Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Michael Higgins

Talladega,AL

Summary

Accomplished Quality Engineering professional with 24 years of extensive experience in Flight Line Operations, Aerospace Maintenance, and Manufacturing, complemented by a strong foundation in quality assurance and Lean principles. Expertise includes Military and Commercial Aerospace Maintenance, Medical Device Manufacturing, and Manufacturing Management, ensuring adherence to rigorous production and engineering standards. Proficient in various software platforms, including SAP and Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, with a proven ability to quickly adapt to new technologies. Skilled in creating collaborative intranet share sites that enhance communication across work centers and streamline operational activities.

Overview

29
29
years of professional experience

Work History

Quality Systems Specialist (Contractor)

Bell Helicopter
02.2025 - 04.2025
  • Assist and coordinate First Article Inspection activities by resolving CAMS issues related to FAIs, assisting in the creation and tracking of First Article Requirement Records (FARR), providing reports and status updates as requested, planning and scheduling for large-scale FAI projects, and soliciting and coordinating resources such as workforce, equipment, and materials.
  • Assist and coordinate the review of new program planning (FLRAA) to ensure accuracy and readability of the planned instructions. Will ensure all new planned instructions have inspection points embedded in appropriate and sensible locations and meet the Army requirements for CSI (Critical Safety Item) parts. Will also create Inspection work plans for receiving inspection using model-based engineering to determine the criticalness of the part and characteristics to be verified.
  • As a key player, your role is pivotal in evaluating supplier performance through comprehensive assessments. Your contribution is crucial in maintaining high-quality vendor relationships, underscoring your value and integral role in our operations.
  • Your role is pivotal in providing training on quality systems procedures. This empowers you to play a significant role in fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the organization, making you an influential force for positive change.
  • Liaison between MFG, QE, ENG, and PE organizations for continuous improvement within the business by assisting with Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) projects and assisting in DCMA Corrective Action Request (CAR).
  • Your role is to maintain a team environment that simultaneously includes compliance with requirements and continuous process improvement, ensuring everyone feels connected and part of a unified team.
  • Identify opportunities to engage the workforce in building quality into our products.
  • As part of your role, you are expected to maintain an in-depth knowledge of the Bell department and plant policies and procedures. This knowledge is not just crucial, but it also makes you responsible for ensuring that the highest standards of quality and compliance are maintained in all work, showcasing your commitment to excellence.
  • Further develop soft skills by working collaboratively with all levels of Bell across multiple facilities, including liaison engineering, production engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and DCMA.

Courier – Non-DOT (Contractor)

FedEx
08.2024 - 02.2025
  • Provides courteous and efficient delivery and pick-up of packages. Checks shipments for conformance to FedEx features of service and provides related customer service functions. Drives vehicles not regulated by section 391 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Performs other duties as assigned.
  • Greeted recipients, delivered packages, and parcels and acquired proper signatures for all deliveries.
  • Completed daily delivery assignments while adhering to strict time constraints, ensuring consistent service quality.- Ensures courteous and efficient delivery and pick-up of packages. Rigorously checks shipments for compliance with FedEx service features and excels in providing outstanding customer service. Operates vehicles not regulated by Section 391 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Takes on additional assigned responsibilities as needed.

    - Proactively greets recipients, delivers packages and parcels, and secures the necessary signatures for all deliveries.

    - Consistently completes daily delivery assignments while adhering to strict time constraints, guaranteeing high service quality at all times.
  • Completed daily delivery assignments while adhering to strict time constraints, ensuring consistent service quality.

Quality Systems Specialist (Contractor)

Parts Management LLC
02.2024 - 08.2024
  • Conducted daily inspection on various US military systems to verify quality inspection and testing requirements. Executed specific customer requirements such as; PPAP, APQP. First Article Inspection, manual and digital measurements using manual measurement equipment and portable coordinate measurement machines.
  • Streamlined quality systems documentation for increased efficiency and ease of access.
  • Established a strong working relationship with external auditors, streamlining assessment processes while addressing any gaps in compliance.
  • Conducted regular audits to maintain adherence to established quality management system requirements.

