Quality Engineer
9 days ago
Buffalo
Job Description Role Title: Quality Engineer Reports To: Quality Manager Role Summary The Quality Engineer aligns quality initiatives with GTI’s strategic objectives and ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) requirements. This role ensures quality processes are defined, implemented, monitored, and continually improved to meet customer, regulatory, and business requirements. The Quality Engineer applies risk-based thinking, drives Root Cause Corrective Actions (RCCA), and uses data-driven insights to improve operational performance, reduce risk, and protect the GTI brand. Core Responsibilities • Support QMS effectiveness by monitoring, analyzing, and improving assigned quality and production processes in alignment with ISO 9001 requirements., • Provide real-time analytics and data insights to support informed, risk-based decision-making., • Develop and maintain dashboards, KPIs, and trend analyses used for operational reviews and Management Review inputs., • Identify, assess, and mitigate risks within production and support processes using documented risk tools (e.g., PFMEA, risk registers, control plans)., • Develop, implement, and maintain Quality Plans and control strategies based on customer, regulatory, and internal requirements., • Drive Root Cause Corrective Actions (RCCA), ensuring actions are implemented, documented, and verified for effectiveness., • Ensure Quality Assurance through defect prevention via standardization, training support, process validation, and built-in quality methods., • Implement Quality Control activities to detect nonconforming outputs through inspections, testing, monitoring, and final verification., • Support control of nonconforming outputs, including MRB participation, rework verification, and disposition documentation., • Support internal audits, corrective actions, and continuous improvement activities related to assigned processes., • Maintain quality-related documented information and records to ensure traceability, data integrity, and audit readiness., • Escalate quality risks, systemic issues, or compliance concerns to Quality leadership as appropriate. Key Deliverables • Documented Quality Plans and Control Plans aligned with customer, regulatory, and ISO 9001 requirements., • Risk assessments and mitigation actions for production, process, and change activities., • RCCA documentation with verified effectiveness and trend analysis., • KPI dashboards and quality performance reports supporting operational and Management Reviews., • Inspection, test, nonconformance, and verification records demonstrating product conformity. Decision-Making Authority • Review and approval of deviation requests in accordance with established procedures., • Definition, improvement, and optimization of quality measurement and monitoring systems within assigned scope., • Authority to stop or escalate production or process issues that may impact product conformity, safety, or compliance. Key Cross-Functional Interactions • Safety: Policy alignment, training support, and reduction of safety-related risks., • Production: RCCA, Quality Control activities, Quality Audits, MRB participation, rework verification, and process support., • Engineering: Process improvement initiatives, change management support, and waste elimination., • Supply Chain: Material availability, material conformity, clear-to-build status, and escalation of supply-related outages., • Purchasing: Supplier quality issues, cost recovery, vendor credits, and coordination of quality-related payment concerns., • Business Unit Managers / Program Managers (BUMs/PMs): Project tracking, customer quality performance reporting, and issue escalation., • Human Resources: Coordination related to training records, payroll impacts tied to quality activities, and benefits accounting as applicable. Success Metrics The effectiveness of the Quality Engineer role will be measured using the following metrics: • Quality Defect Rates, • Internal defect rates (scrap, rework, first-pass yield), • External defect rates (customer complaints, returns, warranty), • Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), • Scrap, rework, concessions, warranty, and recovery costs, • Demonstrated reduction or control of COPQ through corrective actions, • Customer Quality Performance, • Customer quality metrics (PPM, scorecards, complaints), • Timeliness and quality of customer responses and corrective actions, • Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) Performance, • Timeliness of issue reporting, • On-time closure of corrective actions, • Verification of corrective action effectiveness, • Audit Schedule and Compliance, • Adherence to internal and external audit schedules