Job Title:  Quality Engineer

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country
# 160376 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

Who We Are
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, we sell our products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom’s of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

We are recognized for our leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including our achievements in decreasing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, saving water, conserving natural resources and improving children’s oral health.

If you want to work for a company that lives by their values, then give your career a reason to smile and join our global team!
 

Hill's Pet Nutrition is seeking a dedicated and experienced Plant Quality Engineer for our Topeka location. This role is critical in improving process capability through the evaluation of statistical data analysis and implementing corrective actions to achieve plant KPI indicators. The Quality Engineer will also be responsible for issuing, maintaining, controlling, and auditing documentation required for Technical Transfer, Validation, Nonconformance Investigations, and cGMP compliance. The Quality Engineer supports the ESM program and Quality Training initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Tech Transfer / Plant Testing:

• Manage Technical Transfer Quality Standard.

• Perform Process Capability Statistical Analysis for new and modified products and communicate findings to R&D for process improvement.

Process Validation & Control:

• Oversee the validation program, conduct risk analysis, maintain, and update the validation master plan.

• Develop validation protocols for PQ/PPQ and support IQ/OQ in conjunction with the engineering team.

Continuous Improvement:

• Utilize quality tools such as Management of Change, Nonconformance Investigation, Pareto Charts, Control Charts, and Notice of Deviations to drive continuous improvement.

• Understand site process capability for new and existing products and support continuous improvement activities by participating in the Internal Audit Program.

Food Safety Compliance:

• Implement and ensure compliance with all plant, company, and government standards for Food Safety, Environmental Monitoring, HACCP, C&S, GMP’s, and FSMA initiatives.

• Support process hazard analysis program.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure adherence to Hill’s/Colgate Quality Standards and Hill’s Plant Food Safety Program, managing Technical Transfer Quality Standard, EMO’s, and conducting post-launch/product reviews.

• Manage the process validation program, create and execute PQ protocols, analyze, and report process capability to ensure cGMP compliance, and support IQ/OQ.

• Investigate, report, and document Product Non-conformances and conduct CAPA investigations.

• Support documentation development and review of operational SOP’s.

• Investigate and report customer complaint trends, ensuring formula-related complaints are fully investigated and documented.

• Participate in and support internal and external audits.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS degree in Chemistry, Engineering, Biology, Food Science, or related field.

• 2+ years of manufacturing experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of HACCP, Food Safety, FSMA.

• Familiarity with Colgate Quality standards and systems.

• 2 years of experience in a quality-related field.

• Knowledge of 6 Sigma/Lean Manufacturing.

• Proficiency with SAP and Minitab.

• Prior experience in auditing programs.

Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $70,400 - $111,000 USD

Pay is based on multiple non-discriminatory, individualized factors including but not limited to experience, job-related knowledge and education, skills and office/market location. In addition to base salary, salaried employees are eligible for annual discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing and, for Executive-level (salary grade 16 and above) roles only, long-term incentives in the form of Restricted Stock Units and/or Stock Options.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable benefits plans then in effect, all salaried employees are also eligible for a competitive benefits package which includes:

• Insurance: Employees (and their eligible dependents) are eligible to participate in Company-sponsored Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Disability insurance plans.
• Retirement Plans: Employees are eligible to enroll in Colgate's 401(k) plan, which provides for company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements
• Vacation/PTO: Employees receive a minimum of 15 days of vacation/PTO leave annually
• Paid Holidays: Employees receive a minimum of 13 paid/floating holidays annually
• Paid Sick Leave: Based on location and consistent with applicable state and local law, employees receive a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick leave on January 1st of each year
• Paid Parental Leave: Eligible employees may take up to eight weeks of paid parental leave and 12 weeks of unpaid leave (varies for employees with fewer than 12 months of service and is subject to hours worked requirements)

Our Commitment to Sustainability
With the Colgate brand in more homes than any other, we are presented with great opportunities and new challenges as we work to integrate sustainability into all aspects of our business and create positive social impact. We are determined to position ourselves for further growth as we act on our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our purpose starts with our people — ensuring our workforce represents the people and communities we serve —and creating an environment where our people feel they belong; where we can be our authentic selves, feel treated with respect and have the support of leadership to impact the business in a meaningful way.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please contact Application_Accommodation@colpal.com with the subject "Accommodation Request" should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here.

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