Senior Principal Program Quality Engineer – Customer & Program Excellence

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States

Category: Engineering & Technology

Employment Type: Full-Time

Job Description
What’s it like realizing your potential at an innovative company that takes on some of the world’s most important challenges? Rewarding. As part of our Controls & Avionics Solutions Quality Organization, you’ll join a diverse group of driven professionals who design the products and systems that support enhanced military capabilities, protect national security, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure. With us, you’ll be able to make an impact while you hone your skills and grow in your career.

BAE Systems is looking for a Senior Principal Program Quality Engineer to join our team in Ft Wayne, IN. The successful candidate will be a key program leadership member collaborating across functions and empowered to influence strategy and execution that ensures programs are executed with high quality. This position will ensure that customer, regulatory, and internal requirements are met at all levels of the value stream and will ensure the quality success of the program by coordinating quality resources (design, supplier, manufacturing), meeting customer satisfaction, and identifying, communicating, and dispositioning quality risks.

A Senior Principal Quality Engineer will typically fulfill the following responsibilities:

• Program Quality Planning & Execution: Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive program quality plans (including estimates, schedules, resources, and budgets) aligned with customer & internal requirements with inputs from but not limited to design and supplier quality counterparts, coordinate necessary quality expertise, and collaborate with other functions on APQP planning.
• Lifecycle Management: Support lifecycle management, phase gate, and program management reviews to ensure product quality, proactively identify issues, and serve as an active participant in program return to green efforts and transition to production activities.
• Customer Advocacy and Liaison: Serve as the primary customer quality liaison by overseeing product sell off, hosting customer source inspections and audits, approving and submitting PPAP’s to the customer, and managing customer quality related issues and concerns.
• Quality Requirement Management: Proactively integrate quality into the program lifecycle by influencing bids and ensuring requirements flow down to all levels (design, suppliers, factories) and validate requirements through make item PPV/FAI reviews and approvals.
• Issue Management & Resolution: Lead nonconformance management by overseeing Material Alert investigations and chairing Material Review Boards, drive robust Root Cause & Corrective Action (RCCA) processes, and minimize program/customer impact.
• Risk & Opportunity Management: Identify and communicate quality risks, ensure robust mitigation strategies are in place, and leverage product issue data for DFMEA/PFMEA updates.
• Supplier/Subcontract Support: Develop supplier quality clausing plans and review and approve subcontract management plans and statements of work.
• Compliance & Audit Support: Ensure compliance with BAE programmatic processes and organize, support, and/or execute ISO 9001/AS9100/IATF16949 audits and CMMI assessments.
• Performance Monitoring & Improvement: Ensure programs meet all quality performance requirements by managing and reporting key quality metrics and partner with programs and other functions to drive improvements in overall program and business performance.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree and 6-10+ years of experience or 10-14+ years of related experience in lieu of degree
• Knowledge of industry standards and regulations (e.g. AS9100/ISO 9001, AS9102, AS13100, AS9145, CMMI)
• Experienced with root cause corrective action (RCCA), SPC, and advanced quality methodologies
• Strong problem solving and risk management skills leveraged to ensure that solutions meet the needs of the business and warfighter
• Familiarity with lifecycle management (LCM) process and project management
• Customer skills including ability to develop solid, working customer relationships with credibility
• Business acumen, leadership, and cross-functional influence
• Clear and concise verbal and written communication

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor of Science Degree
• Master’s degree in engineering or an equivalent technical discipline
• SQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
• ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE)
• ASQ Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE)
• Equivalent senior-level quality certifications considered

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $108787 - $184937

Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.


About BAE Systems Electronic Systems
BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.

Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.