Lab Quality Engineer Jobs in Wichita, KS (NOW HIRING)

Position: Foundry Quality Supervisor
Reports to: Foundry Engineering Manager
Supervised: 2-3 Quality Technicians
Location: Norwich, KS (on-site)
Employment Type: Full-Time / Salary - Exempt
Primary Shift: Primarily a day shift with flexibility to support off shifts as needed
Compensation: Competitive salary based on experience

Role Overview

The foundry Quality Supervisor is responsible for overall metallurgical integrity, foundry process control, and quality assurance within a green sand, ductile iron foundry. This role ensures that materials, processes, and finished castings meet internal standards, ASTM requirements and customer specifications. The position serves as the primary technical authority for metallurgy and foundry quality, leads defect analysis and continuous improvement efforts, and acts as the foundry quality representative for customers. In addition, this role provides hands‑on technical leadership across sand and molding processes, alloy and chemistry control, inspection systems, and documentation. The position supervises foundry quality technicians and plays a key role in improving safety, efficiency, yield and product consistency.

Primary Responsibilities Quality Assurance & Customer Interface

• Monitor iron chemistry, microstructure, mechanical properties, and heat treatment results to ensure conformance to ASTM and customer requirements.
• Evaluate raw materials for quality consistency and cost effectiveness.
• Serve as the foundry quality representative for customers, including defect resolution, corrective actions, and casting returns.
• Lead root cause analysis for casting defects, scrap, and customer issues; implement and verify corrective actions.
• Ensure adherence to ISO 9001 and applicable quality system requirements.
• Perform quality inspections and signoff for pattern changes, job changes, grinding operations, and process modifications.
• Provide technical and quality input for quoting activities and special customer requirements.

Laboratory & Technical Leadership

• Direct and oversee all foundry laboratory activities, including spectrographic analysis, tensile testing, hardness testing, metallography, and sand testing.
• Supervise and train lab personnel and foundry quality technicians.
• Serve as technical backup for lab operations during personnel absences.

Process Control & Continuous Improvement

• Develop, maintain, and update quality and process documentation covering molding, core making, melting, finishing, inspection, and lab operations.
• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, improve yield, increase efficiency, and enhance process stability.
• Recommend and implement new testing methods, process controls, technologies, and equipment upgrades.
• Support safety, efficiency, and standardization initiatives across foundry operations.

General

• Collaborate closely with engineering, production, maintenance, and quality teams to support foundry objectives.
• Utilize Microsoft Office tools for analysis, reporting, and communication.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Foundry Engineering Manager.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a manufacturing‑related field (relevant experience may be substituted in lieu of a degree).
• Manufacturing or foundry environment experience required.
• Proficiency with lab testing equipment (spectrometer, tensile testing, hardness testing, metallography, sand testing, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of ductile iron metallurgy, alloys, solidification, heat treatment, and failure analysis.
• 3–5+ years of quality experience in a foundry or metals manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Frequent exposure to heat, dust, noise and industrial equipment.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift 25–50 lb castings occasionally.
• Required use of PPE (hard hat, safety glasses, steel‑toe boots).

Farrar Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with applicable laws.