Sr Quality Engineer

A Day in Your Life at MKS:

As the Senior Quality Engineer at the MKS ESI Klamath Falls manufacturing site, you will serve as the site’s primary quality resource and provide hands-on support for the production of precision consumable MLCC carrier plates. Working closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and customers, you will own day-to-day product and process quality, sustain the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system, resolve internal and external quality issues, and lead practical improvements that protect delivery, cost, and customer performance. This role requires an experienced manufacturing quality professional who can operate independently, balance production urgency with disciplined quality controls, and build scalable processes appropriate for a small, high-mix/mid-to-high-volume operation.

You Will Make an Impact By:

Production Quality & Process Control:

• Provide daily floor support for machining, finishing, cleaning, inspection, packaging, and release of consumable carrier plates.
• Develop and maintain control plans, inspection instructions, acceptance criteria, sampling plans, and reaction plans for critical product and process characteristics.
• Interpret customer drawings, specifications, tolerances, and workmanship requirements; ensure requirements are translated into effective production and inspection controls.
• Apply SPC, capability analysis, first-pass yield, defect pareto, and trend analysis to prevent escapes and reduce variation, scrap, and rework.
• Establish and sustain measurement methods, gage calibration, measurement system analysis, and inspection equipment controls appropriate to dimensional and surface-quality requirements.
• Support new product introduction and process changes through risk assessment, process qualification, first article approval, and production readiness reviews.
• Maintain product identification, traceability, inspection status, record retention, and final release controls.

Nonconformance, Corrective Action & Customer Quality:

• Own the control and disposition of nonconforming material, including containment, segregation, material review documentation, and verification of rework or repair.
• Lead structured root cause investigations and corrective actions using 8D, 5-Why, fishbone, and risk-based problem-solving methods; verify effectiveness before closure.
• Coordinate responses to customer complaints, returns, corrective action requests, and quality inquiries with timely containment and fact-based communication.
• Analyze internal defects, customer escapes, and warranty or return data to identify systemic risks and prioritize prevention.

Quality Management System & Compliance:

• Serve as the site focal point for the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system, ensuring required processes, procedures, records, and performance reviews remain effective and audit-ready.
• Plan and conduct internal audits; coordinate external certification and customer audits; manage findings, corrective actions, and on-time closure.
• Maintain document and change control, training competence records, calibration controls, quality records, and risk-based operational controls.
• Prepare quality inputs for management review, including objectives, KPI trends, audit results, customer performance, nonconformities, risks, and improvement actions.

Supplier Quality & Incoming Material:

• Define incoming inspection and supplier controls based on material risk, historical performance, and process capability.
• Investigate supplier-related nonconformances, issue supplier corrective action requests, and verify corrective-action effectiveness.
• Partner with Supply Chain and suppliers on qualification, performance monitoring, change notification, and improvement of critical materials and outsourced processes.

Quality Metrics & Continuous Improvement:

• Own a practical site quality dashboard covering customer complaints, defects, scrap, rework, first-pass yield, process capability, supplier performance, audit actions, and corrective-action closure.
• Facilitate cross-functional improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, mistake-proofing, standard work, and risk-reduction methods.
• Train and coach production personnel on inspection, defect recognition, nonconformance control, problem solving, and adherence to quality procedures.
• Escalate significant product, process, compliance, or customer risks and drive clear ownership and closure of corrective actions.

Skills You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Quality, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Materials Engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of hands-on quality engineering experience in a production environment, preferably involving precision machining, injection molding, either silicone (preferably) or other plastics, consumable tooling, electronics-related manufacturing, or similar engineered products.
• Demonstrated ability to independently support a small manufacturing site as the primary quality professional and influence results without a large supporting quality organization.
• Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015, internal auditing, document control, corrective action, risk-based thinking, and management review.
• Proficiency in control plans, inspection planning, SPC, process capability, sampling, measurement system analysis, calibration, and basic statistical analysis.
• Experience leading root cause analysis and corrective action for internal defects, customer complaints, and supplier nonconformances.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, dimensional tolerances, and customer-specific quality requirements.
• Proficiency with common metrology tools and quality data systems; experience with ERP, Minitab or equivalent statistical software, and electronic QMS tools is preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to work directly with operators, leaders, suppliers, auditors, and global customers.
• ASQ CQE, CQA, Six Sigma certification, or ISO 9001 lead auditor training is preferred.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Perform activities such as sitting, standing, or typing for extended periods of time
• Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs.
• Regularly requires good manual dexterity and coordination
• Occasionally moves/positions objects up to 30 pounds
• Ability to remain in a stationary position for 80% of the time
• Frequently positions self to perform tasks and positions objects below, at, and above shoulder level
• Regularly requires manual dexterity and coordination of objects below, at and above shoulder level
• Must be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand
• Must be able to exchange accurate information
• Operates in a professional office and/or laboratory/manufacturing environment
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery
• Ability to observe documents and details at close range (within a few feet of the observer)
• Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards including handling mechanical and electrical hardware, high voltage, gas, water, and heat
• Noise level in the work environment is usually average

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary Pay Range: $88,425.00 - $147,375.00 per year. This range is a good faith estimate of the expected salary range for this position, based on a wide range of factors including qualifications, experience and training, operational and business needs and other considerations permitted by law. At MKS, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role.

Bonus: This position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, in an amount to be determined by MKS [or as applicable].

Benefits: MKS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental and vision), 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, 12 paid holidays, sick time, 15 paid vacation days, [6 weeks fully paid] parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement [and for participation in any stock programs, signing bonus, etc.].

MKS is an equal opportunity employer, including disability, veteran status and all categories protected by law. Please review our EOE statements for additional details. MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.

Globally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be “U.S. persons.” “U.S. persons” are generally defined as U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.

MKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“MKS”) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies. MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.

MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at: accommodationsatMKS@mksinst.com . If applying for a specific job, please include the requisition number (ex: RXXXX), the title and location of the role