Site Quality Lead

Description

The Site Quality Lead is the on-site quality execution lead for the Watertown facility. This role ensures daily conformance to customer requirements and the corporate ISO Quality Management System (QMS), supports production flow through effective inspection and release controls, and drives fast containment and corrective action for quality issues.

This position implements and sustains the corporate QMS locally. Corporate Quality retains ownership of QMS architecture, registrar and customer audit hosting, management review structure, and enterprise-level procedure control. The Site Quality Lead owns day-to-day execution at Watertown, including local internal auditing, in-situ process assessments, and closure of site-owned, product-centric actions.

• Coordinate and execute incoming, in-process, and final inspections.
• Ensure control plans, acceptance criteria, and sampling rules are followed.
• Maintain complete, retrievable inspection and release records.
• Confirm required quality records for shipments (inspection evidence, CoCs, customer notes).

• Identify, document, segregate, and control nonconforming product.
• Initiate immediate and verified containment actions.
• Coordinate disposition decisions with Operations and Corporate Quality.

• Support root cause investigations and implement approved countermeasures.
• Verify effectiveness using data and documented evidence.
• Escalate systemic issues with clear problem statements and recommendations.

• Plan and execute Watertown internal audits.
• Document findings, assign actions, and verify closure.
• Conduct layered in-situ process checks on high-risk or recurring issues.

• Ensure use of current corporate procedures and controlled documents.
• Identify procedure-to-practice gaps and recommend improvements.
• Maintain training and competency documentation.

• Maintain a visible site quality scoreboard including:
• Scrap/rework
• Customer complaints/RMAs
• Audit findings aging
• Calibration and inspection readiness
• Drive targeted improvements using practical controls.

• Partner with Operations, Customer Service, Purchasing/Receiving, Maintenance, and IT.
• Escalate risks that threaten shipment integrity or audit readiness.
• Place material on Quality Hold and block release when necessary.

Daily

• Review schedules and identify risk points.
• Ensure inspection coverage and record completeness.
• Walk the floor and address process drift.

Weekly

• Run structured quality reviews.
• Review trends, open NCRs/CARs, and supplier issues.
• Complete at least one in-situ assessment.
• Update the quality scoreboard.

Monthly

• Execute scheduled internal audits.
• Provide Corporate Quality a metrics summary and top risks.

Pre-Audit Readiness (30/14/7)

• Conduct gap reviews, evidence checks, and final verifications.
• Corporate Quality leads external audits.

This role has no direct reports but requires leadership through influence, coordination, and accountability across departments.

Requirements

• 3+ years in manufacturing quality roles.
• Competence in nonconformance control and containment.
• Strong documentation and audit-ready recordkeeping.
• Ability to coordinate cross-functionally without authority.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

• ISO system experience and internal audit execution.
• Familiarity with measurement methods and defect analytics.
• Experience in regulated industries (aerospace, defense, medical).

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Associate’s or higher in Quality, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 3 years manufacturing quality experience.

• Ability to interpret technical procedures and quality documentation.
• Ability to prepare reports and audit records.
• Effective communication across departments.

• Ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages.
• Ability to interpret charts and defect trends.

• Strong root-cause thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to apply logic to quality issues and process controls.
• Adaptability to changing quality requirements.

• Regular standing, walking, and floor presence.
• Frequent use of hands and inspection tools.
• Occasional lifting up to 35 lbs.
• Vision requirements include close and distance focus.

• Moderate noise production environment.
• Regular exposure to manufacturing operations.
• Cross-department interaction required.

• Stable release execution with minimal escapes.
• Reduction in scrap/rework trends.
• On-time audit completion and closure discipline.
• Strong external audit readiness.
• Clear reporting and effective coordination.