Quality Engineer

Job description

Solvay is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

Solvay is a multi-specialty chemical company committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. We innovate and partner with customers in diverse global end markets. Solvay Composite Materials combines 50 years of technology heritage to bring a comprehensive product portfolio, expertise in material design, and extensive process engineering solutions to our customers. As the partner of choice for advanced materials development, we deliver optimal material solutions to address our customers’ most challenging demands for new high-performance materials to improve durability and production, while offering weight savings for the end application.

Solvay’s Orange facility is operated as a manufacturing satellite of the Anaheim facility. The site manufactures continuous fiber-reinforced composites, known as prepreg (preimpregnated materials). The fibers, which include glass, aramid, and carbon, are in the form of woven fabrics. These materials are highly reinforced, with at least 50 percent of the end product being fiber. The resins include thermosetting resins, such as epoxies and phenolics, and are formulated by Solvay’s Composite Materials global business unit to meet the needs of particular customer applications. 645 N. Cypress Street Orange, California 92867

Job Overview and Responsibilities:

Quality Engineers (QE) are responsible for ensuring products / parameters are in control within the established process and facilitating improvements within such process. The QE provides Operations with critical data that improves decision-making and customers with technical support related to testing issues and continuous improvements of quality systems.

Day To Day Operations

·  Works with functional site leaders and operations personnel to monitor, reinforce and communicate all customer issues, quality escapes and other systemic quality issues.  Leads Quality improvement team for work cell.
·  Documents and tracks non-conformances for incoming materials, internal departments, and customers.
·  Analyzes quality issues and develops corrective actions; including customer notifications, rework, waste and other cost of quality contributors.
·  Draws from experience to evaluate processes and procedures. Improves existing and implements new processes / systems / procedures that reduce non-conformances, variation, customer complaints, rework and waste.
·  Owner of quality documentation pertaining to the site such as specifications, inspection documents, testing requirements, sampling plans, LIMS configuration and methods. 
·  Monitors product quality performance through SPC and CPK analysis of critical raw material and product parameters.
·  Represents company to customers during communications / visits with responsibility to ensure/display preventive systems in place for the customer's product. 
·  Provide cross functional support to Health, Safety and Environmental team in the management of safety standards including RC-14001.

Training

·  Coaches/Instructs employees in quality assurance principles and methodology. Ensures operators are adequately trained to delivery products and services in accordance with the quality system standards and / or customer requirements.
·  Teach workout lite process through Area Improvement Team activities.

Performance

·  Accountable for work cell internal audits to ensure compliance to quality standards and drive continuous improvements.
·  Supports plant Quality team in preparation for and execution of external audits.
·  Maintains quality process stability to ensure favorable customer ratings, confidence and future sales.
·  Partners with Operations in developing solutions to complex problems that enable the business to meet / exceed customer needs with regards to quality, cost and delivery performance. 

Improvement

·  Lead and facilitate Quality Area Improvement Team in continuous improvement activities through use of lean and various engagement tools, including kaizen, workout, 6S and applicable problem solving methodology tools. 

Competencies

·  Courage
·  Performance and results orientation 
·  Communication  
·  Data driven, strong analytical/statistical skill set
·  Passion for right first time quality
·  Integrity and courage of conviction to maintain quality standards

Education and Experience:

·  Bachelors of Science, technical background
·  Previous experience in quality/process engineering function in manufacturing environment
·  Continuous improvement background, including kaizen leadership and change management
·  Demonstrated experience in problem solving and root cause analysis
·  1 – 3 years’ experience

Skills:

Organizational Knowledge Areas

·  Understanding manufacturing processes and value chain
·  Understand key operational metrics and communicate across organization to achieve clear alignment and focus.
·  Understanding of quality systems, ISO9001/AS9100 requirements.
·  Understanding processes to engage cross-functional teams to solve quality problems.