Quality Engineer II
Novanta · Rocklin, CA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Quality
- Base pay
- $77k–$116k
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level quality role at Novanta (industrial) in Rocklin, CA. Program, operate, and troubleshoot CMM equipment.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Root cause, SPC, FMEA
- Base pay
- $77k–$116k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 163 other live quality postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 23% below similar roles
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $101k–$149k, from 79 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 78%
- ✓ FMEA 56%
- ✓ Supplier quality 48%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 43%
- AS9100 41%
- ✓ PPAP 39%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Kaizen, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Novanta
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.
- 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?
- 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.
This plant: Novanta in Rocklin
1 other open role at this site.
- Quality Technician II · Quality · Technician
Full description from NovantaAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
include management of incoming, in-process, and final inspection activities; hands-on metrology support including CMM programming and data analysis; and ownership of RMA investigations from field intake through root cause analysis and corrective action. The position partners closely with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and customers to ensure products meet specifications, ISO 9001 requirements, and long-term reliability expectations.
requirements
- ✓Program, operate, and troubleshoot CMM equipment
- ✓Support and lead internal ISO 9001 audits
- ✓Develop and maintain quality procedures and inspection documentation
qualifications
internally and within the supply chain
- ✓Support engineering-to-production transfers
- ✓Participate in and lead D/PFMEA reviews and risk mitigation activities
- ✓Represent quality during design and development projects
- ✓Lead quality engineering activities on major NPI programs
Qualifications
&
Education & Experience
- ✓Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent experience
- ✓5+ years of quality engineering experience in a manufacturing environment
- ✓Experience with mechatronic, electronic, or electromechanical systems preferred
Requirements
- ✓Minimal travel expected to visit customers as required. Expected
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission-critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing.
Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta.
Novanta is looking for our next Quality Engineer II , come support product and process quality across the Robotics & Automation business, with a primary focus on mechatronic and electronic systems. This role leads quality investigations, continuous improvement initiatives, and supports new product development programs while maintaining a strong customer focus.
About the Team
The Robotics & Automation team develops precision motion, sensing, and control subsystems used in industrial, medical, semiconductor, and life sciences applications. The team works closely with OEM customers to design and integrate application-specific solutions that enable accurate, repeatable, and reliable system performance. Work spans hardware, electronics, embedded software, and systems engineering with global collaboration across multiple regions.
Customer Quality
- •Lead customer complaints and RMA investigations, including root cause analysis and corrective actions
- •Communicate findings using structured problem-solving methods (e.g., 8D, 5-Why)
- •Maintain and improve RMA processes to reduce cycle time and warranty cost
- •Support customer audits, scorecards, and recurring quality reviews
- •Serve as the quality representative during customer escalations
Operational Quality
- •Lead quality improvement initiatives (Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma)
- •Support MRB activities and scrap-reduction efforts
- •Own process capability initiatives (SPC, Cp/Cpk)
- •Lead complex cross-functional root cause investigations
Supplier Quality
- •Drive supplier corrective actions from identification through closure
- •Lead APQP and PPAP activities
- •Conduct supplier audits and support supplier qualification
- •Act as technical quality contact during supplier escalations
Quality Controls & Systems
- •Oversee incoming, in-process, and final inspection activities
- •Define risk-based sampling plans and First Article Inspection
New Production Introduction (NPI)
- •Lead part and process
Technical Skills
- •CMM programming and operation (Required)
- •SPC, Cp/Cpk, Gage R&R, APQP, PPAP, D/PFMEA
- •Supplier audits and supplier quality management
- •ERP system experience: Oracle preferred
Competencies
- •Ability to interpret specifications, drawings, and technical documentation
- •Clear communication with customer, engineering, and leadership
- •Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- •Ability to work cross-functionally and adapt to changing priorities
- •Working knowledge of ISO 9001 systems
Travel