The Quality Assurance Technician provides hands-on quality assurance support throughout States Industries' hardwood plywood manufacturing process. This position spends the majority of each shift on the production floor conducting inspections, collecting and evaluating samples, performing quality testing, identifying nonconforming product, and working directly with production employees and leadership to ensure products meet company and customer requirements.
The Quality Assurance Technician works closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, and other departments to identify quality concerns, support root cause analysis and corrective action, improve manufacturing processes, reduce waste and rework, and maintain accurate quality records. The position serves as a visible quality resource on the manufacturing floor and helps reinforce quality standards and expectations throughout the production process.
This position requires strong attention to detail, effective communication, sound judgment, and the ability to solve problems in real time in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. The Quality Assurance Technician is expected to support a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
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Spend the majority of each shift on the production floor monitoring product quality, manufacturing processes, and compliance with established quality standards.
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Perform quality inspections and testing on raw materials, in-process products, and finished hardwood plywood to verify compliance with company, customer, and applicable product specifications.
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Conduct testing including, but not limited to, moisture content, bond quality, thickness, dimensions, appearance, veneer grading, panel specifications, and other established quality characteristics.
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Collect, prepare, label, retain, organize, and maintain quality samples in accordance with established requirements.
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Identify mismanufactured, damaged, nonconforming, or questionable product and ensure appropriate communication, follow-up, and disposition through the manufacturing process.
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Communicate quality concerns promptly to production leadership and other appropriate team members and assist with determining root causes and corrective actions.
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Partner with supervisors, Mentors, production employees, Engineering, and Operations to resolve quality concerns while minimizing production disruption and preventing recurrence.
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Serve as a quality resource on the manufacturing floor, helping employees understand and consistently meet internal and customer quality requirements.
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Accurately document inspection and testing results and maintain required quality records using company software, forms, and reporting systems.
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Review quality data and trends to identify recurring defects, process variation, waste, rework, falldown, and other opportunities for improvement.
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Calibrate, maintain, verify, and troubleshoot laboratory, inspection, and testing equipment and ensure equipment is used in accordance with established procedures.
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Assist with developing, reviewing, updating, and improving quality procedures, work instructions, inspection standards, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
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Participate in root cause investigations, corrective action activities, Lean Manufacturing initiatives, Kaizen events, 5S activities, and other continuous improvement projects.
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Train and support employees on quality standards, inspection methods, testing requirements, customer specifications, and quality expectations as assigned.
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Communicate effectively across shifts and departments regarding quality concerns, testing results, product disposition, process issues, and items requiring follow-up.
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Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area and support good housekeeping practices throughout production and quality work areas.
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Follow all States Industries safety policies, environmental requirements, PPE requirements, quality procedures, and company work practices.
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Maintain required forklift certification and safely operate forklifts and other applicable material handling equipment as needed.
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Maintain regular and predictable attendance and flexibility to support alternate shifts, overtime, weekends, or holidays as business needs require.
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Perform other duties as assigned.
Key Performance Indicators:
Performance in the Quality Assurance Technician position may be evaluated using the following measures:
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Safety: Compliance with safety and PPE requirements, proactive identification of hazards, safe performance of inspection and testing activities, and support of a strong safety culture.
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Quality Compliance: Accurate identification of defects and nonconforming product and consistent verification that materials and finished products meet internal and customer specifications.
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Inspection & Testing: Timely and accurate completion of required inspections, testing, sampling, measurements, and product evaluations.
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Documentation: Accurate, complete, and timely maintenance of inspection results, quality records, sample records, testing documentation, and other required reporting.
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Corrective Action & Problem Solving: Effective support of root cause analysis, corrective action, and follow-up to reduce recurrence of quality issues.
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Quality Loss Reduction: Contribution to reducing defects, rework, falldown, waste, customer-impacting quality concerns, and other quality losses.
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Continuous Improvement: Participation in and support of Kaizen, 5S, Lean, root cause, and other improvement activities that strengthen product quality and manufacturing processes.
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Communication & Floor Support: Timely communication of quality concerns and effective partnership with production employees, leadership, Engineering, and Operations to resolve issues and reinforce quality expectations.
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Equipment & Calibration: Proper care, calibration, verification, and reliable use of laboratory, inspection, and testing equipment.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
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High school diploma or GED required.
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Previous Quality Assurance or Quality Control experience in a manufacturing environment preferred.
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Experience in plywood, wood products, or a comparable industrial manufacturing environment preferred.
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Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Wood Science, or a related field preferred.
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Relevant manufacturing, quality, technical, or wood-products experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.
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Experience using quality measurement tools, inspection instruments, and testing equipment preferred.
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Knowledge of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, root cause analysis, or other continuous improvement principles preferred.
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Strong attention to detail with the ability to recognize defects, inconsistencies, and process variation.
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Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
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Ability to communicate professionally and effectively with production employees, supervisors, managers, and other departments.
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Ability to work independently while also collaborating closely with manufacturing and technical teams.
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Ability to accurately document inspection results and analyze basic production or quality data.
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Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and ability to learn company quality and manufacturing systems.
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Ability to perform basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and percentage calculations.
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Ability to understand and carry out detailed written and oral instructions and apply sound judgment to quality-related decisions.
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Forklift certification required or must be obtained within the timeframe established by the Company.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
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Work is performed primarily in an industrial wood-products manufacturing environment and requires significant time on the production floor rather than in an office setting.
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The employee may be exposed to moving machinery, mobile equipment, forklifts, conveyors, wood products, wood dust, adhesives, chemicals, noise, heat, cold, fumes, odors, and changing environmental conditions throughout the workday.
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Work requires frequent standing and walking throughout a large manufacturing facility, including climbing stairs and moving between production, laboratory, inspection, and material storage areas.
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The position may require frequent bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, twisting, reaching, and use of hands to handle, inspect, measure, and test materials and products.
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The employee must be able to lift and carry materials weighing up to 25 pounds frequently and up to 50 pounds occasionally.
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The position requires the ability to distinguish colors, recognize product defects, and perform detailed visual inspections.
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The position requires the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and strict compliance with all company safety requirements.
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The employee must be able to safely work around chemicals and follow applicable SDS and chemical-handling procedures.
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The position requires frequent interaction with production employees, supervisors, Mentors, Quality, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Warehouse, and other departments in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
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The Quality Assurance Technician is expected to maintain flexibility and respond to changing production, quality, testing, sampling, and customer requirements throughout the shift.
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Regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of the position.
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The position may require work outside the employee's regularly scheduled hours, including alternate shifts, overtime, weekends, or holidays, based on production and business needs.
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Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
