What does a principal quality engineer do?
Principal quality engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for providing quality engineering support and technical guidance to help the quality activities of a project. They are required to supervise the quality management system to monitor the progress of projects and ensure their timely deliveries. They must provide quality assurance (QA) solutions while evaluating the efficiency of their existing QA processes. Principal quality engineers must also identify technical risks and challenges by suggesting corrective actions and QA process improvements.
Principal quality engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real principal quality engineer resumes:
- Manage quality and performance for precision investment casting products manufacture for aerospace customers.
- Use of FMEA, IPC-610 documents and processes.
- Audit supplier procedures and operations to ensure compliance with both ISO 9001 and military requirements.
- Develop and maintain product safety risk management files including design/process risks FMEA and user risks.
- Provide quality leadership / guidance on all QMS matters as well as product compliance to the facility.
- Demonstrate competency and understanding of QA/QC systems, auditing standards and technical codes (ASME, API.
- Conduct internal audits in support of maintaining ISO, BSI and UL certifications and external audits for supplier certifications.
- Maintain and improve the company s QMS securing continuous compliance with the U.S. and international quality assurance and regulatory standards.
- Involve in NDA submission for brain tumor imaging agent, which are granted FDA approval following a successful FDA NDA audit.
- Complete and process PPAP documentation and other associate customer require documents.
- Lead documentation and execution efforts for the injection molding remediation team responsible for the development and execution of IQ/OQ/PQ validations.
- Lead documentation and execution efforts for the injection molding remediation team responsible for the development and execution of IQ/OQ/PQ validations.
Principal quality engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 6% of Principal Quality Engineers are proficient in Sigma, Corrective Action, and ISO. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Listening skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Principal Quality Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sigma, 6%
Implement continuous improvement strategies via six sigma methodologies.
- Corrective Action, 6%
Performed statistical analysis of trended issues, internal and external, and provided feedback to management and recommended corrective actions.
- ISO, 6%
Performed gap assessments and developed risk mitigation strategies for new and updated Global Quality & Regulatory Standards including ISO.
- Continuous Improvement, 5%
Supported continuous improvement activities through a newly developed and implemented electronic quality assurance data sharing system.
- Statistical Analysis, 5%
Implement inspections methods and sampling plan using risk based analysis including statistical analysis.
- Medical Devices, 4%
Performed root-cause analysis and corrective action due to process and equipment related issues of in-house manufactured medical devices.
Common skills that a principal quality engineer uses to do their job include "sigma," "corrective action," and "iso." You can find details on the most important principal quality engineer responsibilities below.
Creativity. One of the key soft skills for a principal quality engineer to have is creativity. You can see how this relates to what principal quality engineers do because "industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings in order to reduce the use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal." Additionally, a principal quality engineer resume shows how principal quality engineers use creativity: "lead material review board in disposition of materials, inventory of returned product and corrective actions. "
Listening skills. Many principal quality engineer duties rely on listening skills. "these engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff," so a principal quality engineer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways principal quality engineer responsibilities rely on listening skills: "communicated with customers quality issues, such as interpretation/clarification of customer/supplier requirements. "
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of principal quality engineers is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday principal quality engineer duties, as "industrial engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "implement shop floor spc and provide plant-wide statistics support. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what principal quality engineers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to principal quality engineer responsibilities because "in designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical principal quality engineer tasks: "resolved 99% of open findings and implemented 17 process control documents in four months. "
Speaking skills. Another common skill required for principal quality engineer responsibilities is "speaking skills." This skill comes up in the duties of principal quality engineers all the time, as "industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available." An excerpt from a real principal quality engineer resume shows how this skill is central to what a principal quality engineer does: "presented these reports to fda personnel during inspections. "
Writing skills. Lastly, "writing skills" is an important element of what a principal quality engineer does. Principal quality engineer responsibilities require this skill because "industrial engineers must prepare documentation for other engineers or scientists, or for future reference." This resume example highlights how principal quality engineer duties rely on this skill: "used microsoft mtm for writing & executing the test cases, and sending the test reports to the management and team. "
The three companies that hire the most principal quality engineers are:
- Northrop Grumman30 principal quality engineers jobs
- Baxter International25 principal quality engineers jobs
- Oracle22 principal quality engineers jobs
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Compare different principal quality engineers
Principal quality engineer vs. Quality control supervisor
A quality control supervisor specializes in carrying out and implementing systems and procedures that ensure product quality within an organization. They are primarily responsible for devising priorities and standards, managing schedules to abide by the production timeline, monitoring activities, coordinating with production and quality control personnel, assessing employee performance, and thoroughly discussing new systems for all staff. There are also instances when a quality control supervisor must perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and assessments, responding to calls and correspondence, even disseminating notices.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between principal quality engineers and quality control supervisor. For instance, principal quality engineer responsibilities require skills such as "statistical analysis," "medical devices," "java," and "qa." Whereas a quality control supervisor is skilled in "safety procedures," "food safety," "lab equipment," and "quality standards." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Quality control supervisors tend to make the most money working in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $74,165. In contrast, principal quality engineers make the biggest average salary, $105,922, in the technology industry.The education levels that quality control supervisors earn slightly differ from principal quality engineers. In particular, quality control supervisors are 14.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a principal quality engineer. Additionally, they're 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Principal quality engineer vs. Senior manufacturing engineer
A Senior Manufacturing Engineer works in a company's production operations and is responsible for developing and improving manufacturing processes. They analyze and propose solutions to engineering problems.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that principal quality engineer responsibilities requires skills like "statistical analysis," "management system," "java," and "qa." But a senior manufacturing engineer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "project management," "cad," "solidworks," and "cnc."
Senior manufacturing engineers earn a lower average salary than principal quality engineers. But senior manufacturing engineers earn the highest pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $97,567. Additionally, principal quality engineers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $105,922 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Senior manufacturing engineers tend to reach lower levels of education than principal quality engineers. In fact, they're 7.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Principal quality engineer vs. Quality assurance supervisor
A quality assurance supervisor oversees and leads the quality control operations within a manufacturing plant or similar establishment. They are primarily responsible for crafting and implementing policies that prioritize the efficiency of products or services, supervising and evaluating the performances of the workforce, and setting standards and procedures that align not just with the goals of the company, but the national and international level of production standards. Furthermore, as a supervisor in the field, it is crucial to encourage and shape quality assurance workers into valuable members of the company.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from principal quality engineer resumes include skills like "statistical analysis," "medical devices," "java," and "qa," whereas a quality assurance supervisor is more likely to list skills in "food safety," "customer service," "patients," and "haccp. "
Quality assurance supervisors make a very good living in the health care industry with an average annual salary of $80,377. On the other hand, principal quality engineers are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $105,922.When it comes to education, quality assurance supervisors tend to earn lower degree levels compared to principal quality engineers. In fact, they're 12.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Principal quality engineer vs. Quality supervisor
A quality supervisor is an individual who manages and implements the quality assurance and control systems of a company to ensure the proper execution of products and customer satisfaction. Quality supervisors oversee a team of quality control analysts and train them on the latest product standards. They must make sure that customers are pleased with the finished product by communicating with them and setting realistic expectations. Quality supervisors must also provide reports on quality metrics to the other members of the management team.
Types of principal quality engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
