Incoming Quality Technician

The Incoming Quality Technician at Redwood Materials is tasked with ensuring the quality of incoming materials through thorough inspections, managing non-conformance issues, leading containment strategies, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. You'll handle the non-conformance review process, maintain precise quality records, and conduct audits to ensure compliance with established specifications.

Candidates for the Incoming Quality Technician position at Redwood Materials should have experience in quality assurance within a manufacturing environment, ideally in battery manufacturing or recycling. Familiarity with sorting and sampling of materials, as well as knowledge of problem-solving techniques like 8D and statistical process control, are essential. Strong analytical and communication skills are also crucial for effective teamwork.

The Incoming Quality Technician plays a vital role in sustainability by ensuring that only compliant incoming materials are used in production, reducing waste and promoting a circular supply chain. This position directly contributes to improving supplier performance, thereby enhancing overall efficiency and sustainability of battery recycling and manufacturing processes.

In the Incoming Quality Technician role at Redwood Materials, you will utilize various systems including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), MES (Manufacturing Execution System), QMS (Quality Management System), and others. Familiarity with these tools will enhance your ability to track quality, manage documents, and maintain data integrity throughout the quality inspection process.

A typical day for an Incoming Quality Technician at Redwood Materials includes reviewing incoming material inspections, addressing non-conformance issues, conducting audits, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. You'll lead containment management activities and document findings while analyzing data to improve quality processes. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities to enhance the sustainability-focused mission.

When answering this question, highlight specific experiences related to quality assurance and emphasize any roles where you reviewed incoming materials or managed non-conformances. Tailor your response to demonstrate how your background aligns with the quality standards at Redwood Materials.

Discuss your approach to identifying root causes, your problem-solving methods, and how you would collaborate with cross-functional teams to address the issue. Highlight the importance of data analysis and communication in preventing future non-conformances.

Mention any specific containment strategies you've used, such as sorting, testing, or sampling. Explain how you adhere to safety standards and ensure that non-conforming materials do not reach production, emphasizing your attention to detail.

Share examples of how you've conducted audits in previous roles, focusing on your ability to analyze inspection data and identify areas for improvement. Discuss the importance of audits in ensuring compliance with quality standards.

Describe your time management techniques and how you prioritize based on the impact of non-conformances on production. Highlight your organizational skills and ability to manage stress effectively.

Provide an example where collaboration led to a tangible improvement in quality outcomes. Emphasize your communication skills and how you navigate differing perspectives to achieve a common goal.

Detail your experience with relevant systems, explaining how you’ve used them for tracking quality, maintaining records, or generating reports. Showcase your technical proficiency to demonstrate your readiness for the role at Redwood Materials.

Discuss your ability to simplify complex information using clear terminology and visuals. Mention the importance of active listening to address their concerns and how you foster understanding without overwhelming them.

Share your perspective on how quality assurance contributes to sustainability initiatives, particularly in recycling and battery manufacturing. Highlight how maintaining high quality helps minimize waste and enhances operational efficiency.

Express your passion for quality assurance and sustainability. Discuss how ensuring compliance and driving improvements can contribute to a healthier environment and more efficient processes, which aligns with the mission at Redwood Materials.