Description

Corteva Agriscience is seeking a Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist for the Seed Business Unit for the North America region.

The Quality Assurance Specialist works in conjunction with the Global Quality Assurance & Improvement Leader and other QA Specialists to help drive the implementation of the quality management system and quality improvements across the region in Seed Operations.

This will be focused on production locations in the region to facilitate customer focus, stakeholder interaction, risk management, and waste reduction.

The position requires strong communication with a diverse group of stakeholders, building collaboration, and seeking a broad range of perspectives for implementing solutions.

The ideal candidate provides seed production and Quality Management System expertise along with solution-focused problem-solving skills.

What You’ll Do :

• Collaborate with and is a resource for North America Seed Operations internal and external production locations and Supply Chains to ensure the consistent implementation of work processes, policies, procedures for the quality management system in the region.
• Conduct training in the region regarding quality policies and procedures. Examples including but not limited to : Quality incident management policy, Global Business Support Procedures, etc.
• Monitor, compile, and distribute quality metrics that identify opportunities for improvement and involve relevant stakeholders to ensure improvements occur.

Metrics may include audit findings, non-conforming product, and customer complaints.

• Participate and / or lead Quality improvement projects within the region.
• Collaborate across regions to provide consistency and leveraging of best practices.
• Member of the Global QA Network and actively represents the region and or / global team on projects to ensure harmonization and standardization across regions.
• Responsible for regional reporting and global alignment of quality metrics, including incidents, with analysis and improvements identified and implemented.
• Quality Incident Response Team Leader (IRTL) for significant issues within the region, and conducts / assists with Root Cause Analysis when necessary.

Distribute learnings of regional issues / incidents to enable sharing and implementation of management system and production corrective actions.

Conduct regional and site reviews of quality incidents.

• Support completion of quality management system reviews (MSR) at the site level and drives improvement in the region.
• Ensure quality management system is in place to meet product launch requirements in SPSC and to meet accreditation requirements.
• Provide input to the regional audit plan aligned to the Corteva monitoring strategy to optimize global auditing resources, expertise, and business risk prioritization.

May also conduct audits, assist with audits, or provide training to potential future auditors.

• Facilitate / lead a regional Quality Ambassador Network that will be utilized to advance quality initiatives, auditing, and learnings across sites.
• Duties may be split or shared with another QA Specialist within the region.

Qualifications

What Skills You Need :

• Minimum of a scientific, agricultural, or engineering bachelor’s degree with focus in agronomy, engineering, quality assurance, business, biology, or life sciences.
• 8 years total industry experience with direct experience in the agricultural and / or Seed production industry, with seed production location experience preferred.
• Knowledge of the principles and practical applications associated with seed production operations. Ability to use metrics to guide continuous improvement of the quality management system.
• Position will be located at the Johnston Global Business Center and can be a hybrid of in-office and remote, with travel occasionally required, and on-site time at production locations required intermittently as well.
• Fluent English language speaking, writing, and reading is required.

What Makes You Stand Out :

• Experience with Quality Management Systems and / or Seed Production and Supply Chain.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams without authority to ensure alignment with demonstrated objectives and company goals / policies.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and influence outside the workgroup that enhance the performance of the teams.
• An ability to think outside of the box’ to develop novel, creative solutions for quality assurance challenges. Being proactive when possible to prevent quality issues from occurring.
• Six Sigma and / or Lean certification.
• Experience and understanding of how to conduct investigations and / or Root Cause Analysis.
• Experience leading or contributing to a continuous improvement project.
• Understanding project management, including scoping, as it pertains to time and Return On Investment (ROI).
• Experience leading audits and / or Certified Quality Auditor.

Benefits How We’ll Support You :

• Numerous development opportunities offered to build your skills
• Be part of a company with a higher purpose and contribute to making the world a better place
• Health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment
• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well-being pay per year, plus paid holidays
• Excellent parental leave which includes a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father
• Future planning with our competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program

Last updated : 2024-05-07