Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

We’re hiring a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer at our Vancouver, WA location!

Salary Range: $80K – $99K annually. (Actual base pay based on factors such as relevant experience, education, market, qualifications, and skills.)

With nearly 80,000 employees globally, Kyocera is a leading manufacturer of high-tech ceramics in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, Medical applications, and semiconductor processing. Our innovative materials are found in everything from smartphones to space shuttles! Check out our profile video!     

Look at these PERKS!     

• Competitive pay, benefits, and hours
• 120 hours of vacation accrued per year to start (that's 3 weeks/year for regular 8-hour shifts!)
• 10 Paid Holidays per year
• 401(k) with company match
• Pension
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible schedules
• Tuition reimbursement 

We have a long-tenured staff (many with over 30 years of service!), a vital company mission, and an excellent benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, paid time off to volunteer, paid leave options, tuition reimbursement, an employer-paid Pension and a 401(k) with both Roth and a healthy company match. Our larger locations also feature onsite gyms, walking tracks, exercise rooms, and employee gardens! 

We strive to have a diverse workforce from all backgrounds, including minorities, women, and veterans, who bring their experience to support the innovation and quality that Kyocera is known for.    

Kyocera International, Inc. also has a robust corporate culture and philosophy based on the experiences and writings of our founder, Dr. Kazuo Inamori, which you can learn more about here: https://global.kyocera.com/inamori/philosophy/. Our company motto is “Do the right thing as a human being,” and we try to use that motto constantly in our decision-making.    

 

Senior Quality Engineer: Drive Change. Eliminate Risk. Elevate Quality.
Why This Role Matters: At the core of our operation is a commitment to precision, performance, and continuous improvement. As a Senior Quality Engineer, you won’t just maintain quality, you’ll transform it.Working alongside senior leadership, you’ll help drive a culture shift toward a truly quality-driven organization, leading critical initiatives that reduce risk, eliminate repeat issues, and strengthen processes across the business.This is a high-visibility, high-impact role where your expertise will directly influence operations, decision-making, and long-term performance.
What You’ll Own: Eliminate Recurring Issues

• Lead root cause investigations and drive corrective actions that prevent repeat failures
• Analyze audit findings and internal corrective actions to identify trends and systemic gaps
• Implement sustainable solutions that improve long-term process stability

Lead High-Impact Projects

• Own and execute cross-functional quality and operational improvement projects
• Drive implementation of new systems, software, and equipment, including training and documentation
• Define scope, timelines, resources, risks, and success criteria from start to finish
• Manage multiple projects while balancing priorities and business needs
• Evaluate and introduce new tools, technologies, and problem-solving methods

Be the Quality Subject Matter Expert

• Serve as a go-to resource and mentor for:
  • Control Plans
  • FMEA
  • 8D
  • 5 Whys
• Help elevate team capability and standardize best practices across the organization

Influence Without Authority

• Partner with engineering, operations, and leadership to drive alignment and results
• Communicate project status, risks, and recommendations to plant leadership
• Influence decisions, timelines, and priorities across multiple teams

What You Bring: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field required
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment
• Strong background in root cause analysis, corrective actions, and quality systems
• Working knowledge of project management principles
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and drive projects to completion
• Excellent communication skills. You can clearly present risks, trade-offs, and solutions
• Advanced problem-solving and analytical thinking

Additional Requirements: 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Ability to work in an ITAR-regulated environment

Qualifications: 
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelors Degree required.
Ability to pass a criminal background check and drug screen.
Physical Activities: 
The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.
While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to talk or hear; regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms; occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Environmental Conditions: 
The following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the functions of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, work in high, precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals.
The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
Additional Information: 
The above statements are intended to describe the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. The duties and responsibilities of this position are subject to change and other duties may be assigned or removed at any time.  This position may require exposure to information subject to US Export Control regulations, i.e.: the International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be US persons within the meaning of US regulations.
Kyocera International, Inc. values diversity in its workforce, and is proud to be an AAP/EEO employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.
If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Kyocera International, Inc. Human Resources team directly.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.