GATES CORPORATION is a global diversified industrial company that provides advanced power transmission and fluid transfer solutions by skillfully engineering products and services that reduce the total cost of ownership for a wide variety of applications.

Our products and services serve customers in five key end market segments: Energy/Exploration/Extraction, Infrastructure & Agriculture, Transportation, Automotive, and Process & Specialty. As an engineering leader with a strong foundation in research and development, Gates is committed to advancing the science of motion performance by developing safe, forward-thinking products, services, systems, and solutions, as well as fostering long-term customer and employee relationships. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Gates employs over 14,000 people across 106 locations in 30 countries.

If it moves you, there’s a good chance Gates has a part in it. Gates. Powering Progress.

If you are looking for an opportunity with a growing and dynamic company, Gates has an opportunity for a Quality Assurance Engineer located at our Iola, KS Facility.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position is responsible for assuring quality in all phases of the manufacturing value stream from raw material supply to customers’ utilization.  Where nonconformance is identified, this position will employ effective problem-solving methodologies to identify root causes and implement their corresponding corrective and preventive actions. As this role has both customer and supplier facing responsibilities, the incumbent must be skillful in communication, reporting, follow-up, and project management with a sense of urgency to resolve assigned quality issues.

The ability to read technical drawings and specifications is required of the incumbent to understand and deploy quality controls related to special characteristics. This position will work cross-functionally with peers and Gates management in developing and executing Advanced Product Quality Plans (APQP) for new & existing products. This will include involvement in Failure Modes & Effects Analysis, and Quality Control Plan development and implementation to reduce and eliminate nonconformance risk.

As a specialist in quality, the incumbent will serve as an expert on site in establishing inspection sample plans, including the establishment of statistical process controls (SPC) as necessary due to the criticality of product/process characteristics. Knowledge of and capability to utilize inspection equipment and determine the acceptability of the measurement method through Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) is necessary.

Internal quality system audits (E.g. ISO9001, IATF16949) and process audit as part of Gates Layered Process Audit programs will be completed by this role and utilized to develop the incumbent in the wider knowledge of the Gates Production System and manufacturing processes.

This position reports directly to the site Quality Manager and will lead activities that develop people, improve customer satisfaction, and implement innovative solutions to problems and/or process issues for manufacturing value streams assigned.

  ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  Other duties may be assigned beyond the core functions listed below:

• Drive execution of quality initiatives and corrective and preventive action (CAPA) across the assigned manufacturing value streams to achieve strategic quality improvement objectives (E.g. Customer Incident Rate, PPM, Cost of Poor Quality, Inter-Company Incident Rate, SupplierPPM, QMS Management (review KPI’s, etc.).

• Lead root cause investigation and resolution of customer and supplier quality incidents in compliance with industry best practice “closed loop” methodologies (E.g. 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone Diagrams, A3, PDCA) and Gates Quality Management System requirements. Coordinate containment activities to ensure proper segregation of nonconforming product from unintended use.

• Complete warranty part failure analysis and implementation of corrective action as determined necessary. Maintain records of warranty analysis, customer communications, and reports of performance in assigned process areas

• Work with new product development teams and site peers in utilizing APQP based management systems to achieve Gates objectives in sales growth and product vitality, while eliminating or reducing the risk of defect escape.

• Complete internal quality system audits as assigned within the plant Internal QMS audit program.  Complete process audits and corrective actions as part of the plant Layered Process Audit (LPA) program.

• Support the development of Gates supplier quality through supplier assessment, nonconformance correction, incoming inspection development, and/or supplier development project execution.

• Support the plant in establishing statistical process controls on critical to quality characteristics.  And as an authority on the establishment of statistically representative sample plans within quality control inspections.

• Coordination of PPAP submissions as necessary for part qualification with customers, or as part of the incoming part qualification.  Serve as an authority on PPAP as necessary within the quality team. Or in coordination of Material Test Reports (MTR’s) for customers requiring these COC’s.

• Updating quality assurance Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for assigned areas.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Up to 4 Quality Technicians / Inspectors directly report to this role.
• The position will work with operational site management (Plant Managers, Quality Managers, etc.), corporate quality, and cross-functional and business leadership personnel to achieve quality improvement objectives.

QUALIFICATIONS: 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.

• Bachelor of Science (BS) undergraduate college degree or equivalent in a technical discipline (E.g. Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, etc.).
• 2+ years of experience in a manufacturing quality assurance is preferred, but not required. New college grads are encouraged to apply.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Working knowledge of automotive industry quality management standards (AIAG – APQP, PPAP, SPC, MSA, etc.) and quality assurance problem-solving tools (E.g. 5-Why, Cause & Effect Diagrams, DOE, 8D, etc.) is preferred or will be developed
• An effective communicator with the capability to interact with all layers of management both internal and external to the company.
• Drive, intelligence, and high expectations of getting results through self and team.
• Change management leadership capability
• High level interpersonal and leadership skills with capability to influence, coach, and partner across multiple levels and locations of the company
• Strong proficiency using common PC applications: MS Word, MS Excel, MS Visio, MS Office, MS SharePoint, MS PowerPoint
• Experience utilizing quality assurance PC Applications is a plus: Minitab, SPC Applications, etc.
• Certification as a Quality Engineer (CQE), Quality Manager (CQM), Quality Auditor (CQA) or Six Sigma Black Belt through ASQ or an equivalent certification is preferred, but not required.

Gates Corporation is a leading manufacturer of application-specific fluid power and power transmission solutions. They are driven to push the boundaries of materials science to engineer products that continually exceed expectations.

They don’t rest on their rich heritage of innovation. They leverage it to inspire solutions that will power the next hundred years. Gates invests continually in R&D and technology, so their products outperform industry standards and exceed customers’ demanding expectations. Gates invest in their people, bringing real-world experience that enables them to solve customers’ diverse challenges of today and anticipate those of tomorrow.