Description
The Quality Assurance Leader is responsible for leading and continuously improving the site's Quality Management System (QMS) within a highly innovative circular manufacturing environment. This role serves as the primary quality authority for the facility, ensuring consistent production of specification-compliant products while supporting operational excellence, sustainability initiatives, and customer satisfaction.
This position partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Commercial, and Laboratory teams to drive quality performance, strengthen process controls, and implement continuous improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate is a data-driven quality professional with experience leading quality systems in continuous-process manufacturing environments.
Must-Have Skills, Experience, and Education
• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Statistics, or a related technical field
• Minimum 5 years of quality leadership experience within chemicals, petrochemicals, carbon black, rubber, automotive, or other continuous-process manufacturing environments
• Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
• Experience with Statistical Process Control (SPC), process capability analysis, and quality performance metrics
• Demonstrated experience leading root cause investigations and corrective action processes
• Experience utilizing structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, and FMEA
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders across multiple departments
• Strong communication, organizational, and analytical skills
• Ability to work effectively in a data-driven manufacturing environment
Requirements
• Lead and maintain the facility Quality Management System (QMS) in alignment with ISO 9001 standards
• Support quality system compliance with ISO 14001 and IATF 16949 expectations
• Establish and maintain quality procedures, specifications, testing standards, and process control plans
• Oversee product sampling, laboratory testing protocols, and quality verification processes
• Develop and monitor quality KPIs, including customer complaints, non-conformance rates, process capability, and yield metrics
• Utilize SPC, trend analysis, and quality analytics to drive data-based decision-making
• Lead root cause analysis, corrective actions, and preventive action initiatives
• Support Management of Change (MOC) activities to identify and mitigate quality risks
• Develop and improve supplier quality and incoming inspection programs
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and Commercial teams to improve process consistency and product quality
• Support customer audits, technical reviews, qualification activities, and plant visits
• Promote safe laboratory and manufacturing practices
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance quality, reliability, and operational efficiency
Nice-to-Have Skills, Experience, and Education
• Experience with IATF 16949 or automotive quality systems
• Familiarity with analytical methods related to carbon black, fuels, oils, rubber compounds, or specialty chemicals
• Exposure to ESG reporting, recycled-content verification, or mass-balance certification frameworks
• Experience supporting startup, commissioning, or manufacturing scale-up environments
• Advanced technical degree
• Experience managing customer qualification trials and presenting technical results to customers and stakeholders
