ThermalWorks LLC is seeking an experienced, hands-on Quality Assurance Manager to be stationed full-time on the production floor at our manufacturing facility. This is not a desk-based quality systems role. The successful candidate will personally inspect work in process, identify workmanship that does not meet ThermalWorks specifications or industry standards, and have the authority and technical credibility to stop, hold, and require rework of nonconforming product before it advances. Deep experience in chiller or industrial refrigeration manufacturing is essential, along with working fluency across mechanical, electrical, and control systems and the standards that govern them.
Key ResponsibilitiesInclude but are not limited to:- Resident floor presence: Maintain a daily, full-time presence on the production floor across all build stages - fabrication, brazing/welding, refrigerant circuit assembly, electrical panel build, controls integration, and final test.
- Workmanship inspection: Identify and document improper or nonconforming work in real time, including braze and weld quality, piping fit-up, leak testing, evacuation and refrigerant charging procedures, torque and fastener practices, wire routing and terminations, and labeling.
- Hold and rework authority: Exercise stop/hold authority on nonconforming units; drive disposition, rework verification, and re-inspection to closure.
- Standards and compliance: Verify builds against applicable standards and specifications, including UL 1995 / UL 60335-2-40, NFPA 70 (NEC), ASME B31.5, AHRI 550/590, and applicable CE/IEC requirements for international product, plus ThermalWorks engineering specifications and approved drawings.
- Inspection and test plans: Develop, maintain, and enforce Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs), in-process checklists, and hold points aligned to the production traveler.
- Factory acceptance testing: Witness and sign off factory acceptance tests (FATs) and performance verification, including customer-witnessed tests; verify test data integrity and completeness of quality records shipped with each unit.
- Nonconformance management: Own the NCR process at the facility - documentation, containment, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) with production and engineering.
- Manufacturing partner interface: Serve as ThermalWorks' quality representative to the contract manufacturing team; audit process adherence, review manufacturing records, and escalate systemic issues with data.
- Supplier quality: Perform receiving inspection oversight on critical purchased components (compressors, fans, valves, controls hardware) and support supplier corrective actions.
- Reporting: Provide weekly quality metrics - first-pass yield, defect Pareto, NCR status, rework hours - with candid, data-backed assessments to ThermalWorks leadership.
Education and ExperienceRequired- 7+ years of QA/QC experience in manufacturing of chillers, industrial refrigeration, or packaged HVAC equipment - chiller manufacturing experience is a key requirement, not a preference.
- Demonstrated hands-on background spanning mechanical systems (refrigerant circuits, brazing/welding, piping), electrical systems (panel build, power wiring, dielectric/hi-pot testing, SCCR), and control systems (PLC/controller integration, sensors, functional test).
- Working knowledge of governing standards: UL 1995 / UL 60335-2-40, NFPA 70, ASME B31.5, AHRI 550/590, and familiarity with CE/IEC requirements.
- Ability to read and inspect against mechanical drawings, P&IDs, and electrical schematics.
- Experience witnessing and administering factory acceptance and performance tests.
- Proven ability to challenge and correct production work respectfully but firmly, with the technical credibility to be trusted on the floor.
- EPA Section 608 Universal certification (or ability to obtain within 90 days).
Preferred- Resident quality experience at a contract manufacturer on behalf of an OEM.
- Familiarity with oil-free magnetic-bearing centrifugal compressors and low-GWP refrigerants (e.g., R-1234ze, R-515B).
- Experience with liquid cooling equipment for data centers (CDUs, technical cooling loops) and cleanliness/flushing requirements.
- ASQ CQE/CQA, AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), or equivalent certification.
- Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or formal root cause methodology training (8D, 5-Why, fishbone).
Working Environment- Full-time factory floor presence; standing, walking, lifting up to 50 lbs, and inspection of equipment in production settings.
- Occasional travel to other ThermalWorks manufacturing and customer sites.
This position is structured for a senior technical professional who wants more than a wrench and a work order. You will be the quality intelligence function for ThermalWorks - the person who sees our product built, sees it in the field, and has a seat at the table where quality decisions get made. Your findings carry weight. Your reports go to leadership. Your site visits carry the authority of the Quality Control function.
ThermalWorks is a fast-growing manufacturer of adaptive dry cooling systems for hyperscale data center applications, operating within a vertically integrated infrastructure platform. This is a ground-floor opportunity to build a quality function that scales with the business.
Position: Quality Assurance Manager
Full-Time or Part-Time: Full-Time
Reports to: Director of Quality
Location: United States (Remote) Salt Lake City, UT
Contact:
