Process Quality Engineer (Manufacturing)

Role details

About the Company

Xinquan Texas Automotive Interiors, LLC is part of Xinquan Group, a global leader specializing in the design, manufacture, and sales of automotive interior and exterior trim system components and molds. Our headquarter is located in Changzhou, China. With over 10,000 employees worldwide, we offer the financial stability of an established global company and the entrepreneurial fire of a brand-new facility.

We are establishing our first US production plant in Austin, Texas, and we're launching a major hiring initiative to build our core team quickly! This is a once-in-a-career chance to get in on the ground floor of a state-of-the-art facility. You won't just be filling a role—you'll be a founding member who will design, implement, and define the culture and operating procedures for our entire US operation.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and want to have a direct, tangible impact on our success from day one, join us and help build the future of automotive manufacturing in Austin!

Position Overview

The Process Quality Engineer (PQE) – Foaming is responsible for monitoring, maintaining, and improving product and process quality within the automotive foaming manufacturing area. This position ensures that foaming processes consistently meet established product specifications, customer requirements, and applicable automotive quality standards.

The PQE focuses on process control, defect prevention, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, process audits, and continuous improvement. Working closely with Production, Process Engineering, Maintenance, Materials, and other Quality personnel, this role identifies process risks, resolves quality issues, and implements sustainable controls to prevent nonconforming foam components from reaching downstream operations or customers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities1. Foaming Process Quality Control

• Monitor foaming operations to ensure compliance with approved process parameters, product specifications, and quality standards.
• Verify critical process conditions, including chemical mixing ratios, material and mold temperatures, injection quantities, curing conditions, cycle times, and other validated settings, as applicable.
• Inspect and evaluate foam components for dimensional accuracy, density, hardness, surface appearance, proper filling, curing, and other specified characteristics.
• Identify process deviations and coordinate immediate containment and corrective actions with Production and Engineering.
• Ensure inspection points, acceptance criteria, and reaction plans are followed throughout the foaming process.
• Support process trials, first-piece inspections, process validations, and approval activities following equipment, material, tooling, or process changes.
• Verify that approved process settings and quality requirements are maintained during production.

• Defect Analysis and Corrective Actions

• Identify, document, and investigate foaming defects, including voids, air bubbles, incomplete filling, sink marks, surface imperfections, density variation, dimensional defects, and curing inconsistencies.
• Perform root-cause analysis using 5 Why, Fishbone diagrams, and other structured problem-solving tools.
• Initiate and track nonconformance reports and corrective action requests as required.
• Coordinate containment activities, including product identification, segregation, inspection, and disposition through approved procedures.
• Work with Production and Engineering to implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Verify corrective action effectiveness and monitor results to prevent recurring defects.
• Escalate significant quality concerns promptly to the Quality Manager and relevant stakeholders.

• Quality Systems and Documentation

• Maintain compliance with applicable IATF 16949 requirements, customer-specific requirements, and internal quality procedures.
• Support the development, review, and maintenance of Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Control Plans, inspection standards, process flow diagrams, and work instructions.
• Maintain accurate inspection records, process monitoring data, nonconformance reports, and corrective action documentation.
• Ensure quality documentation reflects current approved processes and engineering requirements.
• Support internal, customer, and external audits related to foaming operations.
• Assist with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), and process validation activities when applicable.

• Process Audits and Continuous Monitoring

• Conduct routine process audits and layered process audits within the foaming area.
• Verify adherence to standardized work, approved process parameters, inspection frequencies, and quality checkpoints.
• Review inspection results and process data to identify trends, variation, and emerging quality risks.
• Support Statistical Process Control (SPC), process capability studies, and Measurement System Analysis (MSA), where applicable.
• Verify that measurement equipment and inspection tools are suitable, calibrated, and maintained according to established requirements.
• Document audit findings, communicate gaps, and follow up on corrective actions through closure.

• Cross-Functional Support

• Collaborate with Foaming Production, Process Engineering, Maintenance, Materials, and Supplier Quality to resolve quality concerns.
• Support investigations involving raw materials, chemical batches, tooling, molds, equipment, and process conditions.
• Participate in new product launches, process changes, production trials, and engineering change reviews affecting foam components.
• Communicate defect trends, containment status, process risks, and corrective action progress to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Support customer complaint investigations involving foaming-related defects and provide documented technical findings.
• Work with downstream assembly and quality teams to address foam-related issues affecting fit, function, appearance, or product performance.

• Quality Performance and Improvement

• Track and analyze foaming quality metrics, including:
• Defect rates and parts-per-million (PPM), where applicable
• First-pass yield
• Scrap and rework rates
• Internal nonconformances
• Customer complaints and returns
• Corrective action closure and effectiveness
• Process audit findings
• Process capability and stability
• Identify opportunities to reduce process variation, waste, scrap, and rework.
• Recommend and implement quality improvements using data-driven problem-solving methods.
• Verify the effectiveness of improvement initiatives and maintain supporting documentation.
• Promote defect prevention, standardized work, and continuous improvement throughout the foaming area.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field preferred.
• Equivalent relevant manufacturing quality experience may be considered.

Experience

• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in manufacturing quality, process quality engineering, or a related technical function preferred.
• Experience in polyurethane foaming, molded foam, automotive seating foam, or automotive interior components strongly preferred.
• Experience with automotive quality systems, structured problem-solving, and process control preferred.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge of polyurethane foaming processes and common foam manufacturing defects.
• Understanding of process parameters, material characteristics, and product inspection requirements.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and MSA, as applicable.
• Proficiency in root-cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, product specifications, inspection standards, and technical documentation.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and quality reporting systems.

Working Conditions

• Regular work within the manufacturing facility and foaming production area.
• Potential exposure to industrial equipment, noise, and chemicals used in foaming operations.
• Compliance with required PPE, chemical-handling procedures, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and established EHS requirements.
• Ability to support production investigations, audits, trials, and quality issues across assigned shifts as needed.

Performance Expectations

Performance will be evaluated based on:

• Reduction of foaming-related defects, scrap, and rework.
• Improvement in first-pass yield and process stability.
• Timely completion and effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Compliance with established quality standards and process controls.
• Reduction in recurring internal and customer quality issues.
• Effectiveness of process audits and defect-prevention activities.
• Accuracy and timeliness of quality documentation and reporting.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Xinquan Automotive Interiors LLC is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Company Values: One Team, One Dream | Safety First, Quality Always

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Do you have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Chemical, or related Engineering discipline or an equivalent combination of education and relevant industry experience?
• Do you have experience in thermoforming / IMG, decorative wrapping, or PU foaming processes?
• Do you have experience in high cosmetic requirement environments (Class-A surfaces)?

Work Location: In person