Quality Engineer

Essential Responsibilities

1. Production Quality Support

• Support production start-ups, changeovers, process adjustments, and troubleshooting activities. (The Granite)
• Help maintain production uptime while ensuring customer and internal quality requirements are met.
• Partner with Production Supervisors, Leads, Operators, Engineering, and Maintenance to identify and resolve quality issues.
• Respond to production quality concerns and assist in determining appropriate containment and disposition.
• Ensure quality concerns are communicated clearly and escalated appropriately.

1. Root Cause Analysis & Corrective Action

• Lead and/or participate in structured root cause investigations for internal and customer quality issues.
• Utilize appropriate problem-solving methodologies such as 5-Why, Fishbone/Ishikawa, Pareto analysis, process mapping, and other structured RCA tools.
• Develop corrective and preventive actions that address the actual root cause rather than symptoms.
• Verify the effectiveness of corrective actions and ensure issues do not recur.
• Assist with customer complaints, RMAs, nonconformances, and corrective action requests.
• Maintain appropriate documentation of investigations and corrective actions.

1. Process Validation & Verification

• Perform PPAP, FAI, and other process/product validations.
• Develop and execute process validation activities to confirm that manufacturing processes consistently produce conforming products.
• Establish validation requirements, acceptance criteria, and appropriate sampling plans.
• Support qualification of new equipment, tooling, processes, and products.

• Create, review, and update production quality requirements, specifications, inspection criteria, and related documentation. (Bubble Drawings, etc.)
• Ensure production requirements accurately (Work Instructions) reflect customer specifications and internal standards.
• Work with Engineering and Production to ensure requirements are attainable and measurable.
• Identify gaps or inconsistencies in existing documentation and initiate appropriate updates. 

1. Quality Technician Support

The Quality Engineer is expected to understand and be capable of performing the core responsibilities of the Quality Technician, including:

• First-piece/set-up approvals.
• Production documentation.
• In-process inspections.
• Production quality support.
• Other inspection and quality activities required to support manufacturing.

The Quality Engineer may provide direction, training, troubleshooting assistance, and technical support to the Quality Technician while maintaining the appropriate reporting structure through the Quality Manager.

1. Other Responsibilities

• Participate in cross-functional meetings and improvement teams.
• Provide technical input on new product introduction and process development when requested.
• Support customer and supplier quality activities as assigned.
• Assist with training related to quality requirements, inspection methods, and process controls.
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

• Experience in a manufacturing quality environment.
• Demonstrated ability to perform root cause analysis and corrective action.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and quality requirements.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with Production and other cross-functional departments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and quality-related documentation/data analysis.

Preferred:

• Experience with thermoforming, rotational molding, plastics manufacturing, extrusion, or similar processes.
• Experience with ISO-certified manufacturing environments.
• Experience with AIB or other customer/regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience with PPAP, FAI, CAPA, 8D, SPC, PFMEA, Control Plans, or similar quality methodologies.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma training/certification.
• Experience with ERP, QMS, CMMS, or manufacturing data systems.

Core Competencies

• Problem Solving
• Root Cause Analysis
• Process & Quality Engineering
• Data Analysis
• Attention to Detail
• Production Support
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Communication
• Accountability
• Continuous Improvement
• Customer Focus
• Decision Making

Role Distinction: Quality Engineer vs. Quality Technician

The key distinction is that the Technician primarily verifies whether the product/process meets requirements, while the Engineer is responsible for understanding why it does or does not meet those requirements and developing sustainable solutions. This gives you a much clearer career and accountability structure without preventing the Engineer from stepping onto the floor and doing Technician work when necessary.