Staff Quality Assurance Engineer
Stryker · Irvine, CA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Quality
- Base pay
- $103k–$171k
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 4+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt preferred
- Industry
- Medical devices
- Posted
- Yesterday
The role in 30 seconds
A senior quality role at Stryker (medical devices) in Irvine, CA. Partner with Operations, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to drive product and process quality performance, resolve quality issues, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
- They ask for
- 4+ years · degree required · Black Belt preferred
- Tools it names
- Six Sigma, Black Belt, Root cause, PPAP, MSA / Gage R&R, CAPA
- Base pay
- $103k–$171k
- Day to day
- about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 26, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $101k–$149k. This one lists $103k–$171k.
Median of the low and high ends of 95 live postings that list pay, out of 192 quality engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 191 other live quality postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 10% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (4+ vs 5+)
Typical $100k–$148k, from 92 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 78%
- FMEA 54%
- ✓ Supplier quality 47%
- ✓ Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 45%
- AS9100 42%
- ✓ PPAP 38%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for ISO 13485, FDA / GMP, 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 Stryker
We found 3 people at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role, 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 Ian → (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 10% travel. Between which sites?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 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: Stryker in Irvine
4 other open roles at this site · 3 people we found in quality roles at Stryker.
- Staff Quality Engineer, New Product Introduction · Quality · Senior
- Senior Quality Engineer, New Product Introduction · Quality · Senior
- Senior Engineer, Continuous Improvement · Lean / CI · Senior
- Staff Quality Engineer, Microbiology and Sterilization · Quality · Senior
Full description from StrykerAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
What you will do
- ◆Partner with Operations, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to drive product and process quality performance, resolve quality issues, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
- ◆Own and support nonconformances (NCs), CAPAs, MRB activities, and product disposition, ensuring timely investigation, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and closure within quality systems.
- ◆Collaborate with suppliers to address quality concerns, manage supplier corrective actions, evaluate supplier changes, perform PPAP activities, and support supplier part certification programs.
- ◆Monitor, analyze, and report quality and process performance metrics, applying statistical methods, process controls, and risk management principles to identify trends and drive improvements.
- ◆Support manufacturing-related complaints, field actions, commercial holds, and containment activities to ensure product quality and regulatory compliance.
- ◆Develop, review, and improve quality system documentation, procedures, inspection methods, sampling plans, and Human Factors practices that enhance product and process effectiveness.
- ◆Support process, equipment, and supplier validations/qualifications, measurement system analysis (MSA), engineering changes, supplier-initiated changes, and manufacturing transfer activities.
- ◆Participate in internal and external audits and provide quality subject matter expertise to ensure compliance with applicable quality system and regulatory requirements.
Required
- ✓Bachelors degree in a science, engineering or related discipline
- ✓Minimum of 4 years of quality engineering experience with demonstrated knowledge of quality system principles, including risk management, CAPA, auditing, and statistical methodologies.
- ✓Experience applying risk management principles and conducting compliance risk assessments within a regulated environment.
- ✓Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Office tools to analyze data, create reports, and support cross-functional business activities.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Stryker is hiring a Staff Quality Engineer for our Peripheral Vascular division in Irvine, CA to provide Quality Engineering support for quality assurance, quality control, and continuous improvement activities across manufacturing operations, products, and processes. Partner closely with cross-functional teams and suppliers to resolve quality issues, drive corrective and preventive actions, and enhance overall quality performance. Lead and support initiatives that improve product quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, industry standards, and quality system expectations.
Preferred
- +Experience managing supplier quality activities, including supplier qualification, performance monitoring, and quality issue resolution.
- +CQE, or CRE and Six Sigma Green or Black belt preferred Or related
- +Experience in the medical device industry with knowledge of U.S. and international medical device regulations, including familiarity with ISO 13485, 21 CFR Part 820, Good Documentation Practices (GDP), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
- +Experience with regulatory inspections and audits, including direct interaction with regulatory agencies such as FDA, TUV, MoH, etc.
$102,700 - $171,100 USD Annual
Stryker Corporation will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.