What are the responsibilities and job description for the Quality Assurance Engineer position at Toyo Tire?
The Quality Engineer is responsible for preventing quality anomalies, reducing green waste and cured scrap, and ensuring process capability and compliance across all manufacturing stages, including Mixing, Stock Preparation, Tire Building, Curing, and Final Inspection. This role serves as the customer advocate on the shop floor, ensuring Toyo product, process, and system requirements meet internal standards and external customer expectations.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Manufacturing Process & Product Quality
- Support quality assurance activities across Mixing, Stock Prep, Tire Building, Curing, and Final Inspection processes.
- Monitor and improve process capability (Cp/Cpk) for critical and significant characteristics (CC/SC).
- Utilize SPC tools to detect variation and initiate corrective actions.
- Support new tire launches, engineering trials, and specification changes.
Problem Solving & Corrective Action
- Lead structured problem-solving using methodologies such as: 8D, 5-Why, DMAIC, etc.
- Investigate scrap, rework, anomalies, and process escapes/leakages.
- Manage corrective actions through Toyo CA tracking systems
- Initiate and lead containment actions, perform thorough root cause analysis, and define effective short-term and long-term preventive actions to eliminate recurrence of quality events.
Waste Reduction & Continuous Improvement
- Track, analyze, and lead reduction activities for cured scrap and green waste, including trend analysis by anomaly type, machine, process, and shift.
- Partner with Production, Engineering, and Maintenance to implement error-proofing (poka-yoke) and preventive controls at key failure points.
- Actively participate in and support Kaizen, continuous improvement, and cost-reduction initiatives tied to waste, downtime, and quality losses.
Customer & Supplier Quality
- Address customer quality concerns and corrective actions.
- Manage supplier quality issues and CARs.
- Support incoming material quality containment.
Quality Systems & Compliance
- Support IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 compliance.
- Maintain Control Plans, PFMEAs, Flow Diagrams, and Work Instructions.
- Serve as Management Representative or Process Owner as assigned.
Data Analysis & Leadership
- Proficient in analyzing data using tools such as: Minitab, Excel, PowerBI, etc.
- Present quality metrics to management and customers.
- Provide shop-floor quality leadership and training.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in an Engineering field from an accredited four-year college or university; and four or more years related experience and/or training preferred.