Job Purpose

The QA Technician position will work in collaboration with the Manufacturing Team to perform inspections, internal audits, and statistical process control activities. 

Duties & Responsibilities

• Adhere to company policies and present a professional, positive attitude, at all times. 
• Inspect parts, subassemblies, tools, machines, packaging components, and finished products. 
• Perform first article inspection on both new and changed products. 
• Record, maintain, and analyze testing, defects, and audit data. 
• Use hand tools and measurement tools such as calipers, micrometers, radius gages, thread gages, etc. 
• Perform process and internal audits. 
• Write and update inspection and testing procedures. 
• Identify and maintain measuring and monitoring equipment. 
• Identify and control nonconforming product. 
• Implement and maintain statistical process control activities. 
• Be a team member or leader of continual improvement projects and activities as assigned. • Continual learning and implementation of quality and industry best practices 
• Will work overtime if needed. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required. 
• 2-5 years of manufacturing experience required. 
• 2 years of QA / QC experience preferred. 
• Proficient experience with Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, and Outlook are required. 
• Statistical Process Control (SPC), internal auditing, continual improvement project experience is preferred. 
• Valid Driver’s license required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge: Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. 
• English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes for performing work with high level quality and quantity standards.

Skills

• Blueprint Reading – Ability to read and interpret blueprints used in precision machining.
• Tools/Equipment – Ability to use precision measurement tools, such as, optical comparator, height gage, profilometer, handheld/portable CMM, calipers, micrometers, thread gages, and instant measurement devices.
• Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Operations Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Abilities 

• Perceptual Speed — The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
• Flexibility of Closure — The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
• Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
• Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. 

Working conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to machining, moving mechanical parts and/or work near others. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The work performed will be done in a well-lit, climate-controlled, clean work environment, required wearing safety glasses and all appropriate PPE to prevent exposure and injury while performing job duties. Evening, weekend, and/or OT work may be required as job duties demands. On rare occasions work may need to be performed outside. 

Physical requirements

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand. The employee is frequently required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms. This position requires a normal range of hearing and clear speaking abilities to interact appropriately with others in person and by two-way radio. The employee is occasionally required to sit; twist, balance, squatting, kneel, crouch, climb, bend and crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move not to exceed 35 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus.