Quality Engineer Job

Primary location: Libertyville, Illinois 
Relocation offered: No 
Employment status: Full-Time 
Travel: 10% 
Non-compete: No 

The estimated base salary range for this role is “$65,000 to $97,000” per year.  
Individual pay is based upon location, skills and expertise, experience and other relevant factors

What does it mean to work at MRK Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries? 

It means being immersed in a supportive culture that recognizes you as a key player in Armstrong's future. We are a large company with a local feel, where you will get to know and collaborate with leadership and your colleagues across the company.

By joining us, you'll have the opportunity to make the most of your potential. Alongside a competitive remuneration package, you will receive:

A benefits package including: medical, dental, prescription drug, life insurance, 401k match, long-term disability coverage, vacation and sick time, and many more. 
Personal development to grow your career with us based on your strengths and interests.
A working culture that balances individual achievement with teamwork and collaboration. We draw on each other's strengths and allow for different work styles to build engagement and satisfaction to deliver results. 

Job Summary:

As the Quality Engineer you will report to the Plant Manager and will be responsible for providing focused technical support and leadership to the operations located in Libertyville, IL. In this role you will provide active leadership toward achieving the overall plant objectives of safety, business excellence, and commitment to our employees.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

• Supports plant safety with active participation in safety audits, risk assessments and other safety-related activities.
• Ensures compliance of product attributes to technical specifications and requirements.
• Leads process optimization, and root cause analysis and drives scientific and engineering principles into a rapidly changing industrial manufacturing facility.
• Uses data to analyze and investigate process difficulties as well as make at-the-line observations to detect and analyze sources of trouble.
• Determines and follows through on immediate corrective measures, where possible.
• Plans and conducts factory tests to follow through on any of the preceding activities.
• Writes test plans, observes test runs, directs experimental process adjustments during tests, evaluates test results, writes reports, and recommends and initiates subsequent action to be taken.
• Supports Design to Engineering process review and data conversion.
• Supports both Production Processes and Data Systems for improvements.
• Serves as project leader, manager, and 'doer' of medium to large-scope projects including cost reduction, quality improvements, new product development, energy utilization, and process improvement.
• Drives practical knowledge of science and technology into all levels of the manufacturing organization for improved plant performance and quality.
• Works with production operators, production leaders, and other technical support staff in hands-on troubleshooting of technical problems.
• Provides technical expertise and leadership in applying process improvement tools such as Lean Manufacturing principles, Six Sigma, design of experiments, and statistical process control and uses these tools to identify and improve plant performance.
• Investigates improvement opportunities and initiates critical manufacturing process improvement projects.
• Continually coaches production operators in the use of process control techniques.
• Creates, refines, educates, and implements standard work and process adherence throughout the workforce.

• Drives to root cause resolution of customer complaints for any product quality issues; implements corrective actions with production teams.
• Implements product quality improvements by completing root cause analysis leveraging scientific and engineering principles.
• Creates and maintains data collection systems.
• Continually expands product and supplier relationships in an effort to gain sustainable competitive advantage.
• Monitors daily operations to find improvement opportunities.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  None

Travel:  Minimal; less than 10%

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proven computer skills including proficiency with:
  • Microsoft Office and Excel (Advanced)
  • Statistical analysis programs such as Minitab
• Self-starter with a strong ability to multi-task and juggle multiple responsibilities.
• Ability to work in an industrial environment (i.e. ability to wear required PPE, work in a dusty, hot, non-climate controlled environment; with stairs, frequent walking, standing and occasional lifting of material).
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Required Education and Experience:                         

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science or related technical discipline
• 1+ years of technical experience in a manufacturing environment

Preferred Experience:

• 3+ years technical experience in a manufacturing environment
• Previous experience with the application of Six Sigma, DMAIC and/or Lean methodologies
• Customer interaction experience including customer visits, customer complaints, claims management, etc.
• Experience leading a Quality Management System

Physical and Mental Demands

The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:  sit for prolonged periods; repetitive motion of hands/wrists/fingers; concentrate and repeat the same physical or mental activities over and over; think analytically and be exact or highly accurate; make decisions such as to identify complex problems, develop options and implement solutions; work in a team; ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADAAA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards; pay attention to and remember details; communicate effectively including active listening to understand points being made, and asking appropriate questions and not interrupting inappropriately; speak to convey information effectively; write to communicate effectively as appropriate for the needs of the audience; read to understand work related documents; move between different physical locations within and between buildings; and push, pull, carry and lift in the normal course of travel.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Requires working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions with standard level of noise common to an office environment including office equipment and co-workers speaking to each other and on phones.  Employees are required to wear personal protective equipment when entering the floor of manufacturing facilities based on the specific requirements of each location.

Competencies                                             

• See Professional (Grade 7-14) competencies.                                               

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MRK Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants receive consideration for positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status