Principal Quality Engineer - Design & Operations Quality

Job Description
How does it feel to work on a team driven to make a big impact? Empowering.
The Principal Quality Engineer for Design & Operations Quality is a critical leadership role dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of quality for our advanced weapons systems. By bridging the gap between initial design and final production, this role directly contributes to BAE Systems' mission of protecting those who protect us. Through the application of "Right-First-Time" development and continuous improvement, the Principal Quality Engineer ensures that our products meet stringent contractual requirements and achieve customer expectations. This role is pivotal in mitigating program and technical risk, optimizing manufacturing processes, and maintaining the company's reputation for engineering excellence and operational integrity.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Project & Quality Management

• End-to-End Oversight: Lead Quality Assurance activities for transition to production efforts of moderate complexity, ensuring all technical, performance, and quality requirements are met.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Synchronize quality activities across:
  • Design Quality: Partner with engineering to embed quality into requirements, design reviews, and validation/verification activities to drive defect prevention.
  • Production Quality: Directly interface with operations. Support the reporting and troubleshooting of manufacturing deviations and ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustainable. Drive optimization of processes.
  • Procurement Quality: Oversee supplier non-conformances and issues.
• Proposal Development: Support Program Quality with input to quality-specific portions of technical proposals, including influencing the statement of work and developing basis of estimates.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify and mitigate program and product level quality risks, ensuring a consistent approach to product and process excellence.

Stakeholder Liaison & Governance

• Customer Interface: Work directly with Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) to foster a collaborative, partnering relationship and resolve corrective actions.
• Quality Management System: Ensure programs align with the organization's Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring consistent application of processes, documentation, and reporting.
• Compliance Management: Collaborate with program stakeholders to validate and ensure full compliance with contractual, customer, and regulatory quality standards (AS9100/ISO) across the entire program lifecycle.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Culture Change Agent: Drive a culture of "Right-First-Time" development by leveraging APQP Core Tools, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), and Lean methodologies.
• Root Cause Excellence: Lead/Facilitate investigations, using structured root cause analysis, to identify true causes of issues and implement effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Metrics Performance: Support Program Quality with the management of quality program-level metrics to monitor quality health. Identify improvement opportunities and ensure the sustainment of improvements is aligned with business objectives.

Technical Engineering Oversight

• Technical Review: Conduct detailed drawing reviews and interpret fundamental GD&T to ensure producibility and quality.
• Test Validation: Support development of test plans and participate in qualification and first article inspection/testing.
• Product Transition: Ensure seamless transition from engineering development to full-scale production. Partner with manufacturing teams to optimize processes, reduce risk, and maintain compliance with customer and government requirements.
• Inspection: Oversight of receiving, in-process and final inspections.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an accredited university (Mechanical or Electrical preferred).
• Understanding and practical experience executing Quality Management Systems (QMS) based on AS9100, ISO 9001, or TS-16949.
• Proficiency in APQP core tools, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), Lean, and structured root cause analysis.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, apply GD&T, and manage product acceptance testing.
• Expert use of M365 (Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio).
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to defend technical results to external customers and internal executives.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• ASQ Accreditation (CQM/OE, CQE, or CQA).
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• Black Belt or Green Belt certification.
• Experience in Defense Contracting.
• Direct experience in manufacturing product launch and engineering product release.
• Expertise in supplier component test verification (EMI, ESS, Unit Qualification, FAT).
• Experience with requirement management tools and traceability matrices.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $118095 - $200762
Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.
Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.
About BAE Systems Platforms & Services
BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.
Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.
This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.