Job Title: Quality Engineer
Department: Quality
Supervisor: Manager, Quality Assurance

POSITION SUMMARY:
Reporting to the quality assurance manager, the quality engineer is responsible for ensuring that the quality of the parts produced in the plant will meet all customer expectations. The quality engineer will quickly and effectively take action when non-conformances are found. The quality engineer will proactively identify and drive continuous improvement projects to increase product quality, overall manufacturing efficiency and productivity while reducing cost and waste.
The position will be a resource for the plant, assisting in solving quality and technical issues; ensuring that the plant and its quality systems evolve and continuously improve through close association with plant management. This position will lead continuous improvement activities in the plant related to quality and food safety requirements.
The quality engineer will maintain the integrity of the certified quality system requirements with lean, cost-effective strategies that meet the organization’s needs. The quality engineer role will participate in strengthening the customer relationship. This position is also responsible for food safety and quality procedures to ensure that the company’s objectives for food safety and quality meet or exceed customer’s and regulatory agency’s requirements.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:
Manage the Quality of Manufactured Products

• Ensure that product quality and procedures are in place and are being properly executed to minimize defects and protect customers
• Ensure that required quality audits take place and corrective actions for non-compliances are completed
• Coordinate investigations of non-conformances, follow-up on investigations, maintain RCCA log, and complete verification activities with Quality Manager
• Ensure timely and effective follow up on customer product quality issues including:
• Drive the process for answering customer PQIs on time with the plant, using timely follow-up, communication, and production knowledge to ensure answers provided to customers are correct, logical, and have corrective actions completed to prevent reoccurrence
• Respond to customers within 10 days of receipt of PQIs, with clear, well written responses, tailored to an audience that does not have intimate knowledge of the plant or Polytainers operations
• Conduct thorough investigations and root cause analysis of plant issues and internal problems within quality, using the Polytainers problem solving model, to effectively correct deficiencies and prevent reoccurrence
• Maintain the most recent understandings of the quality system requirements and therefore ensure that documented practices meet the true interpretation of the quality management system standards

Assist the Plant in Achieving Quality Performance Targets

• Participate in determining plant quality assurance objectives and be accountable for ensuring projects assigned are properly planned out, executed, and documented as per planned deadlines
• Establish corrective actions when performance is off target
• Conduct regular reviews of PHRs and PQIs in order to analyze root causes and determine patterns
• Based on the above analysis, engage with plant management to drive forward on corrective actions for major issues

Customer Relationship Management

• Ensure compliance and timely completion and submission of customer regulatory documents
• Co-ordinate responses to customer request for food safety, allergen, HACCP, and quality questionnaires
• Track and report on customer complaints and formal NCR’s and associated corrective action plans.
• Communicate directly with the customer, including visiting the customer’s plant, as required
• Engage in customer visits to gain full understanding of customer root cause concerns and to strengthen the customer relationship

Customer Complaint Management

• Track and report on customer complaints (PQIs) status at daily production meetings, formal NCRs, and associated corrective action plans
• Facilitate team meetings to determine root cause and corrective actions
• Follow up to validate corrective actions have been completed, are effective and provide regular status updates to management
• Prepare final reports to customer and submit to the issuing PQI coordinator for closure

Auditing Duties

• Perform scheduled SQF internal audits. Prepare and present report on findings at monthly meetings
• Follow up with the department manager responsible for findings that require corrections for NCRs and PQIs

Lead Plant Continuous Improvement Objectives

• Participate in determining plant objectives in establishing the performance metrics for the objectives and providing leadership in ensuring projects are supported with technical and troubleshooting assistance
• Assist the plant in working with quality directly to achieve desired continuous improvement goals while ensuring plant quality standards are maintained
• Ensure assigned activities are properly planned out, executed, and documented as per planned deadlines. Facilitate implementation of changes
• Provide feedback and follow up throughout the project life cycle to drive improvement
• Promote a continuous improvement culture

Plant Technical Support

• Thoroughly understand injection molding, thermoforming and IML technologies as well as dry offset plastic printing and shrink sleeving technologies
• Be knowledgeable of quality standards and understand process / product interactions
• Act as a resource to quality team members, operations, and maintenance by taking ownership and leading resolution of escalated day to day problems using accepted problem-solving methodology
• Report on performance and corrective actions at appropriate forums, such as the daily production meeting
• Provide feedback to supervisors on compliance with respect to processes and procedures
• Work with engineers, maintenance, and plant team members to ensure proper execution of all test requirements (including sign off) for new equipment/products/processes for molding and printing
• Review and analyze results. Recommend changes to processes based upon findings and perform follow up to verify effectiveness

Report and Communicate

• Report on quality issues from customers at daily plant meeting
• Communicate quality issues to appropriate plant management in a timely fashion to initiate corrective actions
• Report on plant quality issues and any other issues of significance with the quality assurance team at the daily quality meeting
• Ensure the Quality Assurance Manager is kept abreast of issues being dealt with and or items which are beyond the scope of your duties to control / correct
• Effectively communicate and reinforce company’s commitment to quality improvement efforts

Backup Responsibilities

• The incumbent has responsibilities relating to food safety and food quality. Their designated back-up for these issues is as per FSQ-GEN-0045 Designated Backups for Food Safety and Quality Issues

Other Duties

• Perform other duties as assigned

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Educational Requirements: Post graduate degree or diploma, preferably in engineering, or equivalent.
• Minimum Experience/Field: Minimum 5 years of technical support experience in a fast paced, high volume lean manufacturing environment Proven record of accomplishment in leading change.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing tools and applications Knowledge of 6 sigma tools and applications (Green Belt or equivalent).
• Computer Skills: Good PC skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Communication Skills: A skilled communicator with strong ability to positively impact desired behaviours. Fluent in English with good verbal and written communication skills

CORE COMPETENCIES FOR THIS POSITION:

• Proven ability to deliver results.
• Ability to effectively coach, manage and support team members.
• Ability to manage significant workload including conflicting priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and people management skills.
• Effective planning and organizational skills.
• Project management skills.