
Quality Manager*
3M · Minnesota
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Quality
- Base pay
- $188k–$230k
- Travel
- 15%
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 17 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management quality role at 3M (industrial) in Minnesota. Of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- SPC, FMEA, MSA / Gage R&R, ISO 9001
- Base pay
- $188k–$230k
- Day to day
- about 15% travel · relocation help
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in Minnesota: typical posted base $83k–$141k. This one lists $188k–$230k.
Median of the low and high ends of 33 live postings that list pay, out of 56 quality engineer openings in Minnesota, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Minnesota plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 55 other live quality postings in Minnesota.
- Base pay
- About 92% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $83k–$135k, from 30 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 57%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 43%
- Lean 41%
- Six Sigma 41%
- Supplier quality 39%
- CAPA 38%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at 3M
We found 2 people at this company and state: 2 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Michael → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- The posting says about 15% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from 3MAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
As a Quality Manager, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. In this role, you will make an impact by:
- ◆Consulting with the leadership team to set medium- to long-term strategic direction and operating plans for a medium to large complex market/product line.
- ◆Interpreting industry trends, customer requirements, and business objectives to define guidelines and methods for multiple disciplines within the Quality function, such as quality assurance, product quality control, incoming quality control, and customer management.
- ◆Initiating and approving projects to continuously improve efficiency and competitiveness.
- ◆Having direct responsibility for functional strategic planning
- ◆Managing one or more quality areas such as quality assurance, product quality control, incoming quality control, customer issue management, and related areas.
- ◆Determining priorities and timetables, assigning resources and tasks, and being accountable for the activities and results of the functional area.
- ◆Providing direct supervision to the team, including objective setting, performance management, motivation, training, and coaching.
- ◆Resolving issues and conflicts related to direct reports.
- ◆Creating solutions for complex and multi-faceted problems requiring ingenuity, creativity, innovation, and strong analytical skills.
- ◆Applying thorough understanding of operating unit policies and practices, as well as different techniques and practices, to achieve desired results.
- ◆Having significant business impact due to the scope of responsibility, complexity, and growth potential of the business.
- ◆Influencing cross-functionally to collaborate toward common goals.
- ◆Communicating with managers, functional leaders, area/business leaders, direct subordinates, and key external customers.
- ◆Sharing vision and demonstrating company values.
- ◆Providing expert-level Quality functional leadership, guidance, and direction to the team on the Quality Body of Knowledge for products within scope.
- ◆Identifying and leading improvement opportunities to proactively ensure compliance with applicable internal, domestic, and international quality regulations.
- ◆Maintaining effective Quality Metric performance and defining and executing activities to
Your Skills and Expertise
To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following
qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start)
- ✓Five (5) years of combined quality and/or manufacturing experience in a private, public, government or military environment
- ✓Two (2) years of experience in a Quality or Manufacturing leadership position, either through direct supervision or technical team lead responsibilities.
Additional
that could help you succeed even further in this role include
- ◆Experience working with ISO 9001:2015
- ◆Knowledge of NIOSH Respiratory standards
- ◆Demonstrated strong communication and interpersonal skills
- ◆Demonstrated leadership skills
- ◆Experience with championing and/or deploying quality continuous improvement methodologies (e.g. MSA, SPC, FMEA, PPU)
Work location: This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week at the 3M Center in Maplewood, MN.
Travel: May include up to 15% domestic/international
Relocation Assistance: May be authorized
Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).
Responsibilities
of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.
U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum.
To comply with these laws, 3M must help assess candidates' U.S. person status.
The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position.
Supporting Your Well-being
3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.
Chat with Max
For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.
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Job Description
Quality Manager*
Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World
Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.
This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.
