Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager
On-siteChattanooga, Tennessee, United States
Job Summary
Assess current quality practices against ISO 9001 requirements, formalize document control and internal audit programs, and own control plans for new product introductions and engineering changes. Lead kaizen events across the machine shop, welding, and assembly areas while driving root cause analysis and corrective actions on repeat quality issues. Partner with Engineering to review new product introductions for manufacturability risks and standardize designs to reduce variation and avoidable cost. Build a consistent method for capturing scrap, rework, and warranty costs using Epicor Kinetic data, then report results against operational improvement goals. Train area leads and operators on problem-solving tools to ensure improvement sustainability.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or a related field
- 8+ years in a quality and/or continuous improvement role in a heavy machine shop or heavy industrial manufacturing environment - large fabricated components, precision machining, weldments
- Hands-on experience implementing ISO 9001-aligned practices (not just working inside a certified system)
- Practical experience running kaizen events, A3s, or similar structured problem-solving - able to show real before/after results, not just training certificates
- Experience working cross-functionally with engineering to resolve manufacturability and design-related quality issues
- Enough shop-floor credibility to earn respect from machinists, welders, and assemblers - this isn't a desk job
Desired Qualifications
- ASQ certification (CQE or CQM/OE)
- Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt
- Experience building a quality function inside a Lean environment rather than treating the two as separate programs
- Epicor experience
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