Transit Quality Engineer

Job Title: Transit Quality Engineer

Department: Planning

Status: Full-Time / Exempt

Reports To: Director of Planning & Quality

Rate of Pay: $70,000 – $80,000 / annually

Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Summary:

The Transit Quality Engineer is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining quality assurance programs that ensure safe, reliable, and efficient public transit operations. This role works collaboratively across departments to embed quality standards into vehicle maintenance, procurement, capital project delivery, service operations, and transit planning activities. The Transit Quality Engineer plays a key role in advancing the authority’s commitment to continuous improvement, data integrity, and safety excellence — including supporting the quality of service planning, scheduling, and network design processes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Other duties may be assigned that are in keeping with the goals and objectives of CARTA.

1. Quality Assurance:
   1. Conduct routine and unannounced inspections of buses, maintenance facilities, and operational procedures to ensure compliance with authority requirements, FTA regulations, and applicable safety codes.
   1. Perform root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes in response to customer complaints, quality deficiencies, defects, or service failures.
   1. Champion a culture of quality and continuous improvement across maintenance, operations, and administrative functions.
   1. Facilitate cross-functional process improvement teams as needed using Lean, Six Sigma, or other structured methodologies.
2. Standards, Documentation & Compliance:
   1. Maintain and update quality management system (QMS) documentation including procedures, work instructions, resource documents, and quality records.
   1. Ensure compliance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and other applicable reulatory requirements.
   1. Assist in preparation, coordination and completion of internal quality audits and third-party compliance inspections.
   1. Track and report quality metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to management, identifying trends and recommending improvement actions.
   1. Coordinate with procurement staff to evaluate supplier qualifications and review supplier quality documentation.

• Transit Planning Quality:
  • Collaborate with transit planners and scheduling staff to establish quality standards for service planning deliverables, including route design, schedule development, and network restructuring studies.
  • Assess the quality of public-facing planning documents, Title VI service equity analyses, and short-range transit plans (SRTPs) to ensure completeness and regulatory compliance.
  • Support the integrity of transit data systems used in planning, including AVL/APC data feeds, scheduling software outputs, and performance dashboards, by identifying and reporting data quality issues.
  • Assist in developing and maintaining quality checklists and peer review processes for transit planning project workflows.

Qualifications:

• Required
  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, urban planning, transportation planning, or a closely related technical field.  An equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
  • One (1) to three (3) years of experience in quality assurance, quality engineering, or a closely related role.
  • Demonstrated experience conducting inspections, audits, root cause analysis, and implementing corrective action processes.
  • Knowledge of quality management systems (ISO 9001 or equivalent) and their application.
  • Experience with statistical analysis and quality tools (control charts, Pareto analysis, FMEA, fishbone diagrams, etc.).
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint).
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team with minimal supervision.
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Commitment to public service values, equity, and the safety of transit riders and employees.
• Preferred
  • Experience in transportation, fleet management, manufacturing, or public sector environment.
  • Familiarity with FTA regulations, including Title 49 CFR Parts 37, 38, 40, and 659, and agency safety management system requirements.
  • Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) by ASQ, or ability to obtain within 18 months of hire.
  • Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher).

CARTA is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees.