Quality Manager

Are you an experienced quality professional with a passion for process improvement, looking for a role where you can drive certification, compliance, and operational excellence from the ground up? If so, read on!

Critical Materials Recycling, Inc. (CMR) is an early‑stage technology company based in Boone, Iowa, advancing the domestic recovery of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) through our patented Acid‑Free Dissolution Recycling (ADR) process. REEs are essential to wind turbines, electric vehicles, defense systems, and consumer electronics—and the United States currently depends on foreign sources for the vast majority of its supply.

CMR is seeking a Quality Manager to own and manage our Quality Management System from the ground up. This is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for achieving and maintaining certification across five standards—ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISCC+, and Eco Vadis—while embedding quality into daily operations at our Boone facility. The Quality Manager reports to senior leadership and is a key contributor to CMR’s Phase 1 scale‑up.

This is a role for someone who wants to build something that matters.

• Manage and maintain CMR’s Quality Management System (QMS)
• Develop, maintain, and control SOPs, work instructions, and documented information in compliance with applicable standards
• Plan and execute internal audits; manage corrective and preventive action (CAPA) processes through to closure
• Establish and monitor process performance metrics and product quality indicators for REO output and feedstock processing
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, customer, environmental, health, and safety requirements
• Partner with operations and technical staff to identify and eliminate process variation and quality escapes
• Lead root‑cause analysis on nonconformances; drive systemic, not symptomatic, solutions
• Support customer and third‑party audits, including those from enterprise partners and government stakeholders
• Contribute to CMR’s operational SOPs and process hardening initiatives as part of Phase 1 scale‑up

• Demonstrated quality management experience in manufacturing, materials processing, recycling, or a regulated industrial environment
• Demonstrated experience managing or achieving ISO 9001 certification; working knowledge of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 preferred
• Hands‑on experience with internal and external audits, CAPA systems, and document control
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills; able to translate data into action
• Effective communicator across technical, operational, and leadership audiences
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Quality, Environmental Science, or a related field—or equivalent demonstrated experience.

• Background in metals, specialty chemicals, critical materials, or electronics recycling
• ISO Lead Auditor certification (9001, 14001, or 45001)
• Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• Familiarity with environmental and occupational health regulations applicable to materials processing facilities

• Build a quality function at a company solving a genuine national supply chain problem — not maintain one that already exists
• Work directly with leadership at a pre‑Series A company where your decisions have immediate impact
• Competitive compensation and benefits