Lead Quality Technician

Position Summary

JM Huber is seeking a Lead Quality Technican at Active Minerals International, a Kaolin Clay production facility in Gordon GA.

Lead Quality Technican: Completes quality testing of material produced and provides finished test data to production and customers as appropriate. Ensures data information is consistent and accurate for both in process and finished products and ensures products meet or exceed standards and customer requirements. Employee is responsible for maintaining compliance with ISO standards, Huber’s Sustainability Management System within his/her sphere of influence, and any other regulatory requirements. This may or may not include compliance with any air permits, wastewater permits, storm water permits, or other rules as presented to the employee as required.

Huber offers an excellent total compensation package which includes:

• Benefits for physical, financial and emotional health
• Affordable medical plans: wellness credit and company funded HSA choices.
• 401k with 125% company match up to 5% of eligible pay, 100% vested at hire.
• Bonus yearly 401k company contribution of 5%; 5-year vesting schedule
• Huber | Home

Entry Rate: $29.00

1st Shift

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

• Will have all the duties and responsibilities of the Senior Quality Technician and Quality Technician.
• ISO 9001 competence and internal auditor experience. Additional certifications as required by site.
• Follow the ISO quality system as required to ensure compliance with the ISO 9001 quality standard.
• Lead Quality Technicians to ensure testing and task continuity, may assign or delegate duties to other co-workers/ peers.
• Assist the Quality Manager with developing and executing the work schedule for the Quality team.
• Manage the Quality team and backfill key responsibilities and duties in the absence of the Quality Manager and Technicians.
• Solve moderate to advanced problems and issues with the authority to make the decision on how to move forward.
• Proactively coordinate and communicate cross functionally during Quality upsets.
• Work directly in the lab to maintain testing workload
• Responsible for training new hires and/ or cross training internal peers. Manage competency documentation and development of the training program.
• Coordinate and communicate with appropriate operation personnel the samples and results of product testing in a timely manner to ensure a high degree of product quality and integrity.
• Perform multiple activities at the request of one or more employees and manage the tasks so they are done in a timely manner.
• Oversee and coordinate ordering supplies needed for lab and instruments. Communicates with the Quality Manager to special order items when needed.
• Assist with and perform specialized product/ customer testing as necessary (including customer complaint investigation).
• Assist with trials for new products or modifications to existing products/ processes.
• Oversee customer sample requests and shipment paperwork.
• Perform and ensure that competitive sample analyses are completed in a timely manner and forwarded as appropriate.
• Will routinely be assigned projects in addition to the routine workflow of the lab.  Will be responsible for working on these assigned projects independently. At the conclusion of the project, will be responsible for a report of the results as designated by the Quality Manager.
• Interact with Sales and Customer Care on behalf of the Quality Manager when necessary.  Represent the Quality Manager as needed in the role both internally and externally while acting in a professional manner.
• Flex schedule to accommodate vacations, training, gaps in coverage, etc.
• Communicate with leadership and lab team when working off shift hours.
• Report on any issues or improvements from previous shifts.
• Lead and participate in continuous improvement initiatives such as but not limited to root cause analysis, 5S events, and 5S Audits.
• Assist in monitoring and maintaining good housekeeping practices throughout the quality areas.
• Works in accordance with Huber vision, principles, and the desired culture.
• May perform other duties as required.

Specialized/Technical Knowledge or Required Skills

• High School diplomas or GED is required. An associate degree or advanced training in geology, chemistry, or other earth sciences preferred.
• 5 -7 years of Quality Technician is preferred.
• Ability to lead others and perform tasks independently.
• Team oriented.
• Able to access, read and comprehend Standard Operating Procedures, Safety and Health Manuals and procedures, Quality Terminology (i.e. units of measure, etc.).
• Must be safety conscious and lead by example.  Must act and work in a safe and healthy manner (both laboratory and plant practices).
• Strong analytical, computer and problem-solving skills.  Experience with Microsoft Office applications.
• Initiative in all aspects of job, continually looking for ways to improve the quality and safety aspects of Active Minerals.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Must have good overall communication skills with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Must be able to perform basic mathematical calculations and basic statistics (may use a calculator to aid in calculations).
• Must have advanced knowledge of computers (software and hardware) and be willing to improve skills.
• Must be able to handle high stress environment due to performing multiple activities independently with time limitations.

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in a production environment.
• Position requires lifting, pulling, pushing and carrying up to 55 lbs. on a regular basis.
• Able to operate hand and foot controls simultaneously.
• Manual dexterity required for operation of hand controls and/or computer keyboard.
• Vision and a sense of hearing are also required. Works mostly inside in a climate controlled indoor laboratory-type, may go into plant occasionally for samples, etc.
• Must have good eyesight and be able to wear the required PPE (safety glasses, steel-toed shoes, hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection etc. as required).
• Must be able to ascend and descend 14 stairs a minimum of 2 times per shift.
• Must be able to empty sample bucket as needed during shift
• Routinely exposed to vibrations, chemicals, dust for an 8-hour or 12-hour shift.
• Must be able to stand for majority of an 8-hour or 12-hour shift.
• Must be able to use hands/fingers to feel, hold and move objects. Must use arms to lift/reach.
• Must be able to communicate using a handheld radio as well as a standard telephone.
• Must be able to transport retain samples to the appropriate storage area.

Must be able to multitask often at the request of another employee(s) with time limitations on all activities

Key Competencies

Education