Gibson Inc., the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sound of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for over 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, Gibson Amps, the home of tone, KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals.
Job Summary
- The Senior Quality Engineer is responsible for maximizing global product quality for all Gibson divisions. The Senior QE will work closely with corporate functions and craftory manufacturing to optimize product quality, production yield, throughput, efficiency and cost. The Senior QE will champion large-scale quality investigations and improvement projects, actively support quality system development, drive corrective actions, and execute strategic improvement activities
Essential Functions
- Lead structured problem-solving efforts across the organization to address and resolve quality issues
- Work with Engineering, Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and craftory teams to facilitate and support development, implementation and execution of the Quality Management System
- Lead and execute complex quality projects and investigations across the organization
- Collaborate with individual Craftories to develop focused quality improvement plans
- Monitor internal and external quality data to analyze trends and direct corrective actions
- Develop and implement new quality control processes, controls, and standards
- Engage in regular communication related to production quality feedback originating from internal craftory teams and external customers
- Participate in cross-functional teams in the development of new products
- Coordinate event/issue response to drive swift and effective resolution
- Support and facilitate internal communication related to product quality and reliability
- Advocate strongly for our production quality and workmanship, working to ensure Gibson will perform at or above market expectations
Required Skills/Abilities
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Familiarity with statistical analysis applications
- Strong project management skills – including planning, tracking and team leadership
- Results-oriented and driven, with a track record for delivering to plan
- Outstanding organizational and time management skills - with the ability to prioritize and adjust
- Able to proactively question / challenge to identify root-causes and prioritize solutions in a timely manner
- Demonstrated ability to perform in a matrix organization – with ability to influence and utilize support from cross-functional teams
- Excellent written & oral communication skills
Required Education and Experience
- B.Sc in Engineering or equivalent technical field plus relevant work experience
- 8 years direct experience in Quality Engineering supporting manufacturing operations
- Highly desired: cross-functional engineering experience in manufacturing support roles (product development, supplier quality, continuous improvement)
- ASQ certifications desired: Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt
- Demonstrated experience in building strong relationships across multiple working groups
Essential Knowledge
- Understanding of quality engineering fundamentals including statistics, root-cause analysis and corrective action
- Detailed understanding of quality attributes and related measurement/inspection methods: dimensional, cosmetic, functional, reliability
- Advanced understanding of Lean and/or Six Sigma improvement methods
- Familiarity with industrial quality management systems (ISO 9001, IATF16949 and similar)
- Highly desired: personal hands-on experience with guitars, amplifiers, and electronics
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Personal Qualities
- Enjoys following a process through and communicating progress in a team environment
- Able to effectively navigate ambiguity and act upon “what really matters”
- High-energy, dynamic individual who strives for continuous improvement
- A strong desire to succeed and pursue continued professional growth and development
- Ability to handle stress and calmly lead others through issues
- Ability to clearly communicate requirements, needed actions and status/progress
- Detail-oriented and highly organized
- Creative, collaborative and effective problem solver and team contributor
- Personable, fun, team-oriented
- Passionate about working and winning in a team environment.
- Flexibility to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Able to proactively question and challenge to prioritize and identify solutions in timely manner
- Relish working in a company with a diverse, challenging, and fast paced environment
Travel Requirements
- This position is mostly office based, but may involve irregular travel
Physical Demands
- Typical office environment
- Ability to lift up to 25 pounds
We celebrate diversity and Gibson Brands, Inc is an Equal Opportunity employer.
