The Quality Planning Engineer is responsible for integrating quality requirements into manufacturing planning before production execution.

This role works cross-functionally with Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering, Operations, and Configuration Management to ensure manufacturing plans are compliant, inspectable, and ready for execution.

The primary focus is defect prevention and upfront quality planning—identifying and resolving quality risks before they result in nonconformances, escapes, reinspection, or production disruption.

Position Responsibilities:

• Review manufacturing plans before release or execution to ensure quality requirements are properly incorporated.
• Determine where, when, and how inspection and verification should occur.
• Ensure engineering requirements are correctly translated into manufacturing and inspection planning.
• Identify quality, compliance, and execution risks before production begins.
• Verify appropriate inspection points and acceptance requirements are included in planning.
• Identify and eliminate unnecessary or redundant inspection activities when appropriate.
• Ensure manufacturing planning aligns with current engineering configuration and requirements.
• Review planning changes for potential quality impacts.
• Analyze nonconformance, escape, rework, and inspection data to identify opportunities for defect prevention.
• Incorporate lessons learned and recurring defect information into future planning.
• Support resolution of unclear or conflicting engineering and manufacturing requirements.
• Ensure planning supports required quality records and objective evidence.
• Support audit and regulatory readiness by identifying potential compliance gaps before execution.
• Partner with Operations and Manufacturing Engineering to improve first-pass quality and manufacturing readiness.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills/Experience):

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related technical field, or equivalent relevant manufacturing/quality experience.
• Experience in aerospace, manufacturing, quality, engineering, inspection, or production planning.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing requirements.
• Understanding of manufacturing and inspection processes.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work effectively across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Quality organizations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills/Experience):

• Aerospace manufacturing experience.
• Knowledge of AS9100 or aerospace quality requirements.
• Experience with manufacturing or inspection planning.
• Experience with nonconformance and corrective-action processes.
• Understanding of configuration management and product traceability.
• Experience analyzing quality or manufacturing performance data.

Key Skills:

• Quality planning
• Defect prevention
• Manufacturing process knowledge
• Engineering drawing interpretation
• Inspection planning
• Risk identification
• Problem solving
• Data analysis
• Configuration awareness
• Cross-functional collaboration

Union:

This is a union-represented position.

Drug Free Workplace:

We are a Drug Free Workplace where post offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies.

Pay & Benefits:

We strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent.  Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. 

We also provide eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work. 

The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

Pay is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. 

Summary Pay Range - Mid-Level (Level 3): $73,600 - $112,850

Kansas Tax Credit: Join Spirit AeroSystems’ Kansas team and you may be eligible for a $5,000 state of Kansas Aviation tax credit for up to five years. Click here for more information on the tax credit.