Quality Engineer I

Position Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree required, ideally related to quality or manufacturing. Four to six years’ equivalent experience preferred.

• Three to five years’ experience in quality-related work, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of basic quality core tools such as Control Plans, APQP, SPC, PPAP, FMEA, and MSA.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills along with strong verbal, writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with nationally recognized testing laboratories such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories).
• Background in sheet metal manufacturing, welding, powder coating paint systems, and electrical and electronic component assembly is a plus.
• Proficient in blueprint reading.
• Experience with union workforce.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Become a leader for quality-related kaizen events with cross-functional team members.
• Work with all levels of associates to learn all manufacturing processes from raw materials to final assembly.
• Build the skill level of production personnel and verify that they are using gages properly and at correct frequencies and recording all necessary data.
• Facilitate continuous improvement and learning for all functional areas through training and communication of quality initiatives.
• Develop poke-yoke processes throughout manufacturing.
• Develop and audit the quality management systems such as control plans, PPAP, FMEA, calibrations, etc.
• Develop and audit receiving inspection procedures of vendor parts as necessary.
• Makes quality decisions about suspect parts and disposition of defective material from supplier and internal production.
• Responsible for managing and monitoring a world-class level of supplier quality.
• Develop and maintain in-process and end-of-line testing program throughout the manufacturing process.
• Develop and maintain calibration program on gages, torque wrenches, air tools, etc.
• Ensure manufacturing process maintains compliance with nationally recognized testing laboratories standards such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories).
• Develop into the role of internal quality consultant for product groups, management, New Product Development Engineering, Marketing and Sales.
• Problem Troubleshooting: FR (field report) and CAP (corrective action plan) report investigations.
• Lead investigations and work with cross-functional team to develop internal resolution of manufacturing non-conformances and prevent recurrence.
• Investigate product quality problems, determine root cause, gather and analyze data and implement corrective action to reduce or eliminate cause.
• Submit change requests to product engineering for drawing corrections, product assembly problems, etc.
• Track and measure First Pass Yield and develop action plan for improvement.
• Continuous Improvement/Lean Enterprise: Develop and implement best practices leading to improvements in lean manufacturing concepts and product quality.
• Support the implementation of the 5S workplace organization processes in the plant through direct project involvement and through fellow team members.
• Establish and utilize frameworks and systems, including tools such as visual management, problem solving, standard work and kaizen.
• Adhere to and promote the HR Pledge.
• Cooperate and commit in a team environment to achieve goals and deliverables.
• Resolve difficult or complicated challenges using the problem-solving process.
• Actively embrace our core principles.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position does not routinely supervise others. On occasion, however, this individual may be asked to fill in for absent production supervisory personnel.
• Assigns and directs work, addresses complaints and resolves problems.

Competencies

• Quality and manufacturing at Milbank are team endeavors; communication and teamwork are essential to who we are and how we succeed.
• Speak clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations, demonstrate group presentation skills and ability to conduct meetings.
• Strong ability to express complicated and technical matters in a clear, concise manner.
• Embrace and enjoy a diverse working environment, understanding the strengths the differences each of us bring to the team.
• Involves the hourly production workers in problem solving and process improvement.
• Foster and encourage an atmosphere of responsibility, quality and pride in all who function on the team.