Quality Engineer (56974)

Who we are:

Premium Guard, Inc, a privately held company, was established in 1996. We are a leading supplier of private label solutions in the automotive aftermarket. We have an exceptional commitment to performance, innovation, and partnership in the automotive aftermarket industry. Our focus is on designing, manufacturing and distributing products for automotive, diesel, power-sports and specialty filter markets.

We are excited to announce that we are hiring a Quality Engineer for our Albion, IL location. The Quality Engineer is primarily concerned with facilitating OE Customer issues. The Quality Engineer provides various quality systems and programs throughout the corporate structure to utilize resources committed for continuous improvement efforts. Evaluates and makes necessary recommendations on various quality resolution efforts for maintaining the process flow and quality standards at minimum cost.  Ensures data is collected and records are maintained to apprise department heads of product characteristics information needed to make decisions with respect to customer and corporate requirements.  

This position is also responsible for creating and coordinating quality system control plans for consistency between suppliers, in process, and customer levels to establish continuity throughout the corporate structure.  This is accomplished by standardizing quality reports to customer accounts, assuring that quality procedures meet ISO/TS 16949 and customer specific standards, and other elements of the quality system standard as required by management.   

This position also monitors quality system measurables to identify supplier, internal and external concerns. The incumbent also administers quality assessments for both supplier and internal audits. 

 The incumbent serves and facilitates advance quality planning techniques such as PFMEA’s, DFMEA’s, dimensional layouts for ensuring proper metrological techniques are used, statistical techniques to ensure target capability of processes are met, and final report submittals and modifications of same to meet specific customer requirements. 

 Based upon knowledge of quality standards, it is the ongoing challenge of the incumbent to achieve and maintain a quality level to enhance new business and to meet customer requirements.  The incumbent requests corrective action when a process or product is unacceptable per established standards or develops programs to meet established product standards and to determine if a product is acceptable.  A corrective action is to be administered or a viable alternative agreed upon.  

 The incumbent shall establish necessary controls to meet customer quality improvements, keeping costs in line to compete in the marketplace and to follow up with customers to assure complete satisfaction. 

 The incumbent should have good communication skills to deal with others, both internally and externally, to “sell” the needed changes or improvements in quality; and have the job experience to determine function, fit, appearance and testing of products as related to company as well as customer quality standards/requirements.  It is necessary to have extensive experience in controlling quality, customer requirements, processes and product capabilities and a general knowledge of processes in production departments.  The incumbent should posses four to five years of job-related experience or equivalent. 

 The OE Quality Engineer meets frequently with the Quality Engineering Manager and other associated departments to provide an overview of project status and problems.  The incumbent makes frequent contact with customers and/or sales representatives.  Contacts are generally in response to customer complaints and require coordinating a reply to customer for resolution, i.e., 5-Why, 8-D Root Cause, etc., with input from plant management, engineering and other supporting departments.  Ongoing challenges include gaining customer approvals on control plans, product sample approvals, and plant surveys. The incumbent will be expected to travel to customer site as needed.  In addition, the incumbent will become familiar with customer specific requirements in manuals and Internet web sites.  The incumbent meets with Quality Control, Manufacturing, and Purchasing to coordinate and ensure a smooth transition to production of new program. 

The incumbent must possess knowledge of product design engineering and be able to interpret design-engineering characteristics for subordinates and plant personnel.  Comprehension of geometric tolerance drawings is a requirement.  The incumbent is expected to make recommendations concerning staffing requirements, quality standards and cost reductions.  The incumbent is expected to review new filter designs and ensure that quality characteristics can be met.  

Key Responsibilities

• Support all company policies, procedures, and programs relating to personnel, quality, safety, and environmental issues. 

• Support the APQP process with quality engineering activities.  

• Take leadership role in product management of new programs. 

• Initiate cost savings review projects to eliminate unnecessary waste in process and design. 

• Provide rapid and meaningful investigation of special project/assignments to assist management in the development of solutions to quality problem areas. 

• Contribute to improve departmental capability by providing arbitration, guidance, direction and training to support personnel in other departments. 

• Ensure customer satisfaction by being responsive to their needs and conducting timely follow up of quality problems and/or statistical controls.  Work with customers, through Sales and Engineering under the direction of the Quality Engineering Manager and Plant Manager. 

Qualifications

• 3-5 years experience in Quality or related position
• Strong project Management Skills
• Knowledge of quality concepts and principles
• Problem solving skills

Education and Experience

• Bachelor of Science degree in related field or equivalent in education and experience
   

Premium Guard, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer