QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN

QUALITY CONTROL TECHNICIAN SUMMARY

The Quality Control Technician reports directly to the Director of Technical Services and the Quality Control Manager and assists with all facets of quality control activities and documentation.

AVAILABILITY

The Quality Control Technician is expected to work Monday through Friday and Saturdays as required.  A standard workday is 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Saturday work is scheduled as needed.  On rare occasions, Sunday and holiday work may be required.  The Quality Control Technician must be flexible to adjusting daily start and/or finishing times to meet the needs of our customers.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

The Quality Control Technician is expected to perform all essential responsibilities and duties in a manner that ensures a safe and healthful working environment for him/herself as well as those he/she will work around on a daily basis in accordance with all company policies and procedures, including those outlined in the company Safety & Health Manual and the Progressive Discipline and Counseling policy.

The Quality Control Technician is expected to be familiar with and comply with the Quality Control Manual.

Additionally, the Quality Control Technician is responsible for the following:

• Quality control of concrete aggregates at all plant locations.
• Periodic testing and visual inspection of freshly mixed plastic concrete either at one of our plant locations or at a customer jobsite. Make an evaluation and a decision concerning the conformance of the ready-mix concrete with the applicable standard or specification as well as our Quality Control Manual. If there is an unacceptable variance that cannot be corrected, reject the use of the load of concrete for this and perhaps other jobs.
• Visit customer jobsites to verify product quality, answer questions, and resolve or review any problems.
• Management of the company labs, including overseeing the proper curing, storage, and testing of the concrete test specimens.
• Manage the data base by correctly entering test results associated with the tests conducted.
• Learn and operate concrete batch plant to accurately proportion and batch concrete as required.
• Learn and become familiar with how to take and enter orders for ready mix concrete utilizing the company’s computerized order entry and dispatching system following the procedures in the dispatch system guide and training manual.
• Earn and maintain required professional certifications for performing tests and overseeing company labs.  These include but are not limited to
• Assist in maintaining the Tupelo main lab and possible the Oxford lab equipment to be listed as a MDOT approved lab.
• Learn to safely operate a rubber-tired front-end loader in order to fill in for that critical function during an emergency loader operator unavailability.
• Assist the Senior Quality Control Concrete Technician (SQCT) as required in performing his assigned responsibilities.

Additional job duties of the Quality Control Technician include but are not limited to:

• Run two fine aggregates gradations per source each week on material received at the Tupelo and Oxford plants. More tests should be run if there is reason for concern.
• Run fine aggregate gradation once a month on material received at all plants other than cited above.
• Run coarse aggregate gradations once a quarter on material received at all plants.
• Verify that all test cylinders received into the Tupelo and Oxford lab are cured and stored properly for first 28 days.
• Perform compressive strength tests on one 7-day and one 28-day cylinder and record results. Make sure all pertinent data is shown on test report. Label and hold for inspection by the company engineer any broken cylinder pieces that breaks low at 28 days or is not at least within 1000 psi or 30% of the design strength (whichever is larger) in 7 days.
• Enter compressive test results into computer data base.
• Forward compressive test results to company engineer for review prior to filing. NOTE: all unusual results need to be reported ASAP.
• Be responsible for initiating and supervising the longtime storage of the backup test cylinders. Policy has been to keep cylinders until they are at least two years old. Stacking should be done in same area until that space is expended.
• Be responsible for cleanliness of the lab, maintenance of the testing equipment, and proper storage of the testing equipment. Clean and paint concrete storage vats as needed.
• Assist any division with associated fresh concrete tests on days when assigned personnel will be unable to perform tests. Priority will be given to a division based on size and/or critical nature of the active jobs. Communication between the quality control technician and the affected division concerning these spot assignments would normally be the day before to aid in scheduling. NOTE: the ultimate responsibility for taking of concrete test cylinders at all plant’s rests with the plant manager and dispatcher.
• Take air readings on all test samples containing air entraining admixture and take slump and temperature on all test samples. NOTE: these both apply to tests he is personally associated with and has adequate time. Initiate corrective measures to bring the air content within specifications. Report extremely high or low readings of air content immediately to company engineer.
• Run unit weight and yield test once a quarter at each plant on a typical mix. Record the results on a history data base and report all unusual results ASAP. NOTE: sand and gravel samples may need to be taken from the materials going into the truck in order that moisture can be checked if required. Run specific gravities and absorption on aggregates at least every 6 months (quarterly would be better if time permits). Enter this information in the aggregate data base and submit a copy to the company engineer (this can be by hard copy or e-mail).
• Run unit weight and yield early in the start of a new job on given mixes whose plan quantities exceeds 2000 CY’s.
• Run unit weight and yield on any large single slab-on-grade pour(s) exceeding 250 CY’s or there are any job site concerns related to sub-grade or base elevations regardless of pour size.
• Run unit weight and yield on a given mix for a job based on a request by the plant manager who is responding to a yield complaint by a contractor or trying to head off a potential problem.

• A copy of all yield tests should be submitted to the company engineer (this can be done by hard copy or e-mail).
• Follow-up with plant managers to make sure all loss load reports are submitted.
• Assist with the visual inspection of all trucks on very critical jobs. NOTE: priorities will need to be established based on a given day’s schedule by the SQCT.
• Be mindful of and alert to all matters whether on this listing or not that affect quality control at plant locations including affiliate companies.
• Assist in maintaining all data required for MDOT QC/QA jobs and submitting all required reports in a timely manner.
• Perform all required laboratory trial mixes and prepare all associated mix reports.
• Attend workshops, schools, classes, and seminars recommended by senior management which would increase knowledge and enhance the employee capability to perform the job responsibilities.
• Participate in, and at time, lead weekly safety talks.
• Complete required annual safety training.
• Maintain the Quality Control lab in a clean and orderly manner.
• Coordinate with the company engineer or associate company engineer in supplying all necessary information in establishing maturity relationship curves when specified on a project.
• Perform other reasonable tasks as assigned by company engineer, associate company engineer, or other officer of the company.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands of the Quality Control Technician position are essential to the performance of this job.  Any change in these demands would fundamentally change the job.  The physical demands require that the Quality Control Technician be able to do the following:

• Must be able to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods of time often on wet, slick, and/or uneven terrain or surfaces.
• Must be capable of lifting, carrying, and/or toting up to 50 Lbs.
• Must be able to bend/stoop, squat/crouch, push/pull, climb, kneel, and twist.
• Must be able work both inside and outside, in the heat and cold, and around moving equipment.
• Must be able to climb into and out and/or on and off of a ready-mix concrete truck or a rubber-tire front end loader several times a day.
• Must be able to manipulate ready-mix concrete truck controls and rubber-tire front-end loader controls safely and accurately by pushing, pulling, squeezing, and turning levers, knobs, buttons, and wheels.

RESTRICTIONS

The following restrictions apply to the Quality Control Technician position:

• Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
• Must be able to use various tools and equipment in a safe manner to perform job functions.  These include but are not limited to broom, mop, pick, shovel, and rubber hammer.
• Must be able to read, understand and interpret various pressure gages and thermometers
• Must maintain a suitable motor vehicle driving record with the Department of Transportation.
• Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen.
• Must be able to pass a pre-employment physical exam.
• Must possess basic math skills.
• Must possess basic computer skills including the use of email, word processing, and spreadsheets.
• Must be able to read, write, and understand English.