Quality Assurance Manager
Location: Dallas, TX
Position Type: Full-Time
Salary Range: $70,000–$90,000 annually
Position Overview
Our client, a major protective eyewear manufacturer, is seeking a Quality Assurance Manager to oversee quality management systems for a growing, highly regulated consumer and protective products division. This position will play a key role in maintaining ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 compliance, managing laboratory testing and accreditation requirements, coordinating internal and external audits, overseeing equipment calibration and maintenance, and supporting product certification activities. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience in a laboratory or product testing environment and is comfortable working across quality, engineering, product development, manufacturing, suppliers, independent laboratories, and regulatory organizations.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Management Systems & Accreditation
- Manage, develop, and maintain ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 quality management systems, certifications, and laboratory accreditation.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable quality standards, regulatory requirements, and internal procedures.
- Coordinate product certifications, internal and external audits, supplier visits, and accreditation activities.
- Maintain relationships with independent testing laboratories, certification organizations, regulatory bodies, and other external partners.
Management Reviews
- Prepare and maintain management review reports and schedules.
- Report on requirements associated with ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025.
- Track management review action items and ensure timely completion.
Laboratory Testing & Inter-Laboratory Comparisons
- Plan and execute inter-laboratory comparison studies to validate the accuracy and reliability of testing results.
- Collaborate with external laboratories to benchmark and improve testing methodologies.
- Administer and perform mechanical, environmental, and optical testing as required.
- Review and certify laboratory test results.
Testing standards may include:
- ANSI Z87.1
- MIL-PRF-32432 / MCEPS
- CSA Z94.3
- AS/NZS 1337.1
- AS/NZS 1337.6
- AS/NZS 1067
Equipment Maintenance & Calibration
- Develop and manage comprehensive equipment maintenance and calibration schedules.
- Oversee calibration of laboratory and production testing instruments to ensure accuracy and precision.
- Troubleshoot and coordinate corrective actions related to equipment malfunctions or calibration issues.
- Monitor the performance of specialized production and laboratory equipment.
Measurement Uncertainty
- Develop and maintain uncertainty budgets for testing requirements outlined in applicable technical specifications.
- Review and adjust uncertainty calculations based on equipment variability, testing methodology, and changes to technical requirements.
Product Development & Certification
- Partner with product development and engineering teams to provide guidance regarding required testing parameters.
- Assist with product markings and labeling requirements based on applicable technical specifications.
- Coordinate sample requirements, testing schedules, and certification activities to support product launch timelines.
- Coordinate with external laboratories and certification organizations for specialized product certifications.
Regulatory & Military Testing Requirements
- Maintain knowledge of current revisions to applicable military and protective-product testing requirements.
- Assist in developing appropriate test plans.
- Coordinate testing with independent laboratories when external certification is required.
- Maintain recurring certification and retention-testing schedules.
Risk Management & Continuous Improvement
- Identify, document, and mitigate quality-related risks.
- Identify opportunities for departmental and organizational process improvement.
- Maintain documentation related to risks, opportunities, corrective actions, and improvement initiatives.
- Track initiatives through completion.
Internal Audits
- Coordinate and conduct internal audits in accordance with ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
- Obtain and maintain appropriate internal auditor training and certification.
- Prepare audit reports and ensure corrective and follow-up actions are completed within required timelines.
Document Control & Recordkeeping
Maintain accurate and current quality and laboratory documentation, including:
- Standard operating procedures
- Process controls
- Corrective actions
- Quality KPIs
- Calibration records
- Quality-control data
- Audit documentation
- Laboratory records
Monitor company and laboratory processes and recommend improvements based on available data. Follow up with departments when established quality targets are not being achieved.
Nonconforming Product & Inspections
- Perform and document product inspections at various stages, including incoming and in-process inspections.
- Maintain scrap records and associated quality KPIs.
- Monitor quality performance and identify trends.
- Conduct Lot Acceptance Testing (LAT), including appropriate sampling.
- Manage nonconforming product processes and coordinate product disposition as required.
Team Training & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Train employees on quality management systems, ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025, laboratory procedures, and compliance requirements.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement and quality throughout the organization.
- Collaborate closely with engineering, product development, manufacturing, operations, suppliers, and other departments.
- Ensure quality processes are effectively integrated into overall business operations.
Required Skills & Experience
- Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 and/or ISO/IEC 17025 quality systems.
- Experience working within a laboratory, testing, quality assurance, manufacturing, or product certification environment.
- Knowledge of laboratory equipment maintenance and calibration processes.
- Understanding of inter-laboratory comparisons and measurement uncertainty.
- Familiarity with relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, and technical specifications.
- Experience coordinating or conducting internal and external audits.
- Strong documentation and recordkeeping skills.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Strong organizational and project-management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with technical teams, leadership, suppliers, laboratories, and external regulatory or certification organizations.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
Minimum Qualifications
- Associate degree in a relevant scientific, engineering, technical, or quality-related field preferred. Equivalent professional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
- 3+ years of experience working in a laboratory, product testing, quality assurance, or related technical environment.
- Experience with ISO quality management systems strongly preferred.
- Internal auditor training or certification preferred; willingness to obtain certification is required.
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