Product Quality Specialist

About the Team

It’s no surprise people are passionate about the health and happiness of their pet and our Merchandising (buying) team is no different. When it comes to the products and solutions in our stores, our incredible teams of merchandising associates have everything covered – from head to tail! From keeping up with the top trends to developing new, innovative solutions, our buyers help ensure every pet parent can find exactly what their pet needs n our team and show your love for pets by creating products as special as pets themselves!

Collaborative Work Environment: At Pet Smart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Phoenix Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of four days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to one remote “flex day” (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

We are the Proprietary Brands Quality and Compliance Team. We ensure that Pet Smart products are safe, compliant and perform well for our customers and their pets. We do this by building and managing product standards, fostering a rigorous supplier quality management program, and driving product & process improvements.

• Continually build and maintain product quality standards that are in line with applicable safety, regulatory and internal requirements.
• Work with Product Formulation & Design, Brand Management and Buying teams to identify product quality performance expectations by brand and category. Support by building out product testing protocols, establishing critical to quality attributes, and identifying critical to quality manufacturing controls.
• Regularly meet with the Brand & Product Design teams to discuss new or changing products and offer insight on product quality from online customer reviews, customer complaints and store feedback.
• Work with Domestic & Global Sourcing teams to ensure vendors have the right manufacturing capabilities and controls to consistently deliver quality product.
• Partner with Design, GSQA and vendors to perform root cause analysis and implement corrective action preventative actions (CAPA) for trending quality issues. Review and provide follow up on failed product testing and inspections.
• Work with 3rd party Labs on protocols, product testing, product inspections and consulting.
• Track, report and elevate trending significant product issues.

• Assess supplier technical capability
• Determine new testing protocols
• Disposition product testing/inspections
• Benchmark products against competition to establish quality standards
• Troubleshoot product technical issues (electrical, mechanical, material)
• Execute root cause analysis and corrective action plans
• Investigate customer complaints
• Create solutions as a part of the technical team

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering field or related
• Minimum 1 year of related work experience
• Root Cause Analysis experience
• Proficient with ANSI standards
• Knowledge of statistics
• Problem solving/analysis
• Self‑Starter
• Results Oriented
• Passion for Pets and People

• Six Sigma Lean Certification a plus
• Experience in apparel/molding
• Experience working with EPA & CPSC

• This role requires collaboration, teamwork, and face‑to‑face interaction with colleagues, leaders, and/or clients.
• Being in the office ensures access to leaders, cross‑functional partners, and resources necessary to make timely decisions and drive results.
• On‑site presence in accordance with our Flex Smart policy supports our culture of innovation, mentorship, and engagement, which is integral to our success in developing the best team.

* This is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exhaustive list of all essential job functions for this position. Pet Smart retains the right to change or assign other required job duties to this position.

At Pet Smart, Anything for Pets begins with our people. Every associate plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for pets and their families, and we empower our teams…