About Ohio Ordnance Works

Ohio Ordnance Works Inc. is a premier firearms manufacturer providing sales, service, and support for retail, law enforcement, domestic and foreign government agencies. Since its founding in 1981, OOW has been focused on the customer, fulfilling requirements with quality product in a timely manner. OOW embraces the importance of history, using lessons learned from the past and applying them to our innovations in design and manufacturing. OOW is a fully licensed new production manufacturer of post sample machine guns as well as its own commercial line of firearms. To further aid our customers OOW provides full training services, spare parts, and ancillary items. OOW is also renowned for its repair and refurbishment of antique and collectible machine guns and other firearms.

The mission of Ohio Ordnance Works Inc. is to operate with excellence to supply military firearms, parts, and accessories of impeccable workmanship to law-abiding citizens of the free world. 

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Respect customers, team members, company policy, property, and principles. “Improvise adapt and overcome” to accomplish goals and objectives. Strive for a clear, concise, and open form of communication by practicing the principle of feedback. Provide and maintain a team-oriented culture to better accomplish goals and objectives to recognize value and develop God given gifts, talents, and temperaments. To hire, train and retain employees who demonstrate the highest levels of integrity, commitment, diligence, and self-motivation.

About the role

The Quality Engineer is responsible for engineering, applying, and continuously improving quality systems, methods, and risk controls that ensure compliant, repeatable production of government and defense products. This role applies risk-based quality engineering principles, including MIL-STD-1916 where permitted or required, to prevent defects, reduce variation, and ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and all contractually flowed-down government and customer requirements as defined within the company’s Quality Management System (QMS). 
 
This position is technical and execution-focused, without direct people management responsibility.

Core Responsibilities

Quality Engineering & Risk-Based Prevention

• Develop, validate, and improve inspection methods and acceptance strategies aligned with customer requirements and risk-based principles 
• Apply MIL-STD-1916 concepts where required, and AQL-based inspection approaches for OEM products 
• Translate Government Technical Data Packages (TDPs), drawings, and specifications into effective inspection and process control plans
• Lead PFMEA and other process risk analyses to identify, document, and mitigate quality risks 
• Perform Measurement System Analysis (MSA) to ensure integrity of inspection equipment and acceptance data 
• Apply statistical and analytical methods to identify process variation and systemic quality risk

Nonconformance, MRB & CAPA Execution

• Lead or actively participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities, ensuring dispositions comply with internal QMS, and/or TDP and contract requirements as applicable
• Drive Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) as assigned from initiation through verification of effectiveness 
• Perform structured root cause analysis to address systemic causes, not isolated defects 
• Analyze nonconformance and MRB trends to drive preventive actions and risk reduction

Government / Defense Contract Quality Support

• Interpret and apply Government Technical Data Packages (TDPs), drawings, specifications, and quality provisions 
• Support First Article Inspection (FAI) and Initial Production Inspection (IPI) planning, execution, and objective evidence review 
• Ensure quality records meet auditable objective evidence requirements for DCMA, customer, and third-party audits 
• Support source inspections, government visits, and customer audits as required 
• Identify and escalate conflicts or ambiguities between TDPs, specifications, and internal standards

Supplier Quality Engineering

• Plan and conduct supplier quality audits focused on process capability, QMS effectiveness, and risk management
• Evaluate supplier inspection methods, sampling plans, and measurement systems, including awareness of MIL-STD-1916 concepts
• Manage supplier nonconformances and corrective actions to verified closure
• Support supplier development activities to reduce recurring quality issues

Quality System & Audit Support

• Ensure activities comply with ISO 9001 and internal QMS procedures
• Participate in internal, customer, and third-party audits with emphasis on system effectiveness and objective evidence
• Support improvements to quality procedures, work instructions, and forms
• Serve as a quality engineering subject matter expert during design and process changes

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, or related technical discipline 
• 5+ years of quality engineering experience in a manufacturing environment
• Experience supporting government or defense contracts
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001, CAPA, MRB, PFMEA, and supplier quality best practices
• Experience reading and interpreting Government Technical Data Packages (TDPs)

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with MIL-STD-1916 and risk-based acceptance methodologies
• ASQ certification (CQE, CQA, or equivalent) 
• Strong working knowledge of MSA, SPC, and statistical methods
• Experience supporting FAI, DCMA, or prime contractor audits
• Familiarity with ERP and electronic QMS tools

Core Competencies

• Risk-based and systems-level thinking
• Strong root cause analysis and corrective action discipline
• Ability to interpret government drawings and specifications 
• Clear technical communication suitable for audit and customer interaction
• Practical, prevention-focused approach to defense quality compliance