Lead Quality Engineer

Vention helps some of the most innovative manufacturing companies automate their production floor in just a few days. Vention's online-first manufacturing automation platform (MAP) enables its clients to design, automate, order, and deploy manufacturing equipment directly from their web browser. Vention is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with offices in Berlin and Boston, and is used in over 3,000 factories on 5 continents. As one of Canada’s Most Admired Cultures and Great Place to Work, we are a performance driven culture that cares deeply about happiness. We like ambitious goals, facts & data, and constructive debates. But at the same time, we know that we can’t repeatedly push ourselves if we are not surrounded by an uplifting and caring work environment. Those two sides of our culture, feed each other and are safeguarded with the same level of attention. Our values & principles include:

• We make our clients successful - we do what’s right for our customers, even when it makes our roles more challenging.
• We execute and deliver - we set ambitious goals for ourselves and are energized about meeting them.
• We debate, then commit - we challenge our own perspectives and ideas in pursuit of the best solutions.
• We innovate to inspire - we value innovation in products, user experiences, and business practices.
• We collaborate to achieve more - we work as one team to achieve more than we would on our own.
• We empower our people to reach their full potential - we hold ourselves to high standards but know when to celebrate progress & achievements

Job Description Reporting to the Director of Production, the Lead Quality Engineer role is responsible for in-plant quality control, outgoing quality assurance (OQC), and customer quality management for electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical products. You will work closely with production, engineering, operations, and customer success teams to ensure product quality, drive continuous improvement, and develop robust testing systems. Roles And Responsibilities In-Plant & Outgoing Quality Control (OQC)

• Develop and implement OQC and final inspection processes to ensure only high-quality products are shipped.
• Establish and maintain in-plant quality control procedures to monitor and improve production quality.
• Conduct final product inspections, ensuring compliance with ISO, IPC, and customer specifications.
• Work alongside production teams to quickly identify and resolve quality defects in real time.
• Track and analyze key quality metrics (e.g., first-pass yield, rework rates, scrap levels) to drive improvements.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) for in-plant and outgoing quality issues.
• Perform process audits to verify adherence to manufacturing and quality control standards.
• Train and support production staff on quality best practices to ensure consistent execution.

Development of Testing Systems & Automation

• Design, develop, and implement custom testing systems for in-plant and outgoing quality control.
• Work with engineering and production teams to create manual and automated test equipment for functional and reliability testing.
• Define, document, and enforce test procedures to ensure repeatability and accuracy.
• Validate and calibrate test fixtures, measurement tools, and inspection systems.
• Drive continuous improvement of test methodologies, leveraging data to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Develop in-line testing solutions to improve quality control at multiple points in production.
• Evaluate and introduce new inspection technologies to enhance detection of defects and performance issues.

Customer Quality & Issue Resolution

• Serve as the primary escalation point for customer quality concerns and product performance issues.
• Investigate customer returns (RMAs), perform failure analysis, and drive corrective actions.
• Lead 8D problem-solving processes, ensuring thorough root cause analysis and effective countermeasures.
• Collaborate with engineering and production teams to improve product design for manufacturability and reliability based on customer feedback.
• Maintain customer complaint tracking systems to monitor trends and prevent recurring issues.
• Implement customer-specific quality requirements into production and inspection processes.
• Provide technical support and quality-related documentation for customers as needed.

Supplier & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with the IQC Team to ensure incoming materials meet quality standards.
• Provide real-time feedback to suppliers and contract manufacturers (CMs) on non-conforming components.
• Participate in supplier audits and evaluations, working to improve overall supplier quality.
• Work closely with operations and logistics to prevent quality-related delays in production and fulfillment.
• Partner with engineering and R&D to ensure that new product designs meet manufacturability and reliability requirements.
• Lead cross-functional quality improvement projects, aligning quality goals with production and supply chain strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, quality management, or a related field.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in plant quality, manufacturing quality, or quality assurance.
• Strong expertise in outgoing quality control (OQC), process quality, and customer quality management.
• Experience in developing and implementing testing systems for in-plant and outgoing quality control.
• Hands-on knowledge of ISO standards, APQP, Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, work instructions, and quality control plans.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams to resolve quality issues.
• Knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical components used in automation and manufacturing.

Additional Information ‍How We Take Care of You

• Complimentary beverages and snacks so that you are fueled and ready for your day
• Career growth opportunities. Your future matters.
• Fun-filled social events curated based on diverse interests for our team to celebrate together. From sponsored sports teams to trivia nights
• Time off to volunteer and give back to your community.

What To Expect In Your Interview

• Initial Call
• Meet the Team
• Challenge
• Decision & Offer

Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity Our culture is an uplifting environment for high achievers. The fast-paced, high-performance environment will give you the opportunity to build products, processes and strategies that will have a lasting impact. When you join Vention, you join a team of professionals with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. Together, we strive to nurture a supportive and inclusive work environment for all. We push each other to achieve extraordinary results and forge long term relationships as a result of the intensity and passion. We’re passionate about helping you do your best work. Claim your seat and find out what you can do! If you're unsure if your experience perfectly matches our job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway! We are happy to chat and get to know you better while you can understand the role as well