\# Job Description: Head of Quality Control (QC) \& Quality Assurance (QA)
\*Position Title:\* Head – Quality Control \& Quality Assurance
\*Department:\* Quality Management System (QMS)
\*Reports To:\* Plant Head / Director (Operations)
\*Location:\* Foundry Plant Unit, Salkia, Howrah
\*Industry Sector:\* Iron Foundry (Grey Iron \& Spheroidal Graphite/Ductile Iron) – 100% Export Oriented Unit (EOU) / Major Export Division
\#\#\# Job Purpose
The Head of QC \& QA will strategically lead, direct, and oversee all quality engineering, metallurgical laboratory, in\-process inspection, and customer quality functions. The primary objective is to maintain a world\-class Quality Management System (QMS) that satisfies stringent international automotive (IATF 16949\) and industrial engineering standards, achieves near\-zero customer ppm defect rates, minimizes the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), and guarantees airtight batch traceability for overseas OEM and Tier\-1 clients.
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\#\# Key Responsibilities \& Performance Areas
\#\#\# 1\. Strategic Quality Governance \& COPQ Control
\* Establish and enforce the plant’s annual quality objectives, alignment metrics, and strategic roadmap.
\* Own the plant\-wide \*Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)\* balance sheet, proactively driving down internal foundry scrap, casting rejections, and finishing\-shop rework.
\* Monitor, analyze, and report daily/weekly internal rejection trends (such as shrinkage, blowholes, gas defects, mismatches) to the executive leadership team.
\#\#\# 2\. Metallurgical, Lab \& In\-Process Quality Assurance
\* Oversee complete operational control over the Chemical (Spectrometer) and Physical Testing Laboratories.
\* Ensure absolute metallurgical compliance for all melt heats, including strict control over base chemistry, inoculation, and magnesium treatment verification for ductile iron.
\* Supervise continuous auditing of green sand/resin\-coated sand parameters (compactibility, moisture, active clay, and permeability) to prevent sand\-induced casting anomalies.
\* Lead non\-destructive testing (NDT) programs including Ultrasonic Testing (UT), Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI), and Radiographic validation.
\#\#\# 3\. NPD, Advanced Quality Planning \& Engineering
\* Act as the core quality stakeholder in the Cross\-Functional Team (CFT) for New Product Development (NPD).
\* Own the development, implementation, and sign\-off of \*PPAP (Production Part Approval Process)\* submissions, including Process Flow Diagrams, Process FMEA, Control Plans, and Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA / Gauge R\&R).
\* Oversee high\-precision dimensional layout inspections using Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) for initial First Article Inspections (FAI).
\#\#\# 4\. International Compliance, QMS \& Customer Audits
\* Serve as the Management Representative (MR) or primary host for all external regulatory, registrar, and international customer quality audits (e.g., IATF 16949:2016, ISO 9001:2015, and customer\-specific standards like VDA 6\.3\).
\* Establish, maintain, and regularly test an uncompromised \*end\-to\-end material traceability system\* that connects raw materials (scrap/pig iron lots) to exact pour heats and dispatched export pallets.
\#\#\# 5\. Export Customer Relations \& CAPA Management
\* Act as the primary technical point of contact for international customer complaints regarding dimensional, metallurgical, or machining defects.
\* Lead the investigation of quality escapes using disciplined global standard problem\-solving methodologies (\*8D Report, 5\-Why Analysis, Fishbone Diagrams\*).
\#\#\# 6\. Supplier Quality \& Inbound Gatekeeping
\* Set and monitor inbound quality standards for essential foundry materials (pig iron, metallurgical scrap, ferroalloys, resins, and bentonite).
\* Direct supplier performance ratings and lead periodic quality audits at vendor processing sites to stop variation at the source.
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\#\# Candidate Profile \& Qualifications
\#\#\# Educational Background
\* \*Required:\* Bachelor’s Degree (B.E. / B.Tech) in Metallurgy, Materials Science, or Mechanical Engineering from a recognized university.
\* \*Preferred:\* Master's degree in Foundry Technology or specialized certifications in Quality Engineering (ASQ Certified Quality Manager/Engineer).
\#\#\# Professional Experience
\* \*Overall Experience:\* 12 to 15\+ years of core quality management experience within a modern, automated iron foundry setting.
\* \*Domain Expertise:\* Minimum 5 years leading the entire QA/QC department within an environment heavily engaged in direct exports to European, American, or Japanese OEMs/Tier\-1 industrial buyers.
\* \*Technical Familiarity:\* Deep working exposure to High\-Pressure Moulding Lines (HPML) or automated matching systems, core\-making processes, and heavy fettling shop environments.
\#\#\# Core Technical Competencies
\* Expert\-level mastery of \*IATF 16949:2016\* standards and core quality tools (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA).
\* Strong interpretation skills for global engineering blueprints, GD\&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), and international material standards (ASTM, DIN, EN, ISO).
\* Sound hands\-on understanding of foundry metallurgy, solidification behaviors, casting defect analysis, and microstructure evaluations.
\* Certified or highly proficient in NDT methodologies (Level II UT/MPI preferred).
\#\#\# Behavioral Competencies \& Soft Skills
\* \*Cross\-Cultural Communication:\* Exceptional written and verbal English communication skills, with the professional presence required to manage overseas customer communications.
\* \*Root Cause Focus:\* Analytical, data\-driven mindset with sharp problem\-solving capabilities under high\-pressure scenarios.
\* \*Leadership Presence:\* Proven track record of managing and upskilling a team of lab metallurgists, CMM engineers, and shop\-floor quality inspectors.
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\#\# Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Evaluation
The performance of the candidate will be objectively evaluated based on the following metrics:
\* \*Customer Defect Rate:\* \< 50 PPM (or target customized by export client SLAs).
\* \*Response Speed:\* 100% adherence to the 24\-hour turnaround window for initial 8D containment submission.
\* \*System Integrity:\* Zero major Non\-Conformances (NCs) recorded during annual surveillance or recertification audits.
\* \*PPAP Approval Rate:\* \> 95% First\-Time\-Right (FTR) acceptance track record on sample submissions.
Pay: ₹50,000\.00 \- ₹100,000\.00 per hour
Work Location: In person