Social Compliance Auditor

DQS Inc; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

DQS Inc. is seeking an experienced Social Compliance Auditor to independently plan, conduct, and report on audits across manufacturing, processing, distribution, and related facilities.

You will evaluate labor, human-rights, and health-safety practices, review records, and interview workers and management while ensuring impartiality and confidentiality. The role requires active CSCA status, strong English reporting, and willingness to travel to client facilities to perform audits in accordance

Qualifications

• Active APSCA CSCA status is required.
• Experience leading social-compliance or responsible-sourcing audits.
• Ability to prepare clear, evidence-based audit reports.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct independent social-compliance audits at facilities.
• Interview workers and management, review documents, and analyze payroll and working hours.
• Identify non-compliances and document findings clearly.
• Prepare audit reports in English and communicate findings professionally.
• Coordinate with clients, schedulers, and reviewers; travel as needed.

Skills

CSCA certification

Lead auditor experience

Audit reporting

Interviewing workers

On-site auditing

Education

CSCA certification active

Job description

Your role

JOB OBJECTIVES: The Social Compliance Auditor will independently plan, conduct, and report social-compliance and responsible-sourcing audits at manufacturing, processing, distribution, agricultural, and other operational facilities. Assignments may include SMETA, RBA, RSCI, SA8000, amfori BSCI, SLCP, customer-specific codes of conduct, and other social-compliance or responsible-business programs based on the auditor’s qualifications and client requirements. This is an assurance role requiring professional independence, sound judgment, objective evidence collection, and clear communication. The auditor may not provide consulting, remediation implementation, or internal-audit services to a facility being assessed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Plan and prepare for audits by reviewing facility profiles, scope, prior findings, applicable standards, client requirements, and relevant legal requirements.

Conduct independent on-site audits, including opening and closing meetings, facility tours, management interviews, worker interviews, document reviews, payroll analysis, and working-hours reviews.

Assess labor and human-rights practices, including child labor, forced labor, discrimination, disciplinary practices, freedom of association, wages, working hours, employment conditions, and occupational health and safety.

Evaluate applicable environmental-management and business-ethics requirements.

Collect and triangulate objective evidence from observations, records, interviews, and management-system documentation.

Identify and document non-compliances clearly, accurately, and objectively.

Prepare complete, professional, and timely audit reports in English using applicable client, program, and DQS reporting platforms.

Communicate audit findings respectfully and professionally without providing advisory direction or prescribing corrective-action solutions.

Review corrective-action evidence and conduct follow-up activities in accordance with applicable program requirements.

Maintain confidentiality regarding worker interviews, personal information, client data, and audit findings.

Complete required conflict-of-interest, impartiality, independence, and confidentiality declarations.

Participate in auditor calibration, report reviews, witness assessments, training, and continuing professional-development activities.

Maintain current knowledge of international labor standards, human rights, occupational-safety requirements, applicable laws, and social-audit methodologies.

Coordinate effectively with DQS schedulers, technical reviewers, program managers, clients, co-auditors, and interpreters.

Meet established audit-quality, reporting, utilization, and turnaround-time expectations.

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION REQUIRED:

Active APSCA Certified Social Compliance Auditor (CSCA) status in good standing.

Minimum of two years of experience as lead auditor conducting independent social-compliance, ethical-trade, responsible-sourcing, or human-rights audits.

Practical experience conducting worker and management interviews, facility tours, document reviews, payroll and wage analysis, working-hours reviews, and occupational-health-and-safety assessments.

Strong understanding of international labor and human-rights standards and applicable U.S. federal, state, and local requirements.

Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to prepare clear, evidence-based audit reports.

Strong analytical, investigative, interviewing, communication, judgment, and time-management skills.

Ability to work independently and managing frequent travel and multiple assignments.

Valid driver’s license and ability to travel independently to client facilities.

Legally authorized to work in the United States.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience with multiple social-compliance programs, such as SMETA, RBA, RSCI, SA8000, amfori BSCI, SLCP, WRAP, PSCI, TfS, or customized buyer codes of conduct.

Familiarity with Sedex, RBA, RSCI, SLCP, or other audit-management and reporting platforms.

Current SMETA approval or authorization through an approved audit company.

Experience auditing multiple industries, including electronics, semiconductors, batteries, chemicals, plastics, packaging, apparel, footwear, food, agriculture, automotive, logistics, distribution, or other manufacturing operations.

Professional fluency in Spanish or Chinese, in addition to English.

Experience serving as a lead auditor, team leader, auditor mentor, technical reviewer, or calibration facilitator.

BEHAVIORS:

• Continuous improvement mindset for effectiveness and efficiency
• Leadership – by example and mentoring
• Ongoing feedback, up or down the organization – to either acknowledge performance or to initiate improvement
• Internal and external customer focus and responsiveness
• Communicate, regularly to your team and the organization
• Solve problems, propose solutions, and knock down barriers to success
• Collaborate across the organization
• Always accountable for performance
• Flexibility and openness to new ideas, solutions, and reaction to the market
• Recognizes risks and mitigates if necessary

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)

Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, or other protected characteristic. The employer is subject to certain governmental recordkeeping and reporting requirements for the administration of civil rights laws and regulations. In order to comply with these laws, the employer invites employees to voluntarily self-identify their race or ethnicity. Submission of this information is voluntary and refusal to provide it will not subject you to any adverse treatment. The information obtained will be kept confidential and may only be used in accordance with the provisions of applicable laws, executive orders, and regulations, including those that require the information to be summarized and reported to the federal government for civil rights enforcement. When reported, data will not identify any specific individual.

Right to Work Poster (English) EEO is the Law

At DQS, you will work on issues that matter - for companies and for society. Our audits and certifications not only create trust and competitive advantages, but also contribute to greater sustainability, safety, and responsibility in global supply chains. Those who work at DQS actively shape how companies worldwide live quality and fulfill their social obligations - soundly, independently, and effectively.

DQS empowers organizations worldwide to build trust, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable growth by certifying the future of business. Founded in 1985, DQS has grown into a global leader in the assessment and certification of management systems, with a team of 2,500 highly qualified auditors delivering over 125,000 audit days per year in more than 60 countries. Through internationally recognized certifications across 200+ standards, DQS helps businesses manage risks, ensure compliance, and unlock new opportunities in an evolving regulatory and business landscape. Thinking beyond compliance, DQS is a trusted partner for digitalization, automation, and sustainability leadership. The company’s expertise covers a wide range of areas, spanning from cybersecurity and AI governance to ESG compliance, supply chain management, medical device safety, and future mobility, delivering real value to industries in their pursuit of resilient, sustainable, and intelligent systems. By leveraging advanced auditing methodologies, predictive analytics, and real-time insights, DQS supports organizations to future-proof their operations while demonstrating their commitment to excellence and responsible business practices.

Our employees are the heart of DQS. With their professional excellence, team spirit, and passion, they make a difference—for our customers, for our further development, and for a sustainable future. At DQS, expertise meets appreciation and a working environment that promotes trust and responsibility. Diversity is part of our identity at DQS. In our global team, we promote a working environment in which different perspectives, experiences, and life paths are welcome—regardless of origin, gender, age, or individual abilities. Through flexible working models, fair development opportunities, and inclusive structures, we create space for everyone to reach their full potential.

Want to gain more insight into our work, our values, and our people? Follow DQS on LinkedIn and discover what drives us—from customer projects to sustainability to career opportunities. We look forward to connecting with you!