Manager, Quality Operations Engineer

Misfits Market•Northlake, IL

8d•$90,000 - $95,000•Onsite

About The Position

Misfits Market is seeking a hands-on, data-driven Quality Engineer Manager to join their Fulfillment Center team. This role will serve as the oversight lead for facility quality strategy, compliance execution, and cross-functional performance. The position manages and provides manager-level elevation for the FSQA Supervisor, bridging the gap between high-level quality strategy and daily operations. The Manager will drive continuous improvement projects, establish rigorous standards for supplier compliance and regulatory management, analyze defect data to identify trends, and act as a cultural change agent.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing), Food Science, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.
3–5 years of experience in a Quality Assurance, Continuous Improvement, or Process Engineering role within a manufacturing, food production, or high-volume fulfillment environment.
Strong proficiency in Data Analysis and Statistical Process Control.
Experience with Project Management methodologies.
Knowledge of Lean Six Sigma principles (Green Belt is a plus).
Familiarity with FDA, USDA-AMS & FSIS, GFSI, FSMA regulations, HACCP Certified, and SQF Practitioner Certified.
Exceptional communication skills—ability to translate technical quality concepts into clear instructions for warehouse associates.
Ability to spend 50% of time on the warehouse floor in cold environments (36°F and below).

Nice To Haves

Experience implementing or maintaining SQF, BRC, or ISO 9001 systems.
Spanish language proficiency.

Responsibilities

Manage, coach, and mentor the Food Safety & Quality Assurance Supervisor.
Spend meaningful time on the warehouse floor auditing picking, packing, shipping, and sanitation processes to ensure adherence to the "Perfect Box" standard.
Lead site investigations into internal errors (picking mistakes, damaged goods) and customer complaints.
Utilize advanced metrics to move the facility from reacting to errors to predictive mitigation.
Partner with Inbound and Inventory Control teams to establish clear acceptance/rejection parameters for incoming items, ensuring fresh produce and shelf-stable goods meet absolute criteria before going live in the WMS.
Formally trigger and lead critical site CAPA and validation activities.
Design engineering and workflow solutions to eliminate process bottlenecks and mitigate product shrink.
Own the development, review, and deployment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Work Instructions.
Establish efficient document control management processes using the e-QMS and supporting repositories.
Act as the subject matter expert in the deployment of SOPs and problem solving disciplines.
Act as the project lead for new quality initiatives, test methods, validation activities, ensuring timelines are met, and stakeholders (Operations, Merchandicing, Logistics) are aligned.
Utilize Statistical Process Control (SPC), Pareto charts, and trend data to interpret quality signals.
Formulate weekly and monthly quality performance roll-ups and Voice of the Customer (VOC) feedback loops for regional leadership.
Use data to influence operational decisions—proving when a process change is necessary based on hard evidence.
Maintain strict adherence to GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices) and sanitation standards within the warehouse.
Direct the preparation and maintenance of the site's Food Safety and Quality Plans.
Serve as a key pillar for third-party, customer, and regulatory (FDA/USDA/State) audit readiness, driving goals to achieve SQF benchmarking targets.
Ensure that quality never comes at the expense of safety.
Champion a culture where food safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Act as the project lead for onboarding electronic Food Safety and Quality Management Systems.
Partner with systems engineers to maximize WMS functionality (such as photo documentation and precise lot transaction history tracing).
Supervise mock recall and trace activities executed by the facility supervisor to consistently hit a recovery target rate of 100% within specified regulatory windows.