Patient Intake Representative

Southwest Medical Group
11.2022 - 02.2023
  • Receives patients and processes medical procedures utilizing various federal, state and private systems. Ensures accuracy of information and scheduling of appointments. Assists with various resources in the hospital to ensure timely and appropriate care. Processes emergency procedure for incoming patients and expedites individuals based on triage care practices. Protects patient information and follows HIPAA procedure to ensure highest levels of privacy protection. Processes insurance information and verifies sources and eligibility through various government and private databases.
  • Maintained strict confidentiality of patient information, adhering to HIPAA regulations at all times.
  • Increased overall office productivity by organizing workspaces efficiently and implementing time-saving tools such as electronic filing systems.
  • Improved patient satisfaction by efficiently managing intake processes and providing exceptional customer service.

Prep Cook and Baking Assistant

Absolute Bakery and Café
04.2022 - 11.2022
  • Performed duties in the restaurant such as cleaning, preparing food, baking bread, and restocking materials, performing inventories, etc. Processes transactions utilizing the provided Square POS System and performed inventory and sales performance during weekends.

Quality Systems Specialist (contract)

Spirit Aerosystems
02.2022 - 03.2022
  • AS9102 First Article Inspection planning reviews and document management. Worked with other stakeholders to verify the FAI package was complete with all applicable engineering and routes the package to the next. Workgroup either for execution or back to supply chain for additional information. Performs daily reviews and conducts status updates to the purchasing group to give leadership of prioritization needs.

Shop Floor Manager

Delt Services
03.2020 - 11.2021
  • Performed daily shop floor manager tasks such as; opening/closing, assigning work schedules, accounting of product on shop floor, and customer service. Conducts daily audits of personnel cash drawers and electronic transactions. Monitor customer flow and performance metrics to ensure timely service. Performs customer service disputes and executes deescalation to prevent further incident. Conducts audits of store cash to ensure accuracy weekly. Performs exchanges of cash from/to the delivery couriers. Receives weekly deliveries from distribution and transfers product into local system for sale, and ensures 100% accuracy and escalate to distribution if needed.

Quality Engineer & Quality Staff Analyst

Allied Motion/Emoteq
06.2019 - 02.2020
  • At Allied Motion/Emoteq I am currently responsible for the ensuring the day to day production and quality operations satisfy the customer customer and regulatory body requirements. I perform internal and supplier audits to ensure that established processes and expectations are followed and to ensure that our terms and conditions are satisfied. I am also responsible for monitoring and reporting the quality metrics and perform trend analysis to detect any shifts in the quality of the products we produce. I am also required to perform training with new personnel to ensure that they understand the quality requirements and why it is important to follow the requirements. A key part of my role is to develop APQP and PPAP plans, and to develop DFMEA and PFMEA plans. I also serve as a focal point for operations and quality personnel to interpret and explain drawing and specification requirements and work with shop floor personnel to develop inspection plans and quality gates.
  • Applied technical experience to additive manufacturing techniques in manufacturing of electronic motors, rotors and stators including sensors and monitoring devices.
  • Worked with various industries to manufacture electronic motors such a Medical, Aerospace, Agriculture, Space, municipal services a special projects
  • Maintain Return Material Authorization (RMA) process and ensures customer requirements are satisfied, works with the customer to ensure that clear communication is maintained and ensures the customer is satisfied upon delivery.
  • Performs process audits to ensure that process controls are in place and maintained within the engineered parameters
  • Develops tools to track first pass yield, track non-conforming materials, scrap data, and supplier performance
  • Performs inspection of product when inspection is not available
  • Develops first article inspection plans and ensures completion by shop floor inspection personnel and any issues discovered are corrected
  • Performs root cause and corrective action on internal production, supplier, and customer parts

