Who We're Looking For
Are you the kind of person who can walk a production floor, spot a problem before it becomes a crisis, and hold a team accountable — all without losing your cool?
We're looking for a Quality Assurance Manager who doesn't just understand quality standards — they live them. You're a natural leader who can build a culture of accountability, enforce procedures without apology, and protect the integrity of every product that leaves our facility. You've managed teams before, you know how to develop people, and you're not afraid to be the person who says "that's not how we do it here."
This isn't a back-office quality role. You'll be on the floor every day, working closely with production, leading a team of 8-10 QA Specialists, and reporting directly to our Quality Director. If you're someone who takes pride in doing things the right way — and can get an entire team to feel the same way — we want to meet you.
Your Main Responsibilities
• Lead & Develop Your Team: Manage, coach, and hold accountable a team of 8-10 Quality Assurance Specialists. You'll set the standard for what great QA looks like at Merit and make sure your team delivers it every single day.
• Own the Production Floor: Oversee all quality checks during the filling operation — product weights, seals, cap tightness, label alignment, lot codes, shipper labeling, and palletization. Nothing gets out the door that doesn't meet spec.
• Enforce the Rules: Uphold our cGMP standards without exception. You'll ensure PPE compliance, proper documentation, and adherence to all SOPs across your team and on the floor.
• Manage Documentation: Oversee Production Fill Records (PFRs), PFR reconciliations, and all QA documentation. You keep things airtight, audit-ready, and organized.
• Component & Label Control: Manage the validation and release of componentry, verify and receive labels into our MRP system, and ensure labels are stored securely and tracked to production.
• Handle Customer Complaints: Own the complaint response process from intake to resolution. You'll document, investigate, and close the loop with internal stakeholders.
• Retain Management: Ensure that product retains are properly pulled, labeled, and inventoried in accordance with established procedures.
• Shipment Verification: Manage proper pallet labeling for finished goods shipments and assist with verifying manifests before product leaves the building.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: Identify gaps in our quality gateways and build better ones. If there's a smarter way to catch a problem, we want you to find it.
Are You Qualified?
• 2+ years of experience in a Quality Assurance or Quality Management role in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record of leading and managing a team — you know how to build accountability and develop people.
• Strong working knowledge of cGMP standards and quality documentation practices.
• Experience with production documentation systems, including fill records, component validation, and complaint management.
• Highly organized, detail-obsessed, and comfortable enforcing standards even when it's not the easy call.
• Excellent communicator — you can relay expectations clearly to your team and escalate intelligently to leadership.
• Personal care, cosmetics, or consumer goods manufacturing experience is a plus, but not required.
• Familiarity with ISO 22716 is a bonus — we'll get you there.
A Little About Us
Merit Manufacturing is a contract manufacturer in the personal care space — and we're not your average factory.
We make products like Shampoo, Body Wash, Beard Oil, Lotions, and Laundry Detergent for nationwide brands you've definitely heard of and probably used. From formulation and blending to filling, labeling, and shipping — we do it all, and we do it faster than anyone else in our industry.
We started in 2017, made the Inc. 5000 list by 2021 (#139), and we haven't slowed down since. We just moved into a brand-new 150,000+ sq. ft. facility in Warren, MI that we built to be the most impressive manufacturing floor our industry has ever seen. Come visit — we dare you not to be impressed.
The secret to our growth isn't a mystery: we treat our customers like partners and our employees like the most important asset we have. We don't make excuses. We solve problems. We take pride in what comes off our lines. And we're looking for people who want to be part of something that's still being built — and are excited by that, not intimidated by it.
Why You Want This Job
• You'll own something that matters — quality is the backbone of everything we do.
• We reward our employees in creative and meaningful ways.
• You'll lead a real team, with real responsibility, and real room to grow.
• Every day is an opportunity to make something better.
Why You Don't Want This Job
• This isn't a punch-in, punch-out role. We expect you to care about what you're doing and take ownership of your department.
• Standards exist for a reason — if you struggle to enforce rules or hold people accountable, this isn't the right fit.
• Sometimes production demands push us hard. When that happens, we need team players willing to put in the extra effort to get it done right.
• We expect employees to keep learning and growing. If you're here for a year, your role and responsibilities should look different based on what you've proven yourself capable of.
The Basics
Location: Warren, MI
Pay Rate: Negotiated Based on Experience
Benefits:
• Healthcare
• Dental
• Flexible Time Off Policy
• Performance Bonus Opportunities
• Year End Bonus Opportunity
• Company Events
Merit Manufacturing is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard for race, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.