Principal Customer Quality Engineer (Onsite)

Are you passionate about driving quality excellence and being the voice of the customer? Collins Aerospace in Vergennes, VT is seeking a dynamic and customer-focused Customer Quality Engineer to join our team. In this high-impact role, you’ll serve as a critical liaison between our internal operations and our valued customers, ensuring that quality standards not only meet expectations but exceed them. As part of an Integrated Product Team (IPT), you'll lead efforts to improve processes, drive root cause investigations, and promote a culture of continuous improvement—ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and elevating our performance on key customer scorecards.

This is more than just a quality role—it's a chance to influence change, build trust with major aerospace customers, and play a key part in shaping the future of our site. You’ll collaborate across functions, support compliance to AS9100 standards, and help coordinate customer visits and audits. If you're a confident communicator, a natural problem solver, and ready to champion operational excellence, we want you on our team.

What YOU Will Do:

• Promote the Quality culture in the business, through compliance to the QMS, requirements of AS9100 and adherence to Quality Cardinal Rules
• Work closely with Operations to ensure product meets requirements and provide guidance in all matters related to Customer Requirements
• Drive problem resolution through to completion for customer SCAR’s and internal escapes. Ensuring key milestones are met, i.e. Containment, Root Cause Analysis, Mistake Proofing
• Participate in contract review, ensuring customer specific requirements are understood and effectively communicate throughout the business
• Maintain reports, databases and assists with the management of the QMS including: customer scorecards, corrective actions, manufacturing dashboards and CPI project tracker, updating weekly and monthly quality reports as required
• Participate in customer calls and coordinate / host customer visits and site audits
• Understands and communicate the ‘voice of the customer’ (externally and internally) in decisions affecting quality and performance.
• Work with functional groups to help internal customers define and establish quality and process improvements
• Ability to communicate and work at all levels within the business

• How to effectively represent the voice of the customer in a fast-paced aerospace manufacturing environment, influencing decisions that directly impact product quality and customer satisfaction
• Real-world application of advanced quality tools and methodologies such as Root Cause Analysis, Mistake Proofing, and Continuous Improvement Projects to resolve high-visibility issues
• Best practices in navigating and maintaining compliance with industry standards like AS9100 and QMS, preparing you for future leadership roles in quality and operations
• How to build and manage strong relationships with top-tier aerospace customers through hands-on experience hosting audits, leading customer calls, and negotiating quality outcomes
• Cross-functional collaboration within Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), giving you a deeper understanding of the full product lifecycle—from design through delivery

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 8 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 5 years of experience or in absence of a degree, 12 years of relevant experience 
• U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee or asylee) or eligible to obtain necessary export authorizations required https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-120/subpart-C/section-120.62 

• Proficient Conversational and written English required, needs to be able to efficiently communicate with corporate leaders and customers both in person and in reports/via email
• Previous aerospace/aviation AS9100 industry experience is desirable
• Minimum 3 years of experience of working in Quality Management
• Basic knowledge of business management systems ERP / MRP (SAP), configuration tools etc
• Previous customer facing Quality role, such as hosting customer visits and audits
• Negotiating with customers to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes
• Must be able to read and understand data reports to analyze opportunities for improvement
• Ability to work under pressure while maintaining poise and tact in dealing with quality issues
• Competent in the use of common IT software including Microsoft Word / Excel / Access databases and SharePoint
• SAP Navigation, a plus

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance  
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees  
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option  
• Tuition reimbursement program 
• Student Loan Repayment Program  
• Life insurance and disability coverage  
• Optional coverages you can buy pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection 
• Birth, adoption, parental leave benefits 
• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning  
• Adoption Assistance   
• Autism Benefit  
• Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions  
• Healthy You Incentives, wellness rewards program 
• Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits  
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services 
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program  
• And more!