Technician Lead - Quality Control

Technician Lead – Quality Control

Manufacturing  |  Quality Assurance |  Support Level S4 Highly Skilled

Position Summary

The Technician Lead – Quality Control is a highly skilled quality specialist who coordinates daily technical work and ensures incoming materials, subassemblies, and finished laser systems meet engineering specifications, approved inspection criteria, and ISO 9001 quality-system requirements. Working with limited day-to-day instruction, this role performs and verifies complex inspections, resolves varied and non-routine quality issues, recommends improved methods and procedures, and serves as the technical escalation point for the vendor quality. The position provides work direction, training, and coaching without formal people-management responsibility and is accountable for the quality and timeliness of assigned deliverables.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and prioritize daily incoming, in-process, and final inspection activities to support production schedules, material availability, and customer delivery requirements.
• Perform and verify complex dimensional, optical, electrical, and functional inspections of optical components, laser assemblies, electronic modules, and precision mechanical parts using calibrated inspection and test equipment.
• Interpret engineering drawings, specifications, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, work instructions, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria; clarify technical requirements with Engineering and Quality when needed.
• Independently select, adapt, and document inspection methods for varied or non-routine assignments while remaining within approved quality-system requirements.
• Serve as the first technical escalation point for inspection discrepancies, measurement concerns, and product-quality issues; contain suspect material and stop or hold work when requirements are not met.
• Initiate and lead nonconformance investigations, support Material Review Board activities, and recommend evidence-based dispositions within delegated authority.
• Lead or support root cause analysis using appropriate problem-solving methods and implement and verify corrective and preventive actions for recurring quality issues.
• Apply Statistical Process Control, control charts, trend analysis, and process capability techniques to monitor critical characteristics, identify variation, and recommend corrective action.
• Develop, improve, and maintain inspection plans, test methods, work instructions, checklists, and quality records; recommend new procedures or changes that improve accuracy, consistency, and cycle time.
• Verify the proper use, condition, and calibration status of inspection equipment and support measurement-system studies, equipment qualification, and control of monitoring and measuring resources.
• Review inspection results and quality documentation for completeness, accuracy, traceability, and compliance before product release or escalation.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Supplier Quality to resolve quality issues, improve supplier and process performance, and prevent defects or escapes.
• Support internal, customer, and regulatory audits by providing accurate records, explaining inspection controls, and completing assigned follow-up actions.
• Monitor and communicate quality indicators such as first-pass yield, defect trends, inspection turnaround time, rework, and escapes; lead practical continuous-improvement actions.
• Follow and reinforce company requirements for quality, safety, housekeeping, and controlled handling of materials and products.

Qualifications

• Associate degree, technical diploma, or recognized vocational certification in quality, manufacturing, engineering technology, electronics, optics, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Typically 4–6 years of related quality inspection or manufacturing experience, including demonstrated responsibility for complex inspection work and coaching or guiding other technicians.
• Advanced ability to read engineering drawings and specifications and apply dimensional inspection methods; working knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing is preferred.
• Proficiency with relevant inspection and test equipment, which may include calipers, micrometers, height gages, CMMs, optical comparators, power meters, beam profilers, and electrical test equipment.
• Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality-management-system requirements and practical experience with nonconformance control, MRB, CAPA, audits, and document control.
• Demonstrated ability to use SPC, trend analysis, process capability, and structured root cause analysis to solve quality problems and recommend improvements.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical findings, influence corrective action, and work effectively across functions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience entering, analyzing, and retrieving data in quality, manufacturing, or enterprise systems.
• Experience in laser, electro-optical, electronic, or other high-precision manufacturing is preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform repetitive inspection tasks.
• Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity for handling precision components and measurement equipment.
• Ability to lift and move materials weighing up to 50 pounds occasionally, with appropriate assistance or equipment as required.

Location

259 Cedar Hill Road, Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752

Employment Type

Non-Exempt

• Associate degree, technical diploma, or recognized vocational certification in quality, manufacturing, engineering technology, electronics, optics, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Typically 4–6 years of related quality inspection or manufacturing experience, including demonstrated responsibility for complex inspection work and coaching or guiding other technicians.
• Advanced ability to read engineering drawings and specifications and apply dimensional inspection methods; working knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing is preferred.
• Proficiency with relevant inspection and test equipment, which may include calipers, micrometers, height gages, CMMs, optical comparators, power meters, beam profilers, and electrical test equipment.
• Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001 quality-management-system requirements and practical experience with nonconformance control, MRB, CAPA, audits, and document control.
• Demonstrated ability to use SPC, trend analysis, process capability, and structured root cause analysis to solve quality problems and recommend improvements.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical findings, influence corrective action, and work effectively across functions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience entering, analyzing, and retrieving data in quality, manufacturing, or enterprise systems.
• Experience in laser, electro-optical, electronic, or other high-precision manufacturing is preferred.