Quality Engineer Senior Metrology

Nordam NTRSD
10.2018 - 03.2019
  • As Quality Engineer Senior assigned to the Metrology Group my duties involved working with the various cross functional teams to determine measurement requirements, design measurement methodologies, develop measurement schemes, determine best solution to collect data (equipment), and write measurement plans (script/programs) and perform effectivity analysis using DMAIC methodology. Duties also include performing studies to analyze performance of programs and effectivity of measurement plans, conducting tolerance studies to determine trend analysis to determine areas in the factory can be optimized to improve the accuracy of the products during the product life cycle, and identify areas to either be statistically sampled, or potentially eliminated from the inspection routine.
  • Develops and performs Gauge R&R studies to determine effectiveness of equipment, and human factors potentially affecting the measurement process.
  • Defines measurement requirements for applicable products to determine how to ensure that the measurement is capable of capturing the configuration of the product is adequately recorded and is reflective of the engineering definition.
  • Assists the manufacturing team in interpretation of the measurement data, and assists in the identification of the defective measurement data, and provides assistance in the development, and execution of the Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action, as well as the verification of the effectivity and mistake proofing post corrective action.
  • Develops and assists in the execution of the First Article Inspection Plans and Enters Data into Net Inspect.
  • Works with Vendors to help improve product quality, and throughput into the factory and communicates with Supplier Quality areas for improvement, and conducts analysis trends of product the the product life cycle to inform Quality Engineering areas that can be improved.
  • Develops and Deploys Measurement Plans
  • Determines which features need to be measured according the engineering dataset
  • Identifies equipment to be used ie Laser Tracker, Laser Radar, Articulated Arm, Photogrammetry etc.
  • Writes measurement plan, and builds script to execute in SA, Metrology X4 etc.
  • Performs NC Proof of Measurement Plan to determine areas to be improved, or fixed
  • Follows up with metrology technicians to ensure process is stable
  • Notifies Manufacturing Engineering to put program into full production
  • Uses various software applications such as Polyworks, SA, CATIA, etc. to develop inspection models for use in other applications for inspection purposes.

Sr. Quality & Metrology Engineer and Quality Staff Analyst

Spirit AeroSystems AeroStructures
07.2010 - 07.2018
  • As Quality Engineer on Root Cause & Corrective Action Team utilize various tools to eliminate defects from the production system, improve efficiency, and eliminate waste. Primary focus is to eliminate scrap, rework and repair and to reduce labor hours per unit of manufacture in Bonding and Assembly operations.
  • Submits proposals for new programs, including BOE’s, Gap Analysis, FAI requirements, process qualification etc. and coordinates with other functions to determine execution schedule of program requirements.
  • Reviews RFP’s from potential new customers to determine requirements and coordinates with IPT to submit BAFO as required.
  • Primary auditor escort for all product, process, and system audits from customers, regulatory agencies and accreditation issuers.
  • Perform data analysis on various system data to determine areas to focus efforts
  • Mines data to identify where defect high drivers are occurring, and target corrective action projects
  • Quickly responds to emergent issues to quickly contain problems that come up over the entire factory and develops contingency plans to deal with the issue and works with leadership to develop corrective action plans to resolve the issue at hand.
  • Facilitates RCCA team events to bring a cross function team together to solve systemic, high cost, high impact, or hidden factory problems.
  • Utilize various tools to conduct RCCA Events such as: FMEA, DMAIC, A3, Apollo RCA, Knot Charts, Mindjet, 8D, Pareto Charting, MEDA, Fishbone, 5 whys, etc.
  • Project leader for #1 Spirit Tulsa project. Elimination of sources of variation from product/process on 787.

Quality & Metrology Engineer

Spirit AeroSystems
03.2010 - 07.2015
  • Performed duties of Sr. Multi-Function Quality Specialist for all Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. Tulsa Bonding operations including fabrication of structural composite and metal bond components, and Manufacturing Fabrication and Assembly
  • Conducts audits at suppliers/vendors to ensure compliance to Spirit and Customers specification.
  • Represents Spirit AeroSystems during customer and regulatory audit activities such as AS9100, ISO, customer, and supplier oversight audits.
  • Performs Supplier facilities and equipment qualification audits for fabrication of composites
  • Quality Engineer for all mechanical assembly and composite fabrication, and managerial advisor for Quality Assurance inspection, and technical services
  • Writes technical plans for First Article Inspection and manufacturing planning
  • Assists suppliers on technical matters regarding fabrication of composite parts and assembly issues.
  • Authors Quality Technical Plans/Reports such as First Part Qualification (FPQ), Equipment Qualification documents to certify Spirit for various suppliers.
  • Performs Root Cause and Corrective investigations to determine causes of repetitive defects using various tools, 8D, Reality Charting, FMEA, FRACAS, 5 Why, MEDA, Ishikawa, etc.
  • Performs QMRR and Material Review functions for the Spirit Tulsa Material Review Board for all Boeing and Gulfstream programs
  • Boeing Quality Assurance Delegate for Supplier Quality for Spirit AeroSystems Tulsa
  • Represents Boeing for Qualification of: Equipment Qualifications, Manufacturing Planning, First-Part Qualifications, and Thermal Profiles for Spirit Aerosystems and Supplier Sub-Tiers
  • Ensures manufacturing operations is compliant with customer/internal specifications by collaborating with production, manufacturing engineering, and design.
  • Assists suppliers with manufacturing problems with fabrication of composites
  • Trains employees regarding quality compliance and inspection methods and procedures and consults manufacturing on Quality Management System and customer compliance, and regulatory issues
  • Works with various organizations within the division to conduct refine build processes when defects occur
  • Uses Catia/Enovia to construct models to compare production parts to engineering requirements
  • Develops Quality Metrics to provide cost, defect, cause, and analysis to company senior leadership and manufacturing managers
  • Conducts data mining in various databases to prepare Cost of Quality analysis for Quality Assurance and Manufacturing Operations to determine which processes need to be targets for Continuous Improvement

