Quality Engineer

Quality Engineer: Fabrication & Heavy Engineering

Department: Quality Assurance / Quality Control
Function: Fabrication & Heavy Engineering Production
Designation: Quality Engineer
Reporting To: Quality Manager / Plant Head
Location: Manufacturing Unit
Experience: 3 - 7 Years
Qualification: Diploma / B.E. / B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering / Production Engineering

Job Purpose:

The Quality Engineer will be responsible for ensuring that all fabrication, welding, machining, assembly and structural manufacturing activities are carried out in accordance with approved drawings, specifications, Quality Plans, ITPs and applicable standards.

The role will work closely with Production, Engineering, PPC, Projects and Supply Chain teams to prevent quality issues, minimize rework and rejection, and ensure timely inspection and clearance of fabricated components and assemblies.

Key Roles & Responsibilities:

1. Fabrication & Production Quality

• Carry out stage-wise and final inspection of fabricated components, structures and assemblies.
• Ensure fabrication is carried out as per approved engineering drawings, BOM, specifications and customer requirements.
• Inspect material cutting, fit-up, welding, drilling, bending, machining, assembly and finishing activities.
• Verify critical dimensions, tolerances, alignment, straightness, squareness, flatness and overall geometry.
• Ensure proper identification and traceability of raw materials and fabricated components.
• Monitor production processes to identify and prevent potential quality deviations.

2. Welding Quality

• Perform inspection of joint preparation, fit-up, root gap, weld size, weld profile and finished welds.
• Ensure welding activities are performed according to approved WPS/PQR and qualified welder requirements, wherever applicable.
• Verify welding consumables, storage conditions and usage controls.
• Conduct visual inspection of weld joints and coordinate required NDT activities.
• Identify welding defects and coordinate corrective action with Production.
• Maintain welding and inspection records as per project/customer requirements.

3. Dimensional & Final Inspection

• Perform dimensional inspections using instruments such as:
• Vernier calipers
• Micrometers
• Height gauges
• Measuring tapes
• Weld gauges
• Spirit levels
• Other relevant inspection instruments
• Ensure measuring instruments are within valid calibration status.
• Conduct final inspection before surface treatment, painting, assembly, packing and dispatch.
• Ensure all identified observations are closed before final product clearance.

4. Quality Documentation

• Prepare and maintain:
• Inspection reports
• Dimensional inspection reports
• Stage inspection records
• Quality check sheets
• ITP/QAP records
• NCR reports
• Rework/rejection records
• NDT reports
• Calibration records
• Final quality dossiers, wherever applicable
• Ensure proper documentation and traceability for customer and third-party inspections.

5. NCR, Rejection & Rework Control

• Raise Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) for deviations from drawings, specifications or processes.
• Coordinate with Production and Engineering teams for disposition and closure of NCRs.
• Monitor rejection, rework and repair trends.
• Conduct root cause analysis for recurring quality defects.
• Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone Analysis and CAPA.
• Drive reduction in Cost of Poor Quality through process improvement.

6. Engineering & Drawing Coordination

• Review fabrication drawings and understand GD&T, dimensions, tolerances, welding symbols and fabrication requirements.
• Highlight discrepancies or manufacturing concerns to the Engineering team before production.
• Ensure latest approved drawings and revisions are being followed on the shop floor.
• Coordinate technical clarification between Engineering, Production and Quality.

7. Production Quality Improvement

• Conduct regular shop-floor quality audits.
• Identify process gaps and recommend preventive quality controls.
• Participate in first-piece and first-off inspections for new components/products.
• Support development of inspection checkpoints for critical fabrication processes.
• Train and guide production supervisors, welders, fitters and operators regarding quality requirements and common defects.
• Promote a Right First Time quality culture in fabrication.

8. Customer / Third-Party Inspection

• Coordinate customer and Third-Party Inspection activities as required.
• Ensure products are internally inspected and cleared before offering them for customer/TPI inspection.
• Prepare required inspection documents and reports.
• Coordinate closure of inspection observations and punch points.

Key Performance Indicators KPIs

• Reduction in rejection and rework percentage
• First Pass Yield / Right First Time performance
• Number of internal and customer NCRs
• Timely closure of NCRs
• Customer inspection acceptance rate
• Adherence to inspection schedules
• Reduction in repeat quality issues
• Calibration compliance
• Quality documentation accuracy and completeness
• Reduction in Cost of Poor Quality
• Timely clearance of material without impacting production schedules

Technical Knowledge Required

Candidate should have good knowledge of:

• Heavy engineering and structural fabrication
• Fabrication drawings and engineering drawings
• Welding processes such as SMAW, GMAW/MIG, GTAW/TIG and SAW, as relevant to the plant
• Welding symbols and weld inspection
• WPS, PQR and welder qualification concepts
• NDT methods such as VT, PT, MT, UT and RT
• Dimensional inspection techniques
• Measuring and inspection instruments
• GD&T fundamentals
• Material identification and traceability
• Surface preparation and painting inspection basics
• NCR/CAPA and Root Cause Analysis
• ISO-based Quality Management Systems
• 5S and continuous improvement practices

Preferred Skills

• Strong understanding of fabrication and welding quality
• Ability to read and independently interpret complex engineering drawings
• Strong shop-floor problem-solving abilities
• Good coordination with Production and Engineering personnel
• Ability to identify defects and recommend practical corrective actions
• Good documentation and report-writing skills
• Working knowledge of MS Excel, ERP/SAP and quality documentation systems
• Ability to work under production and dispatch timelines without compromising quality requirements

Desired Candidate Profile

We are looking for a hands-on Quality Engineer with strong exposure to fabrication and heavy engineering manufacturing. The candidate should be capable of independently handling shop-floor inspections, welding quality, dimensional inspection, NCR management, quality documentation and final product clearance.

The individual should work proactively with Engineering and Production teams to prevent defects rather than only identifying defects after production.

Preferred Experience

Candidates with experience in manufacturing of any of the following will be preferred:

• Heavy fabricated structures
• Structural steel fabrication
• Gantries and road furniture structures
• FOB structures
• Telecom / infrastructure structures
• Defence fabrication
• Large welded assemblies
• Industrial equipment and engineered-to-order products