Associate Manager, Quality Assurance

dsm-firmenich; City of Schenectady (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance day one

401K with company match

Job summary

dsm-firmenich in Schenectady, NY, seeks a Quality Assurance Associate Manager to lead quality initiatives for major customers. You will coordinate with Formulations, QA labs, production, and supply chain to ensure premixes meet regulatory and customer standards, while guiding projects and driving improvements.

The role emphasizes external-facing communication, strategic input to quality and commercial leaders, and strong leadership within a dynamic nutrition and health division with global scope.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline is required.
• Minimum of 10 years of quality experience in food, dietary supplement, or pharmaceutical industries with plant exposure.
• Experience maintaining or implementing ISO9001/ISO22000 and FDA regulations (CFR 106, 111, 117).
• Ability to interpret regulatory guidelines for North America product types.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects related to quality initiatives for key customer accounts.
• Manage customer inquiries and maintain positive relationships.
• Support strategic customers and serve as on-site QA focal point in meetings.
• Collaborate with formulations, QA, QA lab, production, and supply chain to cover premix knowledge and customer requests.
• Analyze customer data and drive proactive actions to improve product performance.
• Lead customer and industry quality projects to achieve strategic objectives.
• Work with complaint investigations from receipt to closure and drive root-cause analysis.

Skills

Leadership

Customer communication

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

SAP

Microsoft Office

Quality IT Systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SAP

Trackwise

LIMS

EDM

Atlas/CRM

iCCR

Job description

Quality Assurance Associate Manager

Schenectady, NY

Monday-Friday 8am-5pm (Some flexibility in start time)

As a Quality Assurance Associate Manager, you will support and coordinate efforts within the Quality Assurance team to maintain and improve department processes and performance as well as drive enhancements in the quality of the delivered product from the Schenectady site. This role will be an external-facing role; the individual must demonstrate a strong quality background and be able to work directly with customer teams to ensure that the finished premixes produced will meet all applicable regulations and customer expectations. This role leads customer projects and provides strategic input to quality and commercial leaders regarding customer and business situations. This is for our Human Nutrition and Health division where we produce liquids and dry blends for our Dietary Supplements, Early Life Nutrition and Food & Beverage applications.

Your key responsibilities:

• Responsible for leading projects related to Quality initiatives pertaining to key customer accounts.
• Handle and manage customer inquiries and maintain clear communication and a positive relationship.
• Support strategic customers, joining recurrent meetings and being the focal point for Quality on site.
• Collaborate with all functions (formulations, quality assurance, quality lab, production, supply change) in order to become knowledgeable in all areas in premix and support key customers’ requests.
• Trend and analyze customer data and provide proactive actions to prevent or improve customer product performance.
• Lead customer and industry quality projects to achieve strategic objectives.
• Collaborate with customer complaint investigators (from the reception of the complaint to its closure); leading efforts from containment action to effectiveness check and lessons learned. Drive customer complaint root cause analysis process (ensuring process and actions are documented according to SOP’s).

We offer:

• Paid holidays, 18 days PTO + 2 floating holidays.
• Full healthcare benefits day one – medical, dental, eye, and life insurance.
• 401K with generous company match.
• Unique career paths across health, nutrition and beauty-explore what drives you and get the support to make it happen.
• A chance to impact millions of consumers every day– sustainability embedded in all we do.
• A science led company, cutting edge research and creativity everywhere – from biotech breakthroughs to sustainability game-changers, you’ll work on what’s next.
• Growth that keeps up with you – you join an industry leader that will develop your expertise and leadership.
• A culture that lifts you up- with collaborative teams, shared wins, and people who cheer each other on.
• A community where your voice matters – it is essential to serve our customers well.

You bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of quality experience in the food, dietary supplement, or pharmaceutical industry.10 years in a plant environment with majority of that time spent in the Quality field with exposure to quality systems such as ISO, cGMPs and Food Safety. Equivalent or other relevant experience will be considered.
• Experience in maintaining or implementing international standards (i.e., ISO9001 or ISO22000z0 and FDA regulations (i.e., CFR 106, 111, 117).
• Ability to understand applicable regulatory guidelines relevant for all North America product types: dietary supplements, infant formula premixes and food.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to communicate directly with customers and account managers on plant operations and capabilities.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Requires computer literacy with working knowledge of enterprise software such as SAP, Microsoft Office applications and Quality IT Systems (LIMS, Trackwise, EDM, Atlas/CRM, iCCR).

The salary or hourly wage scale provided reflects the pay range dsm-firmenich expects to pay the successful candidate for the position. Individual pay offered will be based on the applicant’s job-related skills, experience, relevant education, or training, and primary work location.

Salary $90 - $110k

In addition to base salary, we also offer a comprehensive total rewards package, inclusive of annual incentive pay, a retirement savings plan, health care coverage, paid time off, recognition programs and a broad range of other benefits. All benefits and incentives are subject to eligibility requirements.

About dsm-firmenich

At dsm-firmenich, we don’t just meet expectations – we go beyond them.

Join our global team powered by science, creativity, and a shared purpose: to bring progress to life.

From elevating health to making fortified food and sustainable skincare, the impact of your work here will be felt by millions – every single day. Whether it’s fragrance that helps you focus, alternative meat that’s better for the planet, or reducing sugar without losing flavor, this is where you help shape the future of nutrition, health, and beauty for everyone, everywhere.

And while you’re making a difference, we’ll make sure you’re growing too. With learning that never stops, a culture that lifts you up and the freedom to move across businesses, teams, and borders. Your voice matters here. And your ideas? They’re essential to our future.

Because real progress only happens when we go beyond, together.

Inclusion, belonging and equal opportunity statement

At dsm-firmenich, we believe being a force for good starts with the way we treat each other. When people feel supported, included, and free to be themselves, they do their best work – and that’s exactly the kind of culture we’re building. A place where opportunity is truly equal, authenticity is celebrated, and everyone has the chance to grow, contribute, and feel they belong.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we’re serious about making our hiring process as fair and inclusive as possible. From inclusive language and diverse interview panels to thoughtful sourcing, we’re committed to reflecting the world we serve.

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds — no matter your gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes you, you.

And if you have a disability or need any support through the application process, we’re here to help – just let us know what you need, and we’ll do everything we can to make it work.

Agency statement

We’re managing this search directly at dsm-firmenich. If you’re applying as an individual, we’d love to hear from you. We’re not accepting agency submissions or proposals involving fees or commissions for this role.