Quality Engineer

IES is a national provider of industrial products and infrastructure services to a variety of end markets, including electrical, mechanical and communications contracting solutions for the commercial, industrial, residential and renewable energy markets. IES is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol IESC. As of the end of IES’s 2025 fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, IES produced over $3.3 billion in revenue and employed over 10,200 employees at over 174 domestic locations across the United States.

Our commitment to our employees is reflected by our actions:

• Safety is Priority One – and our record shows it
• Competitive Pay
• Company 401K plan with Employer Contribution Match
• Company Paid Time Off
• Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance
• Company Paid Short-Term Disabilty and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Additional Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance
• Choice of Medical Coverage including Prescription
• Choice of Dental and Vision Coverage
• Optional Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity Legal and Pet Insurance Coverage
• Auto and Home Insurance Discount Programs

Wisconsin Heavy Fabrication

IES Infrastructure Solutions

Title: Quality Engineer

Status: Exempt

Reports To: Director of Quality

Location: Manitowoc, WI

Summary:

The Quality Engineer provides hands-on quality engineering support for manufacturing operations, with a focus on fabrication, welding, dimensional compliance, defect prevention, and continuous improvement. Partners with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to ensure products meet customer requirements, specifications, and company standards. Uses quality data, root cause analysis, and performance metrics to drive improvements in First Time Quality (FTQ), rework, scrap, customer complaints, and overall process performance while maintaining a strong presence on the production floor.

Responsibilities:

Industrial Fabrication Quality

• Provide hands-on support to manufacturing operations.
• Partner with operators, leads, supervisors, production management, and engineering to identify and resolve quality issues at the source.
• Review and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, weld requirements, and applicable customer requirements.
• Apply GD&T principles to evaluate dimensional requirements, establish appropriate inspection methods, and support resolution of dimensional nonconformances.
• Support the development and implementation of inspection requirements, control plans, process controls, and standardized work.
• Identify opportunities to prevent defects through improved process controls rather than relying solely on final inspection.

Defect Tracking, Metrics & Quality Performance

• Develop, maintain, and analyze quality metrics related to Industrial Fabrication performance.
• Establish and maintain defect tracking systems that identify defect type, location, process, product, cause, and responsible process.
• Monitor trends in FTQ, rework, scrap, NCRs, customer complaints, defects per unit, repeat defects, and other applicable quality metrics.
• Utilize Pareto analysis and other data-driven methods to identify significant defect trends and improvement opportunities.
• Provide regular reporting and communication of quality performance to Production and Quality leadership.
• Identify recurring and systemic defects and initiate appropriate corrective and preventive actions.
• Support development of visual management and shop-floor quality metrics to increase awareness and accountability.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• Lead and/or facilitate structured problem-solving activities using tools such as 5-Why, Pareto analysis, process mapping, FMEA, and other root-cause analysis methods.
• Drive corrective actions to address the root cause of defects and prevent recurrence.
• Verify effectiveness of corrective actions using objective data and established quality metrics.
• Identify opportunities to reduce defects, rework, scrap, variation, and process waste.
• Participate in and support continuous improvement projects focused on quality, productivity, process capability, and cost reduction.
• Support development and standardization of best practices across Industrial Fabrication operations.

Quality Systems & Process Control

• Support the creation, implementation, and revision of procedures, work instructions, inspection plans, and other controlled documents.
• Establish and maintain control charts, FMEAs, control plans, PPAP documentation, and other quality planning tools as required.
• Maintain internal and customer process-control and statistical-control activities.
• Support APQP and PPAP activities as required by customer and program requirements.
• Manage activities related to nonconformance and corrective action, including containment, root cause, corrective action, and effectiveness verification.
• Monitor nonconformance and corrective-action metrics and identify opportunities for systemic improvement.
• Support customer KPI reporting and communications as required.
• Support compliance with ISO requirements, customer-specific requirements, and WHF quality procedures.

Cross-Functional & Customer Support

• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Project Management, Supply Chain, and other departments to resolve quality issues and improve processes.
• Support customer inquiries, quality reviews, audits, and corrective-action activities as required.
• Communicate technical and quality information clearly to production personnel, leadership, customers, auditors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide training and coaching to manufacturing personnel on quality requirements, inspection methods, defect prevention, and process controls.
• Promote a culture where quality is built into the process and is the responsibility of everyone involved in manufacturing.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Quality, Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Business, or related field preferred.
• Associate’s degree or technical certification in a related field may be considered in combination with relevant manufacturing and quality experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in quality engineering, manufacturing engineering, process engineering, or related activities.
• Experience in industrial fabrication, welding, machining, structural fabrication, or heavy manufacturing strongly preferred.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) is a plus.
• Continuous Improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or Green Belt training preferred.
• Experience working cross-functionally and across multiple shifts.

Specialized Skills / Knowledge / Ability:

• Strong understanding of industrial fabrication and manufacturing processes.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and the ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications.
• Experience with dimensional inspection and FARO measurement equipment.
• Experience with welding and fabrication quality requirements preferred.
• Knowledge of NDT methods and inspection practices.
• Experience with defect tracking, quality metrics, Pareto analysis, and trend analysis.
• Strong understanding of root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, FMEA, control plans, and process control activities highly desired.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 principles and quality system administration.
• Strong data analysis skills with the ability to convert quality data into actionable improvement opportunities.
• Strong problem-solving skills with disciplined root cause analysis experience.
• Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate technical information to operators, leadership, auditors, and customers.