North American Quality Control Manager

Our Company

Dicalite is a company that uses naturally occurring minerals to improve products used for filtration of liquids such as wine, beer, and swimming pool water, for use in building products such as wallboard, ceiling tile, and joint compound, and for use in creating potting soils and hydroponic growing media for plant growth. Dicalite operates at the intersection of branded consumer products, industrial manufacturing, and research & product development to provide value to over 1,000 customers across the world. Dicalite is privately owned and has been in business for 93 years.

Dicalite’s operating footprint includes 16 facilities across North America and Europe. Operating through a fully integrated network of five mines and twelve refining, processing, and packaging facilities, the company has a unique multi-mineral platform that includes perlite, vermiculite, and diatomaceous earth. Dicalite’s core business is selling wholesale products to blue chip customers such as Home Depot, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Cargill, DuPont, Leslie’s Pool Supplies, numerous California wineries, 3M, and Nestle Purina, among others. In 2021, Dicalite launched a direct-to-consumer line of gardening products. These products are marketed under the Harvest Hero brand name

Job Summary:

As Quality Control Manager, you will play a pivotal role in maintaining and enhancing our product quality, setting up and maintaining a centralized Quality Management System, analyzing data and KPIs related to quality control metrics, customer complaints, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations, and driving continuous improvement initiatives. You will work closely with production, operations, sales, and other cross-functional teams to improve customer centricity and achieve our quality objectives. In addition, this position will support the sales team in providing information, service, and solutions related to purchased material. This position is also responsible for providing technical sales support to our sales team and customers. Enhancing the technical knowledge of our team will be paramount.

Primary Responsibilities:

Responsible to create and manage a centralized Quality Management System that manages for the day-to-day QA/QC activities for the company.

Develop, prepare, standardize, and implement quality control processes, procedures, and guidelines to ensure product quality and consistency for the diatomaceous earth, vermiculite, and perlite business units.

Establish and monitor quality metrics, key performance indicators and benchmarks to track and improve product quality.

Develops, coordinates, and manage quality control testing procedures, including chemical analysis, physical testing, and product performance evaluations.

Ensure that testing equipment is properly calibrated and maintained.

Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulations, and customer-specific quality requirements.

Provide training and standardization to plants.

Maintain accurate and comprehensive quality records and documentation.

Identify areas for process improvement and efficiency gains in the quality control processes.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement process improvements and drive continuous quality enhancement.

Interface with customers to address quality inquiries, concerns, and requirements.

Plan and conduct internal audits and inspections to verify adherence to quality standards.

Develop technical sales tools, materials, and current product knowledge to support our commercial team and customers.

Develop and deliver high-quality technical and application-based presentations detailing the problem, procedure, results, and conclusions, and educate operations and commercial team members.

Provide training to the sales team as needed.

Follow up on all inquiries related to samples, and test data and support or lead customer audits.

Other duties as assigned.

Key Competencies:

Results oriented and strong ability to independently follow through on projects and responsibilities.

Ability to prioritize, multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

Strong communicator both verbal and written with a service mindset and detail oriented.

Process improvement mindset

Excellent problem-solving skills.

Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite. (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Team player.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in science or related field (Chemistry, material science, Engineering)

Requires a minimum of 5-6 years of in QA/QC and laboratory testing; Industrial mineral mining experience preferred.

Strong knowledge of quality control methodologies, testing techniques, and relevant industry standards.

Must possess comprehensive knowledge of products and processes and perform technical and complex testing and analysis.

Working Conditions:

Must work independently and be highly organized.

Normal office/laboratory environments; however, time will be spent in the mining/manufacturing facilities.

Noise levels are typical of a manufacturing/mining environment.

Work in cold and warm environments.

This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products, supplies and product samples that weigh up to 25 lbs.

PPE is required regularly, including hard hat, hearing protection, eye protection, safety toed boots, protective clothing, and other PPE as necessary.

Travel to facilities is required – 25%-50% expected.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees so classified. Dicalite Management Group, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.