Quality Assurance/Quality Control Senior Specialist

Indiana Automotive Fasteners Careers • Greenfield, IN

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Quality Assurance & Quality Control Senior Specialist serves as a senior technical resource within the Quality Department and supports both Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) activities throughout the manufacturing operation. The position is responsible for supporting product and process conformity, supporting the effectiveness of the Quality Management System, providing technical guidance to Quality Team Members, and assisting Manufacturing and other departments with the identification, containment, investigation, and prevention of quality concerns and technical expertise and advisement. The Senior Specialist is expected to demonstrate advanced knowledge of inspection and measurement methods, customer and engineering requirements, nonconforming product controls, problem-solving methods, and applicable quality procedures. The position serves as a technical escalation point and provides coaching, training, and guidance to Quality Team Members while promoting built-in quality, process discipline, and prevention of defects. The Senior Specialist also supports the continuous improvement efforts as they pertain to general organization, 4S+ and process/procedures.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to independently perform advanced QA/QC activities and recognize normal versus abnormal conditions.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing inspection methods, quality documentation, containment, root cause analysis, and corrective action.
• Ability to read and interpret customer and engineering drawings, specifications, procedures, control plans, and inspection standards.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and applicable quality/measurement software and databases.
• Strong communication, coaching, organization, judgment, and cross-functional problem-solving skills.
• Must have a quality background.
• Ability to apply basic mathematics, decimals, fractions, percentages, tolerances, unit conversions, and statistical concepts required for dimensional inspection, measurement analysis, SPC, and quality data review.
• Ability to solve practical quality problems, evaluate risk, recognize abnormal conditions, interpret information from multiple sources, and determine appropriate containment, escalation, and follow-up within established authority.
• Ability to read and interpret safety rules, operating instructions, customer and engineering requirements, procedures, and quality system documentation.
• Ability to prepare clear reports, records, correspondence, and technical documentation and to communicate effectively with Team Members, management, customers, suppliers, and auditors as applicable.

Nice To Haves

• Working knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 9001, AIAG Core Tools, and customer-specific requirements preferred.
• Associate degree or technical certificate in Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, or a related field preferred; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant manufacturing Quality experience.
• Typically, five (5) or more years of progressive Quality Control/Quality Assurance experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred.
• Automotive manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of blueprint/drawing interpretation, GD&T fundamentals, dimensional inspection, hand measurement equipment, measurement systems, calibration concepts, MSA/Gauge R&R, SPC fundamentals, control plans, PFMEA, nonconforming product control, containment, root cause analysis, and corrective action.

Responsibilities

• Perform and verify dimensional, visual, functional, and other product inspections according to drawings, specifications, control plans, inspection standards, and procedures.
• Interpret customer drawings, progression drawings, specifications, tolerances, and inspection requirements.
• Operate and provide technical support for applicable measurement equipment, including micrometers, calipers, indicators, projectors, Contracer/profile equipment, three-point rollers, and other laboratory or production measurement systems.
• Verify inspection results when abnormal, questionable, or conflicting measurements are identified and assist with measurement method selection and resolution of measurement discrepancies.
• Support compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, applicable customer-specific requirements, and company Quality Management System requirements.
• Review procedures, work instructions, inspection standards, forms, and quality records for accuracy and compliance.
• Support internal, customer, and third-party audits as assigned and assist with implementation and verification of resulting corrective actions.
• Identify gaps in quality systems or process controls and escalate concerns to Quality leadership.
• Initiate and coordinate containment activities when suspect or nonconforming material is identified.
• Ensure nonconforming product is properly identified, segregated, documented, and dispositioned.
• Assist in determining containment boundaries, clean points, traceability, and affected quantities.
• Support customer containment and sorting activities when required and verify effectiveness before closure or release.
• Participate in and facilitate structured problem-solving activities using methods such as 5-Why, PDCA, 8D, fishbone analysis, Pareto analysis, and other appropriate quality tools.
• Assist with root cause determination for product, process, measurement, and system-related nonconformities.
• Support development, implementation, and verification of corrective and preventive actions.
• Analyze quality data to identify recurring defects, trends, and opportunities for improvement and escalate recurring or high-risk concerns.
• Support calibration and verification activities for inspection and measurement equipment.
• Assist with MSA and Gauge R&R studies and help establish standardized measurement methods.
• Ensure measurement equipment is properly identified, maintained, stored, and used within calibration status.
• Maintain required laboratory environmental conditions and associated records.
• Provide floor-level Quality support to Manufacturing, Heat Treatment, Sorting, Shipping, and other applicable processes.
• Respond to abnormal conditions and assist in determining whether production may continue, requires containment, or requires Quality leadership escalation.
• Verify compliance with control plans, standardized work, inspection requirements, reaction plans, and product identification/traceability requirements.
• Promote quality control by process and participate in cross-functional activities intended to prevent defects, mixed parts, mislabeling, and other quality concerns.
• Train and coach Quality Team Members on inspection methods, measurement equipment, procedures, quality requirements, and abnormal-condition response.
• Verify Team Member understanding and proper application of established inspection methods.
• Serve as a technical resource for less-experienced Quality personnel and assist Quality leadership with development of training materials and qualification requirements.
• Promote consistent application of Quality standards across shifts and departments.
• Accurately complete and review inspection records, reports, spreadsheets, databases, and other Quality documentation for completeness, accuracy, traceability, and compliance.
• Analyze inspection, defect, scrap, sorting, customer complaint, and other quality data and assist in preparation of Quality reports and performance metrics.
• Identify opportunities to reduce inspection dependency through improved process controls and prevention.
• Participate in improvement of inspection methods, digital measurement systems, SPC, error-proofing, automated inspection technologies, Kaizen, 4S+, TPS, and other continuous improvement activities.

Benefits

• The Senior Specialist is expected to demonstrate professional conduct, teamwork, respect, accountability, constructive communication, and proactive problem solving.
• Concerns shall be addressed through appropriate leadership and escalation channels.
• Discriminatory, threatening, abusive, or otherwise inappropriate conduct is not tolerated.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree