Location: Houston, TX Department: DEPENG
The Opportunity The Senior Process Quality Engineer - Mechanical is a quality engineering role responsible for improving and sustaining mechanical product quality across manufacturing and assembly operations. This position partners with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supplier Quality, Operations, Product, and Field Construction teams to prevent defects, strengthen process controls, support first-pass quality, and ensure mechanical assemblies meet drawings, specifications, customer requirements, field installation needs, and applicable quality standards before release from the factory. The role focuses on process capability, in-process quality controls, production and field issue resolution, root cause analysis, corrective action effectiveness, and lessons learned that improve repeatability across product builds and construction installation.
What you will do? - Own mechanical product quality engineering support for factory production, assembly, integration, and ready-to-ship release activities.
- Develop, maintain, and improve mechanical inspection plans, control plans, quality gates, checklists, hold points, and acceptance criteria for mechanical modules, skids, piping, valves, tanks, cooling systems, fabricated structures, and related assemblies.
- Support in-process inspections, first-piece/first-build reviews, mechanical fit-up verification, dimensional checks, torque verification, pressure/leak testing, alignment checks, and final product quality release reviews.
- Partner with Manufacturing and Engineering to resolve mechanical quality issues related to drawings, tolerances, fabrication, assembly sequencing, workmanship, material condition, supplier components, and installation readiness.
- Collaborate with Field Construction teams to troubleshoot installation-related mechanical product quality issues, support field problem solving, clarify factory versus field interfaces, and feed lessons learned back into factory inspection plans, design reviews, and standard work.
- Lead containment, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive action, and effectiveness verification for factory mechanical nonconformances, repeat defects, customer escapes, and production quality trends.
- Analyze NCRs, inspection results, test data, defect trends, rework drivers, and first-pass quality performance to identify systemic process improvement opportunities.
- Drive manufacturing process improvements using quality engineering tools such as PFMEA, control plans, SPC, mistake-proofing, standard work, layered process audits, and visual quality standards.
- Support production readiness reviews for new products, first-of-kind builds, design changes, supplier changes, and manufacturing process changes to ensure mechanical quality risks are identified and controlled before production release.
- Collaborate with Supplier Quality on incoming mechanical component issues, supplier corrective actions, first article reviews, certificates of conformance, and supplier-related quality escapes affecting factory production.
- Maintain clear quality records, including inspection results, NCRs, RCCM/CAPA documentation, deviation support, lessons learned, quality alerts, and product release documentation.
- Coach manufacturing teams and quality inspectors on mechanical quality requirements, defect recognition, measurement methods, inspection standards, and build-it-right expectations.
- Participate in design reviews to ensure manufacturability and quality requirements are incorporated early in product development.
- Evaluate and disposition manufacturing deviations, temporary process changes to ensure product quality and customer requirements are maintained
- Support the qualification and validation of new manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, inspection methods, and mechanical tests process prior to implementation.
- Ensure conformance to applicable standards, customer requirements or specifications, codes, and regulatory requirements applicable to mechanical systems, fabrication, welding and pressure testing.
- Participate in customer 3 rd party audits, witness inspections, or factory acceptance tests to mechanical products and manufacturing processes.
- Benchmark internal and external best practices and recommend improvements to inspection methods and manufacturing controls.
- Support initiatives to identify quality related waste, reduction of rework and scrap, and improving process capacity without compromising product quality.
- Analyze field performance data and identify opportunities for design and manufacturing improvements.
- Travel • 10 -20%
Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or related technical discipline.
- 7+ years of quality engineering, manufacturing quality, process quality, or mechanical production support experience in a manufacturing, industrial, modular construction, equipment fabrication, or data center product environment.
- Hands-on experience supporting mechanical product quality in factory operations, including fabricated assemblies, piping, valves, pumps, tanks, cooling systems, skids, structural steel fabrication, or mechanical modules.
- Demonstrated experience with ISO 9001 quality systems, NCR/CAPA workflows, root cause analysis, inspection planning, process controls, and production quality metrics.
- Working knowledge of applicable mechanical and fabrication standards such as ASME, AWS, ASTM, drawing/specification requirements, and customer quality requirements.
- Experience working directly with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supplier Quality, Operations, Field Construction, and inspection teams to solve factory and field mechanical quality problems and prevent recurrence.
Preferred Qualifications - Preferred: ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt.
- Preferred: AWS (CWI) , ASME, GD&T, welding inspection, NDT,(VT, PT, MT, UT per ASNT) or mechanical inspection-related certification.
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry preferred for factory and industrial work environments.
- Strong understanding of quality engineering tools, including RCA, 5-Why, fishbone, PFMEA, control plans, SPC, PPAP/FAI concepts, layered process audits, and mistake-proofing.
- Strong mechanical aptitude with experience reading drawings, specifications, bills of material, weld symbols, tolerances, and mechanical assembly requirements.
- Proficiency with mechanical measurement and inspection tools such as calipers, micrometers, gauges, torque tools, pressure/leak test equipment, and dimensional inspection methods.
- Ability to interpret production quality data, identify defect trends, prioritize risks, and convert findings into practical process improvements.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and problem-solving skills with the ability to influence factory teams, Field Construction partners, and cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
- Knowledge of welding process and inspection for piping and pressure vessels (ASME BPVC sec V, VIII, IX), and for welding , inspection and testing of structural steel welding (AWS D1.1)
- Factory-floor presence with a hands-on, practical approach to solving mechanical quality problems.
- Data-driven, detail-oriented, and disciplined in follow-through on containment, corrective action, and effectiveness verification.
- Collaborative and credible with manufacturing operators, supervisors, engineers, inspectors, suppliers, Field Construction teams, and leadership.
- Proactive in identifying mechanical quality risks before they become defects, field issues, or customer escapes.
- Committed to build-it-right quality, first-pass yield improvement, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement.
How we support you We believe your best work happens when you feel supported - professionally, personally, and financially. That's why we offer a range of benefits designed to help you thrive, stay healthy, and plan for the future.
- Performance-driven rewards • Competitive pay with incentive opportunities that recognize your results and contributions.
- Comprehensive healthcare • Medical, dental, and vision coverage that supports you and your family's total well-being.
- Security and peace of mind • Life and disability insurance programs that provide protection when it matters most.
- Flexible benefits options • A variety of voluntary benefits so you can personalize coverage to fit your needs.
- Time to recharge • Generous paid time off to relax, travel, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
- Investing in your growth • Education assistance and tuition support to help you build skills and advance your career.
- Planning for the future • Retirement and savings programs that help you achieve long-term financial confidence.
