Quality & Continuous Improvement Technician

AHEAD; Libertyville (IL); On-site; USD 62,400 - 72,800; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Caregiver leave

Job summary

AHEAD on-site role in Libertyville, IL seeks a Quality/Process Improvement Associate to observe operations, identify defects, and drive improvements. The position emphasizes data-driven problem solving in a fast-paced warehouse environment.

Qualifications include 1–3 years in quality or process improvement, ISO 9001 awareness, and ERP/WMS familiarity. On-site work, competitive hourly compensation, and benefits apply.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; 1–3 years in a warehouse, manufacturing, or tech integration role with exposure to quality or process improvement.
• Associate’s degree preferred; experience with ISO 9001 quality mgmt system; familiarity with Lean or continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 principles and quality documentation practices.
• Experience using ERP or WMS for logging, tracking, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily floor observations to identify quality escapes, deviations, and defects.
• Serve as first-responder for quality issues impacting product flow or order completion; work to resolve quickly.
• Document non-conformances, root causes, and corrective actions in the ERP/WMS system.
• Collaborate with supervisors, leads, and technicians to implement process improvements and SOPs.
• Identify training gaps and work with training to develop or update SOPs.
• Gather and review quality metrics to identify improvements and share findings with the quality team.
• Track and trend quality metrics and present findings to the Quality Manager.
• Support internal QMS audits and assist with external quality assessments.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives using root cause analysis, 5-Why, PDCA.
• Work with Quality Engineers to support data collection, inspection, and project efforts.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Quality mindset

Data analysis

Documentation

Communication skills

MS Office

Education

High school diploma

Associate's degree preferred

Tools

ERP/WMS software

Job description

We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.

We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Perform daily floor observations across operations to identify quality escapes, process deviations, and recurring defects.
• Serve as a first-responder for quality issues impacting product flow or order completion, working to resolve problems quickly and minimize downstream impact.
• Document non-conformances, root causes, and corrective actions in the company’s internal ERP/WMS system.
• Collaborate with supervisors, leads, and technicians to implement process improvements and standardize operating procedures.
• Identify training gaps and partner with the training team to develop or update work instructions and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Work with departments to gather and review quality metrics (defect rates, error types, rework frequency) to identify what improvements need to be made, sharing findings and recommendations with the quality team.
• Track and trend quality metrics (defect rates, error types, rework frequency) and present findings to the Quality Manager.
• Support internal QMS audits and assist with preparation for external quality assessments.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives using structured problem-solving approaches (e.g., root cause analysis, 5-Why, PDCA).
• Work cross-functionally with Quality Engineers to support data collection, inspection activities, and project-level improvement efforts.
• Other job duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Minimum Required – High school diploma or GED; 1–3 years of experience in a warehouse, manufacturing, or technology integration environment with exposure to quality or process improvement activities.
• Preferred – Associate’s degree in a technical or related field; experience working within an ISO 9001-certified quality management system; familiarity with Lean or continuous improvement concepts.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management principles and documentation practices.
• Experience using ERP or WMS software for logging, tracking, and reporting; comfortable learning and navigating internally developed systems.
• Ability to read and interpret work instructions, SOPs, order documentation, and assembly drawings or test procedures as applicable.
• Strong observational and analytical skills, able to identify patterns in defects or process gaps and communicate findings clearly.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to collaborate across operations, quality, and training teams.
• Detail-oriented with a proactive mindset, identifies and escalates issues before they impact product or customer delivery.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, on-site environment with shifting priorities.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) for documentation and reporting.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards.
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state, and local standards.
• Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods on the facility floor.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 20 lbs.
• May require use of hands for fine manipulation of components or assemblies.
• This is a fully on-site role; daily presence in the facility is required.

$30 - $35 an hour

The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings (“OTE”) for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid company holidays
• Paid time off
• Paid parental and caregiver leave
• Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details.