Senior Quality Inspector
Senior Quality Inspector
Location: Elk River, MN
Job Type: Full-Time
Pay: $25.00 per hour
Department: Quality / Operations
About the Position
We are seeking an experienced Senior Quality Inspector to lead quality efforts on the production floor while serving as a trusted resource for customers and the production team.
This is a hands-on quality leadership position that combines inspection, customer communication, employee training, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate understands that quality is more than simply finding defects. You will help prevent problems, identify root causes, train employees, communicate directly with customers, and work with production to ensure customer requirements are consistently met.
This is not a desk job. The majority of your time will be spent on the production floor inspecting parts, working with employees, solving quality issues, and improving processes.
Key Responsibilities
- Inspect in-process and finished parts to ensure they meet customer specifications, engineering requirements, and quality standards.
- Read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, prints, travelers, and customer specification sheets.
- Serve as a primary quality contact for customers and respond to quality concerns professionally and promptly.
- Build strong customer relationships by understanding customer requirements and communicating quality expectations.
- Investigate customer complaints, RMAs, and quality issues.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities.
- Train and coach employees on quality standards, inspection procedures, workmanship requirements, and customer expectations.
- Perform paint and powder coating quality testing using thickness gauges, spectrophotometers, adhesion testers, and other inspection equipment.
- Quarantine, identify, and document nonconforming material.
- Assist with rework and disposition decisions.
- Maintain accurate quality records and documentation.
- Support ISO 9001:2015 compliance, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Work closely with production and management to resolve quality issues quickly.
- Assist production as needed with hanging, masking, plugging, packaging, and other shop support activities.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of manufacturing quality experience required.
- Powder coating, industrial painting, metal finishing, or metal fabrication experience strongly preferred.
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing quality processes and inspection methods.
- Ability to read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, prints, and customer specifications.
- Strong customer service and communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
- Experience using inspection and measurement equipment.
- Working knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems.
- Ability to support internal and external quality audits.
- Ability to train and coach employees effectively.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Must be able to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.
- Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
What We're Looking For
We're looking for someone who views quality as more than inspection.
The successful candidate will be a coach, problem solver, customer advocate, and quality leader who can build trust with customers, develop employees, investigate problems, and drive corrective action.
The right person will take initiative, communicate clearly, and have the confidence to address quality concerns before they become larger production or customer issues.
Work Environment & Physical Requirements
- Majority of the workday will be spent on the production floor.
- Ability to work in a warm manufacturing environment.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
- Ability to bend, reach, climb, and move throughout the production area.
- Ability to lift, push, and pull materials as needed.
- Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Why Join Us?
- $25.00 per hour
- Full-time opportunity
- Hands-on quality leadership role
- Opportunity to work directly with customers and production teams
- Opportunity to make a direct impact on quality and continuous improvement
- Team-oriented manufacturing environment
- Opportunity for professional growth
Apply Today
If you are an experienced quality professional who enjoys working directly with customers, coaching employees, solving problems, and improving manufacturing processes, we encourage you to apply.
Pay: $25.00 - $26.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
