Kennedy Valve-Foundry Quality Engineer

Kennedy Valve Company; City of Elmira (NY); On-site; USD 89,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Sick Leave

401(k) with company match

Life Insurance

Medical Plan

Vision Plan

Dental Plan

Job summary

Kennedy Valve Company, a leader in waterworks and fire protection products, seeks a Foundry Quality Engineer to prevent defects and stabilize casting processes. You will partner with operations to improve yield, reduce scrap, and sustain corrective actions through data-driven root cause analysis.

The role emphasizes engineering quality into the process, collaboration with operations, and adherence to ISO 9001 standards in a high-volume foundry environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related technical field or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 2 years of quality related experience in manufacturing, foundry preferred.
• Experience with root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with MAGMA and SolidWorks.
• Strong data analysis skills (Excel, Power BI, or similar).
• Able to influence across teams with a hands-on, practical approach.

Responsibilities

• Work daily on the foundry floor supporting molding, cores, melting, pouring, and finishing.
• Identify early signs of process variation or risk.
• Support continuous improvement to reduce scrap and improve yield.
• Escalate quality risks through appropriate leadership channels.
• Review lab results and identify abnormal trends.
• Partner with pattern, tooling and foundry leadership teams.
• Lead root cause analysis teams and ensure corrective actions are sustainable.
• Support ISO 9001 QMS and apply quality tools such as SPC and APQP as needed.
• Monitor key process metrics and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Support casting quality acceptance requirements

Skills

Root cause analysis

Continuous improvement

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related technical field

Tools

MAGMA

SolidWorks

Job description

Kennedy Valve, a member of the McWane family of companies, is a gray and ductile iron foundry and computerized machining and assembly company. We have been an active community partner in Elmira, New York, for over 125 years.

People providing peace of mind water solutions.

To save lives, resources, and property by supplying the best waterworks and fire protection products in the world.

Our culture is important to us and forms the foundation for everything we do. Successful Team Members will embrace and perform in accordance with our following core values:

• Safety : People First – Step Up
• Environment : Protect Our Communities – Keep It Clean
• Leadership : I am Always On Stage – First Manage My Own Words & Behaviors
• Accountability : Lead Yourself Well – Own It, Correct It, Learn From It, Move On
• Excellence : Always Working To Be Better – Value & Add Value
• Trust : The Speed Of Trust – Build, Don’t Break
• Teamwork : Help Each Other Be Great – Win Together
• Communication : Clear, Candid, & Constructive – Right Words, Right Time, Right Way

WHY KENNEDY VALVE?

Kennedy Valve offers great wages and robust benefits packages, as well as stability and a sense of team!

• Highly Competitive Pay $88,539-$109,372
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays and Paid Sick Leave
• Retirement: 401(k) with company match options
• Employer-paid life insurance with the option to supplement
• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental plan options

Job Description

SUMMARY:

The Foundry Quality Engineer is an embedded, upstream partner responsible for preventing defects and improving casting process stability. This role focuses on engineering quality into the process, not inspecting it afterward. Success is measured by reduced defects, improved process stability, and effective root cause resolution through collaboration with operations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Embedded Process & Quality Support

• Work daily on the foundry floor supporting molding, cores, melting, pouring, and finishing
• Identify early signs of process variation or risk
• Support continuous improvement to reduce scrap and improve yield
• Escalate quality risks through appropriate leadership channels
• Review lab results and identify abnormal trends

Collaboration & Problem Solving

• Partner with pattern, tooling and foundry leadership teams
• Support evaluation of pattern, tooling and process changes
• Lead root cause analysis teams and ensure corrective actions are sustainable

Quality Systems & Standards

• Support ISO 9001 QMS
• Apply quality tools such as SPC and APQP as needed
• Monitor key process metrics and drive corrective and preventive actions
• Support casting quality acceptance requirements

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in related technical field or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 2 years of quality related experience in manufacturing, foundry experience preferred.
• Experience with root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with MAGMA and SolidWorks.
• Strong data analysis skills (Excel, Power BI, or similar).
• Able to influence across teams with a hand-on, practical approach.

Additional Information

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Majority of time spent on production floor
• Exposed to heat, noise, dust, fumes and typical foundry conditions

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

Kennedy Valve Co. is an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug‑free workplace and reserve the right to perform substance abuse testing. McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation , veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA - gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA- gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.