Quality Engineer in Manufacturing job description
A Quality Engineer in a consumer goods plant checks incoming materials, in-process runs and finished packs against specification. The role prevents defects, handles complaints and keeps batch records sound.
Why the role exists
The Quality Engineer protects product and pack quality across the plant, from incoming raw and packing material to finished goods. The person works with production, stores and maintenance and reports to the Quality Head or Plant Manager. Clear checks and root cause work reduce complaints and market returns.
What the person does
- Inspect incoming raw and packing material against specification and release or hold lots with a clear note.
- Carry out in-process checks on the line, such as weight, seal, print, colour and batch coding, and act on drift.
- Approve the first pack after each changeover and record the check against the batch.
- Investigate customer and distributor complaints, and find the root cause with production and stores.
- Maintain batch records, control charts and calibration of gauges, scales and test instruments.
- Lead corrective and preventive action on repeat defects, and track closure with the owner of each action.
- Support supplier quality by giving feedback to vendors on rejections and reviewing their corrective actions.
- Support internal and customer audits with documents, samples and line walk-throughs.
Skills and tools
- Inspection plans, sampling and acceptance criteria
- Root cause methods such as why-why and fishbone diagrams
- Control charts and basic statistical process control
- Use and calibration of gauges, scales and test instruments
- Batch record and document control
- Handling customer complaints and market returns
- Knowledge of the quality system the plant follows, such as ISO based systems
- Excel and a quality management system for records
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- BE or BTech or diploma in engineering, chemical, food, packaging or related field preferred, or equivalent experience.
- Prior quality experience in FMCG, food, personal care or packaging manufacturing is preferred.
- Training in quality tools or internal audit is useful. Confirm any certificate needs with your own adviser.
- Comfort working on the shop floor and with production teams across shifts is useful.
How the work is judged
- Rate of customer complaints and market returns from the plant
- Rejections at incoming inspection and at final release
- Closure of corrective actions on time and the repeat rate of the same defect
- Accuracy and completeness of batch records and calibration logs
- Audit readiness and the quality of findings raised and closed
Where the role can lead
- Senior Quality Engineer or Quality Lead for a unit.
- Quality Manager responsible for the plant system and audits.
- Moves into supplier quality, process excellence or regulatory-facing roles.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- A batch fails final check after packing is complete. Walk us through how you decide what to do.
- How do you set an incoming inspection plan for a new packing material?
- Tell us about a repeat defect you traced to its root cause.
- How do you handle disagreement with production when you hold a batch?
- A distributor sends back damaged cartons. How do you investigate?
- What records would you want in place before an audit visit?
Hiring tips for this role
- Test with a real defect case: ask for a root cause analysis and a corrective plan, not only definitions of tools.
- Check that the person is comfortable saying no to a lot on the shop floor and can explain it calmly to production.
- Ask which products and processes they have handled. Food, personal care and appliance quality differ a lot.
- State clearly which approvals the engineer owns and who sits above, so the role does not sit between conflicting orders.
Questions about hiring a quality engineer in manufacturing
The engineer inspects incoming material, checks the line, approves first packs, investigates complaints and keeps batch records. The aim is to catch defects early and to stop repeats.
No. An inspector mainly checks and records. The engineer plans the checks, finds root causes, leads corrective action and often supports audits and supplier feedback.
An engineering or related degree helps, along with training in quality tools. Equivalent plant experience can count too. Confirm any certificate needs for your products with your own adviser.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, finds and screens candidates with manufacturing quality experience and supports the offer for this permanent role. You decide the final hire.
Hiring a quality engineer in manufacturing?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.