Quality Manager

Thunderbird Molding; Elgin (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with matching program

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Short Term Disability

Long Term Disability

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

9 Paid Holidays

Job summary

Thunderbird Molding seeks a Quality Manager to develop, implement, and maintain quality systems in a plastic injection molding environment. You will drive continuous improvement across production, tooling, and supplier quality, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001/IATF 16949 and customer requirements.

Responsibilities include leading audits, managing QMS documentation, and collaborating with engineering, maintenance, and production to reduce defects and improvements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of quality management experience in plastic injection molding manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of molding processes, tooling, resins, and secondary operations.
• Experience with automotive, medical, consumer products, or industrial manufacturing environments preferred.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar quality standards.
• Proficiency with SPC, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, and CAPA systems.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve the Quality Management System (QMS) in ISO 9001/IATF 16949 compliance.
• Lead internal and external quality audits.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific requirements and industry regulations.
• Develop and maintain quality procedures, work instructions, and documentation.
• Monitor manufacturing processes to ensure product quality.
• Analyze production data, scrap, defects, and customer complaints for corrective actions.
• Lead root cause analysis and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate containment and corrective actions with suppliers and customers.

Skills

Quality management

Leadership

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Quality

Tools

Calipers

Micrometers

Vision systems

CMMs

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Quality Manager Position Overview

The Quality Manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining quality systems and processes within a plastic injection molding manufacturing environment. This role ensures that products meet customer specifications, regulatory requirements, and company quality standards while driving continuous improvement initiatives across production, tooling, and supplier quality.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Management Systems

• Maintain and improve the company Quality Management System (QMS) in compliance with standards such as ISO 9001 and/or IATF 16949.
• Lead internal and external quality audits.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific requirements and industry regulations.
• Develop and maintain quality procedures, work instructions, and documentation.

Production Quality Oversight

• Monitor manufacturing processes to ensure consistent product quality.
• Analyze production data, scrap rates, defects, and customer complaints to identify trends and corrective actions.
• Oversee first article inspections, process validations, and PPAP submissions.
• Ensure proper use of statistical process control (SPC) and quality inspection techniques.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause analysis.
• Drive continuous improvement projects focused on reducing defects, scrap, and rework.
• Collaborate with engineering, tooling, maintenance, and production teams to improve molding processes and product quality.
• Support Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives.

Customer & Supplier Quality

• Serve as the primary contact for customer quality concerns and corrective actions.
• Manage supplier quality performance and incoming inspection processes.
• Coordinate containment activities and corrective action implementation when quality issues arise.
• Participate in customer audits and quality meetings.

Team Leadership

• Supervise quality technicians, inspectors, and lab personnel.
• Train employees on quality standards, inspection methods, and quality awareness.
• Establish departmental goals, KPIs, and performance metrics.
• Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality Management, Manufacturing, or related field preferred.

Experience

• 5+ years of quality management experience in plastic injection molding manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of molding processes, tooling, resins, and secondary operations.
• Experience with automotive, medical, consumer products, or industrial manufacturing environments preferred.

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar quality standards.
• Experience with SPC, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, and CAPA systems.
• Proficiency with quality inspection equipment such as calipers, micrometers, vision systems, and CMMs.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and quality software.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities.

Soft Skills

• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Ability to work cross‑functionally in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Detail‑oriented with strong decision‑making capabilities.

Work Environment

• Manufacturing facility with exposure to production machinery and molded plastic components.
• Combination of office and shop floor responsibilities.
• Occasional travel to customer or supplier locations may be required.

Benefits

• 401(k) with matching program.
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• 9 Paid Holidays

Thunderbird is a drug and smoke free work environment and promotes safe work conditions.