Testing and Quality Assurance Associate; on-site in Lauderdale

Valley Forge Fabrics is seeking an Testing and Quality Assurance Associate to join our team! This role is onsite at our Fort Lauderdale office, offering great perks such as:

• Onsite gym and wellness programs
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous paid time off and holidays
• Summer Fridays program
• And more!

This position is primarily responsible for tasks related to the Fabric & Product Testing and Field & Quality Assurance Teams to develop high-quality contract textiles for large-scale hospitality design projects and working on quality control concerns and field issues.

• Collaborates with internal project teams and outside labs to complete testing requests and ensure accurate test method selection.
  • Operates, maintains, and troubleshoots lab equipment.
  • Prepares, conditions, and tests textile specimens using standard test methods (ASTM, AATCC, NFPA, etc.).
  • Including, but not limited to the following:
    Wet/dry Crocking, Washability, Abrasion (Wyzenbeek Method), NFPA 701, Breaking Strength, Seam Slippage, Tongue Tear, Brush Pill, Random Tumble Pill.
• Evaluates and rates samples, prepares test reports, and uploads results in Salesforce, D365, and other required systems.
• Ensures all testing requests, cases, and tasks are accurately updated, completed, and closed.
• Manages communication with internal teams and vendors regarding test results, quality issues, and corrective actions.
• Prepares and ships samples for third-party lab testing and verifies external flame certificates.
• Performs inspections, including pinhole checks, model room evaluations, and audits of production and finished goods.
• Supports active claims by testing specimens and coordinating with Quality to communicate results to customers/vendors.
• Oversees the quality control process for all products to maintain company and customer standards.
• Monitors vendors for quality trends, repetitive defects, and overall performance; provides direction for improvements.
• Conducts ongoing quality audits, records data, issues reports, and ensures corrective actions are shared with appropriate stakeholders.
• Maintains and updates quality databases, identifies risk trends, and communicates issues to Purchasing and vendors.
• Manages customer complaints and claims professionally, including direct communication with domestic and international customers.
• Coordinates with internal teams to resolve product issues and improve processes.
• Initiates Salesforce Tasks, Requests, and/or Cases for testing, print, estimating, evaluation, etc.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

• Bachelor's Degree (BA) from four-year college or university, or one to two years of related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Computer skills required:
  Microsoft Office;
  Inventory Software; CRM Software – i.e. Salesforce, Microsoft D365.
• Other skills strongly preferred:
  Background in textiles, performance/quality assurance, fabric test types for the hospitality industry.

• Frequently required to stand.
• Frequently required to walk.
• Frequently required to sit.
• Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity.
• Occasionally required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl.
• Continually required to talk or hear.
• Occasionally work near moving mechanical parts.
• While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 30 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision; distance vision; color vision; peripheral vision; depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• May require some travel to domestic manufacturers, testing laboratories, etc.

EEO STATEMENT:

Valley Forge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, sex, gender identity, religion, alienage, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.