QUALITY LEAD - MANUFACTURING

Position Overview:

The Quality Lead is the senior hands-on Quality position at our Pelham manufacturing plant. This role owns day-to-day product quality decisions across incoming materials, extrusion, fabrication, finished goods, returned product, customer claims, and nonconforming material. The Quality Lead also partners with plant leadership and the corporate Quality team to build, standardize, and strengthen the local Quality Management System (QMS).

This is a good fit for someone who enjoys being on the plant floor, solving problems, building practical systems, and taking broad ownership without expecting a large Quality department or a desk-only management role.

What You'll Do:

• Perform and document incoming, in-process, finished-product, and returned-product inspections using approved specifications, control plans, sampling requirements, and test methods.
• Use measurement and inspection tools to verify dimensions, hardness, visual condition, color, and other required product characteristics.
• Place questionable material on Quality Hold and make or support documented decisions to release, reject, restock, rework, regrind, or scrap material based on specifications and evidence.
• Investigate quality-related customer complaints and returned products, determine the technical validity of the issue, and support containment, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and effectiveness follow-up.
• Work closely with Extrusion and Fabrication supervisors when quality issues are found; verify product after corrective adjustments and retain product acceptance/hold authority within the role.
• Perform detailed incoming-material quality reviews and ensure questionable material is clearly identified, segregated, and controlled until disposition is complete.
• Help build and improve the local QMS, including document control, inspection and sampling controls, nonconforming-material processes, corrective action, calibration/verification controls, training records, and internal compliance checks.
• Maintain accurate, traceable Quality records and routinely track defects, holds, claims, repeat issues, corrective actions, and overdue follow-up items.
• Prepare or verify customer samples and other quality-related product reviews as needed.
• Train or coordinate employees on Quality procedures and checks while maintaining independent product-status decisions.

What We're Looking For:

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical education, Quality certification, or related coursework is preferred.
• At least 3 years of hands-on manufacturing quality, inspection, or quality assurance experience.
• Experience working within a structured QMS and the ability to help improve procedures, forms, records, corrective actions, and practical plant controls.
• Comfort using written specifications, tolerances, sampling requirements, and common measurement or inspection equipment.
• Ability to make timely, evidence-based product decisions and communicate concerns respectfully and clearly.
• Strong follow-through, dependable attendance, and the ability to organize priorities without constant direction.
• Comfort working cross-functionally with Production, Fabrication, Shipping, Logistics, Sales, and plant leadership while maintaining Quality standards.
• Confident computer skills, including Microsoft Office; ERP or SAP experience is a plus.

Preferred Experience:

• Plastics, extrusion, converting, fabrication, packaging, automotive supply, or other continuous/process manufacturing.
• Customer complaint investigation, returned-product evaluation, nonconforming-material control, root-cause analysis, corrective action, 8D, or similar problem-solving methods.
• Calipers, micrometers, durometers, scales, gauges, visual standards, dimensional inspection, and basic gauge/calibration controls.
• Experience helping build or improve an ISO-style or documented QMS rather than only working within an already mature system.

Work Environment:

This is an onsite, plant-floor role. The Quality Lead regularly moves between production, Quality, Shipping, and material-hold areas; stands and walks for portions of the shift; uses handheld measurement and inspection equipment; and follows all required PPE, safety procedures, and plant rules.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Employment : Full-time, hourly, onsite
• Pay Range : $27.00-$30.00/hour (based on experience)
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• 9 paid holidays
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Team bonding activities throughout the year, covered by the company
• Annual Christmas party, fully paid for by the company
• Referral program
• Free on-site parking
• Standard schedule: 40 hours/week
• Training schedule : 7:00 AM–4:00 PM
• Regular Schedule : 6:00 AM-3:00 PM
• Some overtime may also be available or required depending on business needs.

Interview Process:

• 1st Interview – Initial Qualification & Fit : Focused on manufacturing Quality experience, practical problem solving, ownership, communication style, hands-on approach, and overall fit with the plant and role.
• 2nd Interview – Technical / Group Interview : Goes deeper into Quality systems and technical application, including RCA/CAPA, nonconforming material, calibration/gage control, document/change control, practical QMS development, and working with Operations.
• 3rd Interview – Final Validation & Role Alignment : Focused on any remaining gaps from the first 2 interviews, practical application to ENA, expectations for the role, early priorities, and overall mutual fit before a final decision.

Pay: $27.00 - $30.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Quality control: 5 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• professional or technical degree (Required)
• degree in quality, mechanics, or physical measurements (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $27 - $30