Quality Assurance Supervisor

L.S. Starrett Company•Athol, MA

10d

About The Position

The Quality Assurance Laboratory Supervisor is accountable for managing and controlling all operations within an A2LA-accredited metrology laboratory, ensuring full compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, customer specific requirements, and internal quality management systems. This position provides strategic oversight of laboratory processes to guarantee measurement accuracy, calibration traceability, documentation integrity, impartiality, confidentiality, and regulatory adherence. The Quality Assurance Laboratory Supervisor must demonstrate advanced technical expertise in metrology, calibration, and measurement systems, combined with strong knowledge of quality management system requirements under IATF 16949 and ISO/IEC 17025. The position requires proven leadership, organizational skills, and the ability to successfully manage internal audits and external assessments, ensuring the laboratory consistently meets or exceeds customer, government, and accreditation requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Quality Assurance, Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in a quality assurance or laboratory supervisory role within a manufacturing environment.
Strong knowledge of quality systems, inspection techniques, and laboratory practices.
Familiarity with ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025, or other relevant quality standards.
Proficient in the use of precision measuring instruments and laboratory testing equipment.
Experience with data analysis, statistical methods, and quality improvement tools.
Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and quality management software systems.
Proficient in the use of precision measuring instruments and laboratory testing equipment, including but not limited to: Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) Vision measurement systems Advanced metrology equipment Specialized calibration instrumentation

Responsibilities

Ensure daily laboratory operations are executed in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 standards, maintaining full readiness for internal and external audits.
Manage, schedule, and verify internal and external calibration of measurement equipment to ensure accuracy, reliability, and proper traceability to international standards.
Review and approve tool repairs received from customers, verifying conformity to specifications and quality requirements.
Authorize and oversee first-piece inspection and release processes performed on measurement systems, including rules, bars, and other dimensional verification equipment.
Maintain impartiality and confidentiality in all laboratory operations, records, and reporting.
Maintain complete and accurate documentation, including calibration certificates, inspection reports, and digital traceability logs, ensuring alignment with regulatory and customer requirements.
Plan, execute, and document internal quality audits to verify compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, and organizational procedures.
Lead and ensure compliance during external audits conducted by accreditation bodies, government agencies, and customer-specific representatives (including GE and other customers).
Monitor laboratory performance metrics, apply statistical methods for data analysis, and drive corrective and preventive actions to address nonconformities and improve measurement system capability.
Evaluate risks and opportunities related to laboratory processes, equipment, and measurement systems, ensuring compliance with risk-based thinking requirements.
Provide leadership, training, and technical guidance to laboratory personnel, ensuring competence, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Act as the primary point of contact for all internal and external audits, ensuring effective communication, evidence presentation, and full compliance demonstration.
Plan, schedule, and conduct the Management Review meetings in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, ensuring that all inputs are evaluated and documented. Prepare and maintain meeting minutes, communicate results to relevant stakeholders, and follow up on improvement opportunities to ensure timely implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
facilitate, oversee, support, and expedite required inspections for special gauges.
Maintain and enforce the Quality Management System (QMS) applicable to the Special Gages area.
Ensure compliance with all governmental and regulatory requirements.
Oversee calibration and metrology laboratory operations to ensure: Equipment integrity Proper maintenance schedules Operational accuracy Environmental control compliance