Overview
Director of Quality Jobs in Columbus, MS at Nickerson Talent Solutions
Title: Director of Quality
Company: Nickerson Talent Solutions
Location: Columbus, MS
About Opportunity
Nickerson Talent Solutions is partnered with a leading aerospace and defense manufacturer seeking an experienced Director of Quality to lead and continuously improve its Quality Management System (QMS) within a highly regulated aerospace environment.
This is a key leadership role responsible for driving quality strategy, regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction across the organization. The successful candidate will serve as a member of the site leadership team and play a critical role in maintaining AS9100 certification, supporting customer audits, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and zero-defect manufacturing.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, maintain, and improve the Quality Management System (QMS) in compliance with AS9100, ISO 9001, customer, and regulatory requirements
- Serve as the primary quality leader for internal audits, customer audits, regulatory audits, and certification activities
- Drive root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, 8D, FMEA, SPC, and related methodologies
- Develop and monitor quality metrics, KPIs, dashboards, and reporting systems to improve performance and reduce defects
- Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Operations to ensure quality is embedded throughout the product lifecycle
- Lead supplier quality initiatives, supplier audits, performance improvement programs, and compliance activities
- Ensure compliance with aerospace industry standards including AS9100, NADCAP, customer requirements, and applicable government regulations
- Recruit, mentor, develop, and lead quality professionals while building a high-performance quality culture
- Support risk mitigation, product conformity, process improvement, and operational excellence initiatives across the organization
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or related technical discipline
- 10+ years of progressive quality experience within aerospace, defense, aviation, or highly regulated manufacturing environments
- Minimum 5 years of quality leadership experience
- Strong expertise with AS9100, ISO 9001, quality systems, auditing, CAPA, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies
- Experience supporting customer audits, supplier quality programs, and regulatory compliance requirements
- Knowledge of NADCAP, FAA, DoD, military specifications, and aerospace manufacturing environments preferred
- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
- U.S. Citizenship or ability to meet ITAR requirements
Why Join?
- 4-Day Work Week
- Medical Coverage Starting Day One
- Dental & Vision Coverage
- Company-Paid Life Insurance
- Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
- AD&D Insurance
- 401(k) with Company Match
- Two Weeks’ Vacation Starting Day One
- 10 Paid Company Holidays
- Annual Bonus Opportunity (Up to 8%)
This is an outstanding opportunity to join a growing aerospace and defense organization where quality is a critical driver of mission success, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence.
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