This is advanced professional quality assurance engineering work for County departments and agencies.

Employees in this class are responsible for participating in the development, implementation and maintenance of quality assurance plans and programs. Responsibilities include creating standards of performance and inspection systems, formulating instructions for maintenance and use of inspection records and audit documentation, preparing quality trend analyses, performing quality system reviews and quality audits, and implementing necessary action plans to correct or improve quality deficiencies. Incumbents exercise independent judgment in the application of the principles of industrial engineering to the investigation of quality-related activities in departmental projects and operating systems. Supervision is received from a technical and administrative superior who reviews work through personal conferences and written reports for effective development and implementation of quality assurance plans and programs.

ILLUSTRATIVE TASKS

Participates in the development, implementation and maintenance of quality assurance plans and programs; develops goals, procedures, processes, quality requirements and guidelines.

Conducts quality system performance auditing and investigates quality-related areas of departmental projects and system operations including design, procurement, construction, installation, inspection, testing, administration, operations and maintenance.

Identifies weaknesses and implements necessary action plans to correct or improve quality deficiencies.

Develops statistical audit plans and analyses; assists in the establishment of data recording and analysis systems; develops defect prevention programs.

Participates in quality improvement reviews; studies processes to establish cause and effect relationships; prepares reports and explanatory material and maintains status reports; issues audit reports identifying non-compliance; assures that corrective action is implemented.

Conducts non-compliance technical reviews; identifies quality problems; controls further processing, delivery or installation of non-conformance aspects; issues rejection notices for deficiencies and coordinates stop work action until corrections are made.

Participates in contract specification development to ensure that quality requirements are implemented; verifies that contractor and vendor programs are in compliance with quality assurance program and that procured equipment and services are in accordance with purchase orders or contract specifications.

Maintains information on laws, regulations, standards and technical requirements which impact potential and existing projects.

Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGES, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS

Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of industrial engineering.

Thorough knowledge of the development and implementation of quality assurance programs.

Considerable knowledge of quality system performance auditing and investigation.

Considerable knowledge of statistical methods.

Considerable knowledge of statistical audit plans and analysis.

Considerable knowledge of quality assurance aspects and engineering requirements of contract specifications.

Considerable knowledge of quality assurance procedures, guidelines, processes and standards.

Ability to participate effectively in the development and implementation of quality assurance programs.

Ability to gather, analyze, interpret, summarize and present complex quality assurance-related data.

Ability to prepare complex flow diagrams, charts, tables and written reports.

Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing.

Ability to keep abreast of current developments in the field of quality assurance.

Ability to conduct quality system performance audits and investigations and make effective recommendations for compliance with quality assurance program guidelines.

NEW 10-94