Education

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Community College of the Air Force Maxwell AFB Alabama

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New Mexico State University
Alamogordo, New Mexico

Bachelor's Degree - Technology in Applied Technology

Rogers State University
Claremore, OK

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Southern New Hampshire University
03.2025

Skills

  • Quality Management Systems
  • AS 9100 Aerospace
  • AS 9102 Aerospace
  • ISO 9001 Manufacturing
  • ISO 13485 Medical Devices
  • NADCAP/PRI Accreditation
  • Process
  • ASME Quality
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Production and Tooling Inspection
  • Boeing Engineering Specifications
  • Customer and Regulatory Auditing
  • Cross-functional business operations
  • Supplier Oversight
  • Quality Metrics
  • Supplier Quality Assurance
  • Supplier Management
  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Technical knowledge in metrology
  • Fabrication of Composites
  • Spatial data analysis
  • GD&T Methods and Practices
  • Engineering Drawings and Models
  • Outstanding communication skills
  • Precision Measurement Tools
  • Equipment/Part Qualification
  • Supplier Auditing
  • Root and Corrective Action
  • Quality Improvement Plans
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP)
  • Statistical Sampling
  • Apollo RCA / Reality Charting
  • Microsoft Office Enterprise
  • Microsoft Project
  • Six Sigma
  • Leica 403/960 tracker inspection
  • Faro laser tracker inspection
  • Faro cobalt optical inspection
  • Romer and faro arm inspection
  • FAA/EASA/CAAC/CAAI
  • Computer-Automated Design
  • CATIA V4 & V5
  • SmartTeam
  • Metro Logic X4
  • Laser Tracker systems
  • PCMM
  • Photogrammetry
  • Spatial Analyzer PCMM
  • Software
  • Spatial Analyzer
  • Measurement Plans
  • Programming expertise
  • Quality Material Review Board
  • Technical Writing
  • NADCAP Accreditation
  • ISO Accreditation
  • CAPA management
  • Quality metrics
  • Quality management systems
  • Document control
  • Corrective action planning
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Problem-solving
  • Time management
  • Attention to detail

Timeline

Quality Systems Specialist (Contractor)

Bell Helicopter
02.2025 - 04.2025

Courier – Non-DOT (Contractor)

FedEx
08.2024 - 02.2025

Quality Systems Specialist (Contractor)

Parts Management LLC
02.2024 - 08.2024

Patient Intake Representative

Southwest Medical Group
11.2022 - 02.2023

Prep Cook and Baking Assistant

Absolute Bakery and Café
04.2022 - 11.2022

Quality Systems Specialist (contract)

Spirit Aerosystems
02.2022 - 03.2022

Shop Floor Manager

Delt Services
03.2020 - 11.2021

Quality Engineer & Quality Staff Analyst

Allied Motion/Emoteq
06.2019 - 02.2020

Quality Engineer Senior Metrology

Nordam NTRSD
10.2018 - 03.2019

Sr. Quality & Metrology Engineer and Quality Staff Analyst

Spirit AeroSystems AeroStructures
07.2010 - 07.2018

Quality & Metrology Engineer

Spirit AeroSystems
03.2010 - 07.2015

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Community College of the Air Force Maxwell AFB Alabama

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New Mexico State University

Bachelor's Degree - Technology in Applied Technology

Rogers State University

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Southern New Hampshire University

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