Senior Quality Engineer (Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol Area)

Senior Quality Engineer

Location: Kingsport, TN area Industry: Containerboard Manufacturing Type: Full time, direct hire

About the Opportunity

Our client, an established pulp and paper manufacturer, is looking for a Senior Quality Engineer to join the quality and technical services team at its containerboard mill in the Kingsport, TN area. This is a full time, permanent position.

Position Summary

The Quality Engineer provides technical leadership and quality support for the containerboard manufacturing process. This role works closely with production, sales, shipping, customer service, and laboratory personnel to ensure products consistently meet customer specifications and quality standards. The Quality Engineer is responsible for quality system management, laboratory operations, testing equipment calibration, complaint investigation, customer trial support, and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance product performance and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Quality & Process Support

• Provide daily quality support to containerboard manufacturing operations.
• Monitor product quality performance and communicate quality concerns, trends, and opportunities to mill leadership and operating teams.
• Analyze quality and process data to identify root causes of variation and implement corrective actions.
• Review quality reports, test data, operating logs, and customer feedback to prevent potential quality issues.
• Facilitate and lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on product quality, process capability, and customer satisfaction.
• Support grade development, product optimization, and specification management.
• Maintain continuous supply of starch and order chemicals when required.
• Assist in all types of trials: chemical, product development, customer, process improvement.
• If required, visit customers to resolve complaints and assess first hand information.

Laboratory Management

• Maintain the mill quality laboratory, ensuring a safe, organized, and efficient working environment.
• Manage laboratory inventory including testing supplies, standards, consumables, and equipment spare parts.
• Ensure laboratory testing procedures comply with mill, TAPPI, and customer requirements.
• Support crew members and provide technical guidance on testing methodologies.
• Train crew members as required in all types of testing.

Testing Equipment & Calibration

• Maintain all quality testing equipment and coordinate preventative maintenance activities.
• Ensure calibration of all laboratory and quality measurement equipment on a quarterly basis or as required by calibration standards.
• Troubleshoot, repair, and coordinate external service for testing equipment when necessary.
• Verify the accuracy and reliability of quality data generated by laboratory systems and equipment.

Customer Quality & Complaint Resolution

• Investigate customer complaints and quality claims through data analysis, process reviews, and product evaluation.
• Work closely with Technical, Logistics, Shipping, Production, and Sales departments to provide timely responses to customer quality concerns.
• Develop root cause analyses and corrective action plans to prevent recurrence of quality issues.
• Interface with customers when required to understand concerns and support resolution efforts.
• Track complaint trends and recommend long term improvements.

Customer Trials & Product Development

• Coordinate and participate in customer trials involving new products, grade modifications, process changes, or performance evaluations.
• Collect and analyze trial data and communicate findings to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Support product qualification and customer approval processes.
• Collaborate with sales and operations teams to develop customer specific quality solutions.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales, Production, Shipping, and Customer Service teams to meet customer requirements and delivery expectations.
• Serve as a technical resource to operations regarding quality standards, testing methods, and product specifications.
• Maintain strong working relationships across departments to drive quality improvements and operational excellence.

Quality Systems & Compliance

• Maintain quality records, procedures, standards, and documentation.
• Ensure compliance with internal quality systems, customer requirements, and applicable industry standards.
• Participate in audits and support corrective action implementation.
• Monitor quality performance metrics and prepare reports for management review.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Paper Science, Chemistry, Quality Management, or related technical field; equivalent industry experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 3 years of quality, process, or manufacturing experience.
• Experience with root cause analysis, statistical data evaluation, and process improvement methodologies.

Preferred

• 5+ years of experience in a pulp, paper, containerboard, or packaging manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of TAPPI testing methods and paper testing equipment.
• Experience supporting customer claims, quality systems, and product development initiatives.
• Familiarity with laboratory management and calibration programs.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Customer focused mindset with strong relationship building skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple departments.
• Initiative driven and results oriented.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Success Measures

• Reduction in customer complaints and quality claims.
• Improved reliability and accuracy of laboratory testing data.
• Timely completion of equipment calibrations and laboratory maintenance.
• Successful execution of customer trials and product qualification activities.
• Achievement of mill quality, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement objectives.