Quality Specialist

Role details

Job Summary

Under the general direction of the Quality Manager, the Quality Engineer/Specialist supports and drives quality activities within assigned manufacturing operations. This role ensures product and process quality, reduces scrap and Cost of Quality (COQ), manages internal, supplier, and customer nonconformances through the site's quality and ERP systems, and supports development and continual improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS) toward ISO 9001 certification. The position may support different manufacturing areas as assigned by management based on business needs.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide daily on-floor (Gemba) quality support for assigned manufacturing areas, including inspection of finished product, ensuring in-process, first-piece, and final inspection activities meet workmanship standards, specifications, and customer requirements.

• Develop, maintain, and improve quality plans, testing procedures, work instructions, and visual aids for assigned manufacturing processes and products to ensure compliance with customer requirements, applicable certifications, and the ISO 9001 Quality Management System.

• Manage customer complaints (eCARs) submitted through ABB Supplier Net (San Germán) and ABB Supplier 360 (Arecibo), and document internal rejections and supplier rejections as formal cases in IOMS. Lead containment, investigation, root cause analysis (5-Why, 8D), and corrective action activities, ensuring required evidence (photos, reports, lot/work-order records) is captured and cases are closed within target timelines (eCARs within 30 days). Drive implementation, verification of effectiveness, and sustainability of corrective actions to prevent recurrence of quality issues.

• Perform statistical analysis of quality and manufacturing data using tools such as Excel, Minitab, or equivalent software to identify trends, process variation, risk areas, and improvement opportunities.

• Support measurement system evaluations, including calibration activities, Gauge R&R studies, capability analysis, and validation of inspection and testing methods, as applicable.

• Own area scrap, Cost of Quality (COQ), and PPM performance against organizational goals. Monitor daily scrap data, collaborate with production on top offenders, and lead Scrap Kaizen events for major contributing processes.

• Maintain and update weekly Gemba board charts, including monthly scrap, weekly scrap rate, and top scrap offenders; report quality performance to production in recurring review meetings.

• Perform monthly Pareto analysis on internal rejections; coordinate Material Review Board (MRB) activities and dispositions of non-conforming material.

• Coordinate rework activities using the Rework Action Tracker: collect rework data, maintain the tracking database, follow up on open actions, and prepare rework status for review meetings.

• Assist Engineering and Manufacturing teams with process validations, product qualifications, process control activities, first-article inspections, and CTQ management to prevent quality escapes.

• Support development of procedures, work instructions, and forms for the ISO 9001 Quality Management System in preparation for certification; participate in internal gap assessments and readiness reviews.

Among others.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, or related field).
• 2 to 5 years of experience in manufacturing or quality engineering, preferably in an injection molding or plastics/sub-assembly environment.
• Experience with structured problem-solving methods: 8D, 5-Why, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive action.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and molded-part specifications.
• Strong analytical, statistical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Experience analyzing quality data and performance metrics using statistical methods and software such as Minitab, Excel, or equivalent tools.
• Fluent in written and verbal English and Spanish.
• Computer literate, including ERP and quality-system software (e.g., MAGO or similar; MS Office required).

Preferred Skills / Qualifications

• Experience supporting manufacturing quality in molding, fabrication, welding, assembly, or other industrial manufacturing environments.
• Knowledge of statistical process control (SPC), process capability studies, Gauge R&R, measurement system analysis (MSA), and other data-driven quality methodologies.
• Demonstrated success by reducing scrap, PPM, or Cost of Quality (COQ).
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 requirements and QMS documentation (procedures, work instructions, forms).
• Prior hands-on experience with IOMS, ABB Supplier Net/Supplier 360, James, or DCDM, or comparable case-management, document-control, and drawing/CTQ systems.
• Experience coordinating quality matters across multiple manufacturing sites or with external suppliers.
• Judgment and decision-making; active listening; performance monitoring/assessment; strong reading comprehension.

Pay: $62,000.00 - $68,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person