Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality Assurance Specialist

LG Chem America Advanced Materials, Inc. (LGCTA) is actively searching for a Quality Assurance Specialist to join our team in Clarksville, TN. The Quality Assurance Specialist will be an individual contributor reporting to the Quality Manager. The Quality Assurance Specialist will handle QS (Quality System) related tasks. The primary responsibilities for the QS Specialist will focus on handling certification audits for the quality management system, conducting internal audits.

This position is based full time in Clarksville, TN and is not a remote role.

Essential Functions (include but are not limited to):

• Quality Management System Certification & Audit Response:
• Plan and coordinate external certification audits (e.g., IATF 16949, VDA 6.3), including documentation review, audit logistics, and corrective action management.
• Lead the preparation and execution of external certification audits (e.g., IATF 16949, VDA 6.3), ensuring compliance and addressing audit findings.
• Ensure readiness for external certification audits (e.g., IATF 16949, VDA 6.3) by managing pre-audit assessments, documentation updates, and follow-up actions.
• Internal Audits:
• Conduct QSA (Quality System Audits) to assess quality management system compliance and drive continuous improvement.
• Conduct QPA (Quality Process Audits) to evaluate manufacturing and quality processes, ensuring adherence to standards.
• Conduct PA (Product Audits) to verify product quality and compliance with specifications.
• Conduct TA (Thematic Audits) to identify recurring quality issues and implement targeted improvements.
• Document audit results, analyze trends, and oversee corrective and preventive actions.
• Q-Cost (Quality Cost) Management:
• Collect, analyze, and report Appraisal Cost (A-Cost) related to inspection, testing, and quality control activities.
• Collect, analyze, and report Prevention Cost (P-Cost) associated with training, process improvements, and preventive measures.
• Collect, analyze, and report Failure Cost (F-Cost) from internal/external defects, rework, warranty claims, and scrap.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities and implement improvement initiatives to optimize quality expenses.
• Quality KPI Management:
• Define and establish key quality KPIs aligned with business objectives.
• Periodically review the relevance and effectiveness of quality KPIs.
• Monitor, analyze, and report KPI performance trends to management.
• Develop and implement corrective action plans for KPIs that do not meet targets, ensuring continuous improvement.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience: What We're Looking For

Competencies/Desired Skills:

• Quality Focus: Ensure that all work throughout the organization, by operators and technicians is performed with excellence and to high standards for quality and integrity.
• Engineering Review, Decision Making & Analysis: Knowledge of and ability to use effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions and/or reaching conclusions. Ability to make decisions and take action consistent with available facts, constraints, and anticipated consequences. Identify issues, obtain relevant information, relate and compare data from different sources, and identify alternate solutions.
• Quality Technical Knowledge: – Understand quality theories that encapsulate the objective analysis of facts to form a judgment; ability and understanding of quality theories to approach several different quality assurance and controls processes holistically.
• Document Control: Maintain a systematic approach for managing documents, keep up with industry standards and practices, as well as any new regulations or guidelines that could affect our product.
• Training: Knowledge on how to train production personnel on new processes and/or new equipment procedures that may be necessary.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Material Science, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.

Requirements:

• Minimum 3 years' experience in manufacturing/operations engineering, or a technical field preferably in powder, chemical, glass, refinery, plastics, food, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, automotive or batteries.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Able to work multiple shifts, including weekends, or be asked to work supplemental hours and Participate in on-call rotation
• Able to respond off hours and weekends to troubleshoot plant issues.
• Able to sit, stand, walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, crawl, twist, climb, and lift 40 lbs.;
• Exposure to heat, noise, outdoors, vibration, confining work space, chemicals, explosive materials, mechanical hazards, and electrical hazards;
• Able to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and other garments as needed. This may include safety shoes, safety glasses, Masks, full body gowns, hair nets, gloves and hearing protection.

Preferred Qualification/What We'd Like to See:

• (Required) Certified IATF 16949 Internal Auditor for quality management systems.
• (Required) Strong understanding of internal audit processes (e.g., QSA, QPA, PA).
• (Preferred) Experience with external certification audits (e.g., IATF 16949, VDA 6.3).
• (Preferred) Familiarity with Q-Cost analysis and cost reduction strategies.
• (Preferred) Experience in quality KPI management, including target setting, performance tracking, and corrective action implementation.
• (Preferred) Proficiency in data processing using computer tools (e.g., Excel and PowerPoint).
• (Nice to Have) Completion of Core Tool Training (e.g., APQP, FMEA, MSA, SPC, CP and PPAP).

Work Environment

The working conditions (including the general work environment, and table with physical/mental demands) in this job description reflect the typical conditions you can expect while performing the essential functions of this job. LGCTA provides reasonable accommodations – appropriate changes and adjustments – to applicants and employees to be considered for a job opening, enable them to perform a job, gain access to the workplace, and enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment.

General Work Environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The incoming primarily works in an office setting, but work requires exposure to manufacturing environment operations, such as moving sample of product, noise, fumes, vibrations, dust, etc. to manage plant.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.