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Senior Customer Quality Engineer

Generac · IL · Full time

Posted Jun 3, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Walk me through a time a major customer called with a serious quality issue. What did you do in the first 24 hours?

What they are checking: whether the candidate can drive urgency and containment under pressure rather than just documenting the problem

Tell me about a component failure rate problem you analyzed. How did you find the root cause and what did you tell manufacturing, supplier quality, and engineering?

What they are checking: real experience turning failure data into cross-functional feedback loops, not just reporting numbers

Tell me about a time you had to lead people who didn't report to you, like manufacturing or engineering teams, to fix a quality problem. How did you get them moving?

What they are checking: influence without authority, since this role directs actions across teams it doesn't own

Tell me about a warranty issue you owned that dragged on longer than it should have. What went wrong and what would you do differently?

What they are checking: honesty about past failures and ability to learn from a slow resolution

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a manufacturing site's approach to a quality initiative. How did you handle giving them direction anyway?

What they are checking: diplomacy and confidence in providing direction to teams that may resist outside input

What would you do

Say a customer reports a field failure that traces back to a supplier's part, but your own manufacturing data doesn't show an obvious defect. How do you approach the investigation?

What they are checking: structured problem-solving instinct and willingness to dig past the easy answer

How do you decide whether a nonconforming part should be quarantined, reworked, or scrapped, and who do you loop in before making that call?

What they are checking: judgment on disposition decisions and understanding of who needs to sign off

You've got three customer escalations at once, all high priority, and limited engineering support. How do you prioritize?

What they are checking: ability to manage shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment without dropping the ball

About the work

Explain how you'd run an A3 problem-solving project from start to finish on a recurring quality issue.

What they are checking: actual working knowledge of the A3 methodology versus buzzword familiarity

What's your experience with APQP and PPAP, and can you describe a new product introduction you supported through qualification?

What they are checking: depth of hands-on process knowledge required for the NPI support piece of this role

What's a GR&R or MSA study you've run, and what did you do when the measurement system wasn't reliable?

What they are checking: whether they actually understand measurement system analysis or just recognize the term

Describe how you'd set up or lead an internal product audit. What are you looking for and how do you follow up on findings?

What they are checking: practical audit competence and follow-through on corrective actions

What Lean or continuous improvement tools have you used to reduce defects, and what results came from it?

What they are checking: tangible evidence of lean application rather than certification name-dropping

How comfortable are you working in SAP for quality-related data, and what kind of reporting or tracking have you built using Microsoft Office tools like Excel?

What they are checking: baseline systems fluency needed to function day to day in this role

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The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? The Senior Customer Quality Engineer collaborates with cross-functional teams to keep product flowing successfully and is responsible for providing support to quality engineering improvement projects and interfaces with teams consisting of engineering, manufacturing operations, supplier quality and service engineering to assure ongoing product compliance and control. This role will be responsible for responding with a sense of urgency to customer inquiries, executing inspection plans, quarantine and disposition of product Roles and Responsibilities: • Responsible for customer account for all quality related topics • Drive urgency to customer issues to lead containment and resolution working with cross functional teams and suppliers • Promote a continuous improvement environment by providing leadership and direction to manufacturing, assembly and engineering teams • Develop processes internally to meet customer requirements • Lead resolution of warranty and quality issues • Analyze component failure rates and provide Manufacturing, Supplier Quality and Engineering with feedback • Analyze data, identify trends and facilitate cross functional A3 improvement projects • Direct the overall execution of internal product audits and nonconformance resolution • Support New Product Introduction and manage qualification of manufacturing through the APQP process • Conduct and manage audits/assessments of processes and quality systems (ISO, internal audit, etc) • Gather and analyze product data to lead improvement initiatives to reduce the potential for defects • Provide direction and assistance to the Quality & Manufacturing team at Generac manufacturing sites for prioritizing actions and tasks of quality initiatives • Ensure test inspection integrity (MSA/ GR&R) • Create and deploy standard Generac tools, methodologies and standards ​ Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor's Degree in Engineering • 5 years’ experience working in Quality in a manufacturing environment and managing of large customer • Experience using continuous improvement tool set Preferred Qualifications: • Certified Quality Engineer • Certified Six Sigma Green Belt • Certified Quality Auditor Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: • Knowledge of APQP, PPAP procedures, and ISO • Effective verbal and written communication skills • Demonstrated problem-solving skills • Ability to lead, collaborate and work with teams to drive improvements • Ability to successfully managing shifting deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment • Knowledge of the application and interpretation of manufacturing quality metrics • Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite and SAP business systems • Knowledge of Lean principles & improvements • Ability to implement lean principles and improvements • Ability to analyze component failure rates and provide Manufacturing, Supplier Quality and Engineering with feedback • Ability to analyze data, identify trends and facilitate cross functional A3 improvement projects Physical Demands : While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear; and use hands to manipulate objects or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. On occasion the incumbent may be required to stoop, bend or reach above the shoulders. The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 - 50 pounds. Specific conditions of this job are typical of frequent and continuous computer-based work requiring periods of sitting, close vision and ability to adjust focus. Occasional travel. “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

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