Specialist , Quality Assurance

Position Summary:  The Quality Assurance Specialist performs field administration of warranty and service policies.  Provides telephone support to the 4Front Industrial Dock Equipment Products Distribution network for troubleshooting, installation and repair of all company products both past and present.  Conducts training/certification of distributor’s service personnel in the installation, operation, maintenance and repair of products in the field. Prepares detailed reports and recommendations concerning product performance and failure to reduce warranty claims, service requirements, installation costs and to increase product reliability. Provides field liaison to Engineering and Production to obtain expedient corrective action of field failures.  

Description of Essential Job Functions: 

Technical Services 

• Make field trips, as necessary, to investigate and analyze installation and service problems on existing products or specific products on field test.  Assist in determining reasons for problems and nature of correction.  Determine obligations regarding warranties and notify management as to conditions by preparing written and/or oral reports.  Make recommendations for product alterations to reduce warranty costs. 

• Prepare detailed product field performance reports.   Keep appropriate departments informed on product performance, field activities, etc. Correspond with customers and distributors by telephone, fax or other means as situations demand. Maintain related records and files as necessary to accomplish function. 

• Assist in planning, organizing and coordinating training programs for Distributor’s service personnel.  Conduct field/in-house training sessions. Advise customer and distributor engineering and service personnel on technical concepts and train maintenance and service crews in the installation, care, operation, and repair techniques of the product installation. Work closely with such personnel on technical matters and coordinate instructions and recommendations. 

• Assist with the preparation of product manuals and other pertinent literature.  Compile and organize technical and operating data.  May formulate and write text copy. Develops and prepares Technical Service Bulletins. 

• Establishes effective working relationships with customers, distributors, and their personnel to maintain the reputation of the Company and its products. 

• Become an expert in the operation of 4Front leveler and restraint products and dock systems - electrical, mechanical, and software.  Be knowledgeable of all current 4Front products and system application rules. 

• Stay abreast of industry developments germane to the service function performed and products involved. 
• Recommend new products or product developments based on information gathered on field trips. 

Quality Assurance/Control 

• Confers with engineers about quality assurance of existing and new products designed and manufactured products on market to rectify problems. 
• Applies statistical process control (SPC) methods for analyzing data to evaluate the current process and process changes. 
• Gives feedback on the experience with all purchased products or components and provides input to the decision of whether to accept the product and future purchases from the vendor. 
• Maintains a working knowledge of government and industry quality assurance codes and standards. 

Problem Solving 

• Suggests and evaluates alternative methods and procedures in solving problems and meeting changing market opportunities. 

• Develops new approaches to solve problems identified. 

• Reviews technical problems and procedures of departments and recommends solutions to problems or changes in procedures. 

• Interfaces with procurement, engineering, manufacturing, customer, or vendors to coordinate and resolve technical or quality-related problems. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities. 

Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical/electronic engineering, manufacturing engineering, or related technical field or equivalent experience. 

• 3-5 years of experience in a quality or technical support role (preferably quality in a manufacturing setting) involving mechanics, electronics, PLC programming, electrical, and related areas. 

• Working knowledge and experience with welding, hydraulics, and highly customized electronic control systems. 

• Training and presentation experience with customers and/or coworkers. 

Computer Skills 

• Ability to use a personal computer utilizing spreadsheet and word processing software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work. 

• Advanced/Intermediate skill level with Microsoft Office Suite; Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint preferred. 

Certificates, Certifications, Licenses, Registrations: 

• Certification in Basic Hydraulic Systems, Electronic Control Systems, and/or Maintenance Welding is a plus.

Other Skills, Abilities, or Competencies: 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. 

• Experience communicating with customers and/or suppliers. 

• Communicates with customer sensitivity and sense of urgency. 

• Advanced/Hands on approach to problem solving and analysis. 

• Customer service orientation and approach to daily responsibilities.  

• Ability to function as a team member and contribute to group goals.  

• Ability to communicate technical information in a non-technical manner. 

• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.   

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.  

• Advanced knowledge and understanding of electrical circuits (knowledge of electrical controls is a plus). 

• Ability to organize personal workload, prioritize activities, and accomplish tasks under deadline pressure. 

• Ability to solve problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardizations exist. 

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. 

• Maintain thorough knowledge and understanding of each customer’s specifications, standards, and other engineering requirements. 

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.   

• Ability to work in a group setting and independently while multi-tasking and adjusting to changing priorities in a minimally supervised fast paced environment. 

• General understanding and working knowledge of manufacturing, assembly, sewing, and welding equipment and tooling including design, gauges, equipment design, automation, robotics, or manufacturing processes. 

• Excellent oral and written technical communication skills to communicate product performance problems to management, conduct training for distributor service personnel, and when interacting with customers in the field.   

• Working knowledge of material types specifications and characteristics used in dock levelers, dock seals & shelters, impactable dock doors, high speed and high-performance doors, and other entrance automation products and warehouse solutions. 

• Thorough understanding of company product, trade terminology, quality management and control systems and techniques, manufacturing processes including material controls, work flow, scheduling, just-in-time/pull system, machine operation, and company policies as standards. 

• Quality Management – Working knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools of quality assurance, quality control, and reliability used to ensure that a project, system, or product fulfills requirements and standards.  

• Quality Standards - Working knowledge of government and industry quality assurance codes and standards. 

• Manufacturing - Knowledge of the specifications, tools, inputs, raw materials, outputs, and waste related to the manufacture of prototypes, models, systems, or other products. 

• Mathematical Concepts - Requires the ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.  Includes the ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. 

Other Qualifications, Experience, or Requirements: 

• Ability to travel up to 20% if necessary. 

• Requires a valid passport and motor vehicle operator’s license and the ability to operate a motor vehicle while carefully observing all traffic rules and regulations. 

• Requires the ability to use a variety of office/production related equipment such as a telephone, photocopier, facsimile machine, and precision measuring instruments. 

• Work beyond the traditional 40 hours per week may be required as workload or projects dictate, including weekends and holidays. 

We are the ASSA ABLOY Group
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 61,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access. 

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.