drive APQP elements (PPAP/FAI, capability studies, MSA/Gage R&R, process validation IQ/OQ/PQ where applicable).
• Collaborate with Design Engineering on DFM/DFA, tolerancing (GD&T), and test strategy to ensure manufacturability and yield.

Manufacturing Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and maintain robust process controls (SPC, error-proofing, test coverage, traceability).
• Lead complex root cause analyses using 8D, DMAIC, and DOE; implement durable corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).
• Own nonconformance management, MRB decisions, rework/repair instructions, and change control (ECN).

Data-Driven Performance

• Monitor product quality metrics (FPY, escapes/DPPM, Cpk/Ppk, yield, OEE, warranty/returns) and drive sustainable improvement.
• Build dashboards and reports; leverage statistical analysis to predict and prevent quality issues.

Supplier & Test Collaboration

• Partner with Supplier Quality to ensure incoming material/process capability; define incoming inspection criteria and FAIR/PPAP as needed.
• Collaborate with Test Engineering on coverage, correlation, false fail/escape reduction, and measurement system confidence.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure compliance with relevant standards (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100, ISO 13485) and customer-specific requirements.
• Prepare audit evidence; lead product-related quality system improvements.

Leadership & Mentorship

• Act as a technical leader and mentor for junior engineers and technicians.
• Facilitate cross-functional quality reviews and represent product quality in customer, executive, and audit forums.

Education & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field required (ABET-accredited program preferred).
• Master’s degree (MS/MEng) in an engineering discipline or a related field (e.g., Operations, Quality) is preferred.
• Formal training in statistics/quality engineering (SPC, MSA/Gage R&R, DOE) strongly preferred.

Experience

• Typically requires 8 or more years of related experience.

Preferred Industry Experience

• One or more of: automotive, aerospace/defense, electronics/semiconductor, industrial equipment, medical devices, energy or similar regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with APQP/PPAP, AS9102 FAI, IPC/JEDEC, or device-specific standards (e.g., FDA/ISO 13485) depending on industry.