POSITION SUMMARY:

The Quality Program Manager, NPI plays a critical role in ensuring quality is embedded throughout the product development lifecycle. As the quality leader for New Product Introduction (NPI) programs, this position partners with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and program management teams to drive product quality, reliability, and risk management from concept through successful production launch.

This highly visible role combines technical quality expertise with program leadership to influence design decisions, identify and mitigate risks, and implement best-in-class quality practices. The Quality Program Manager, NPI will drive advanced quality planning activities, support continuous improvement initiatives, and help deliver innovative power conversion solutions that meet customer expectations and business objectives. The ideal candidate is a collaborative quality professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about building quality into products from the start. This is an individual contributor leadership role with significant responsibility for driving cross-functional quality initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

New Product Introduction (NPI) & Design Quality

• Lead end-to-end quality planning and risk management for new product development, ensuring robust design processes and compliance with quality requirements.
• Develop and execute Design for Quality & Reliability strategies to meet customer expectations and industry standards.
• Drive early-stage product risk assessments (NUDD), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), lessons learned reviews, and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives throughout product development.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory compliance, safety standards, and best industry practices throughout the design lifecycle.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner with engineering, program management, marketing, manufacturing, supply chain, and customer quality teams to embed quality in all development phases.
• Collaborate with suppliers, contract manufacturers, and supplier quality teams to align quality standards and enhance product reliability.
• Drive Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) to proactively address design-related quality challenges.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• Utilize 8D, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Lean methodologies to implement systematic process improvements.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and critical quality metrics to track product performance and drive accountability.
• Lead product and gate reviews to validate design robustness and manufacturability.

Customer Focus & Risk Management

• Act as the voice of the customer (VOC) by incorporating feedback into product design and quality enhancements.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies to address potential failure modes early in the development cycle.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Location: This position is based in Eden Prairie, MN and requires regular onsite collaboration with engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Environment: Standard office environment
• Travel: Limited travel (approximately 5-10%) may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders across multiple functions.
• Strong working knowledge and practical application of DFMEA, PFMEA, APQP, PPAP, 8D problem-solving, and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 or similar quality management systems.
• Experience using project management, data analytics, and enterprise systems (e.g., JIRA, Power BI, Smartsheet, SAP, or equivalent tools).
• Certified Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• 8-10 years of experience serving as a quality leader in new product development, NPI, product quality, or quality management programs.
• Experience in semiconductor, medical device, aerospace, automotive, or other highly regulated/high-tech manufacturing environments.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related discipline)

COMPENSATION:

As required by multiple state pay transparency laws, Advanced Energy provides a reasonable range of compensation for each job posting. Actual compensation is influenced by an array of factors including, but not limited to, skill set, level of experience, and specific office location. The range of starting pay for this role is $120,000 to $150,000 per year.

BENEFITS:

As part of our total rewards philosophy, we believe in offering and maintaining competitive compensation and benefits programs for our employees to attract and retain a talented, highly engaged workforce. Our compensation programs are focused on equitable, fair pay practices including market-based base pay, an annual pay-for-performance incentive plan for eligible positions, and a discounted Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

In addition to our competitive compensation practices, we offer a strong benefits package in each of the countries in which we operate. In the U.S., we offer a rich benefits package that includes:

• Medical - multiple medical plans are available to choose from
• Short and long-term disability and life insurance
• Health savings and flexible spending accounts
• Generous time off policy starting with 3 weeks of paid vacation, 7 days of paid sick time, and 12 paid holidays
• 8 hours of paid volunteer time off
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave for both parents
• Company matched 401(k)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Expanded mental health coverage and employee assistance programs
• Other voluntary benefits include critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity, pet insurance, identity theft, and legal assistance