Sterling Engineering is partnering with an established manufacturer to hire a Quality Assurance Manager to lead plant quality operations and continuous improvement initiatives. This position will oversee the Quality Management System, quality engineering, inspection, regulatory compliance, and supplier quality activities while managing and developing a team of Quality Engineers and Quality Technicians. The ideal candidate brings strong manufacturing quality leadership experience along with hands on knowledge of ISO 9001, statistical quality methods, root cause analysis, and modern inspection practices.
Location: DeKalb, IL 60115 (100 % onsite)
Hire Type: Direct Hire
Shift: 1st Shift
Salary: $85,000 to $115,000 annually
Responsibilities:
- Lead and continuously improve the plant Quality Management System in accordance with ISO 9001 requirements.
- Manage internal, customer, and third-party audits, including corrective actions and follow through on audit findings.
- Maintain quality procedures, work instructions, documentation, and controlled quality records. Ensure products meet applicable customer, regulatory, and industry requirements, including UL and other domestic and international standards.
- Lead quality initiatives using data and statistical methods including SPC, process capability, Gage R&R, FMEA, DOE, and acceptance sampling.
- Develop and monitor quality KPIs including scrap, first pass yield, cost of poor quality, customer complaints, PPM, and audit performance.
- Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions using structured problem-solving tools such as 8D, 5 Why, and cause and effect analysis.
- Support Lean and Six Sigma improvement projects focused on reducing defects, improving process capability, and eliminating variation.
- Oversee inspection, metrology, and calibration programs for equipment such as CMMs, vision systems, optical comparators, gages, calipers, micrometers, and electrical testing equipment.
- Manage and develop Quality Engineers and Quality Technicians through coaching, training, goal setting, and performance management.
- Partner with Engineering, Operations, and Purchasing on supplier qualification, supplier performance, corrective actions, and new product initiatives.
- Lead investigations involving customer complaints, returns, and quality escalations.
- Support quality planning during new product development and design reviews.
Qualifications:
- Must Have: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Business, or a related discipline.
- Must Have: 5+ years of progressive quality experience within a manufacturing environment.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent continuous improvement experience required.
- 2+ years of experience leading or supervising quality professionals.
- Strong experience implementing, maintaining, or improving a Quality Management System.
- Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and manufacturing quality standards.
- Experience with statistical quality tools, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Knowledge of inspection, metrology, calibration, and manufacturing quality equipment.
- Experience supporting regulatory compliance and customer or third party audits.
- ASQ Quality Manager, Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Black Belt, ISO Lead Auditor, or Lean certifications are highly preferred.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
