Executive search
Quality, Validation & EHS
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: This family looks like one area and is actually four. Quality covers the systems and checks that keep product or service conforming.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
You have a business to run.
Hiring a senior person yourself takes time you do not have. Here is what we hear from owners and hiring managers every week.
Not sure if you need interim or fractional? Use the decision helper
- The seat is open and the work is piling up on you.
- A job posting brings in hundreds of resumes and none of them have done the job.
- You do not have weeks to screen, chase and schedule.
- You need to know the person can do it before they start, not after.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
Quality, Validation & EHS titles we fill
Titles with a page link through to it. The rest are titles we also fill; choose one and we pass it to the form with your request.
- Contract Quality EngineerSpecialist search for Contract Quality Engineer. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- Contract Supplier Quality EngineerHire a contract Supplier Quality Engineer to manage nonconformances, conduct supplier audits and ensure regulatory compliance without system overhaul.
- Supplier Quality EngineerHire a contract Supplier Quality Engineer to manage nonconformances, conduct supplier audits and ensure regulatory compliance without system overhaul.
- Contract Validation EngineerHire a contract validation engineer for project-based compliance. We identify specialists who manage qualification protocols, risk assessments and regulatory documentation.
- Contract CAPA & QMS SpecialistFix your quality management system and resolve root cause issues with a specialized contract CAPA and QMS professional.
- Contract Regulatory Affairs SpecialistHire a specialist to manage technical files, regulatory submissions, and compliance audits. We connect you with verified professionals ready for immediate project support.
- Contract EHS SpecialistSpecialist search for Contract EHS Specialist. Discuss the scope, relevant experience and several vetted options. No fee unless you engage someone we present.
- QA EngineerHire a skilled QA Engineer to manage CAPA processes, audits, and supplier quality while ensuring full compliance with your industry standards.
- CAPA EngineerCAPA engineers manage root cause analysis and corrective actions within regulated manufacturing environments. Ensure your quality system remains audit-ready.
- Validation Engineer (CQV)Validation Engineers define technical compliance for manufacturing systems. We identify specialists who execute protocols within your specific regulatory framework.
- QMS SpecialistHire a QMS Specialist to manage your quality management system, corrective actions, and audit documentation according to your specific industry standards.
- EHS ManagerFind an experienced EHS Manager to lead safety programs and environmental reporting. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
- Safety CoordinatorHire a contract Safety Coordinator to maintain audit-ready records, manage OSHA programs, and improve hazard reporting without disrupting production flow.
- safety coordinatorHire a contract Safety Coordinator to maintain audit-ready records, manage OSHA programs, and improve hazard reporting without disrupting production flow.
- Safety SpecialistHire a contract Safety Specialist to manage OSHA programs, incident investigations, and environmental reporting with immediate, site-specific expertise.
- Environmental Compliance SpecialistHire a specialist to manage your environmental permits, hazardous waste reporting and emissions tracking while maintaining facility compliance.
- environmental compliance specialistHire a specialist to manage your environmental permits, hazardous waste reporting and emissions tracking while maintaining facility compliance.
- quality assurance specialistHire a specialist to execute your quality management system, manage CAPA workflows, and document audit compliance within your specific regulatory framework.
- document control specialistFind document control specialists who maintain accurate quality records and manage change workflows according to your specific industry standards.
- quality auditorHire a contract quality auditor to execute internal and external audits, manage nonconformance reports, and maintain regulatory documentation.
- CSV specialistHire a CSV specialist to ensure computerized systems meet ISO 13485 or FDA QSR requirements. We audit validation experience and documentation rigor.
Hiring guides
Not sure which title fits? Describe the seat in the form and we will match it.
Related roles
Executive roles above this family
Quality, validation, regulatory and EHS are separate
This family looks like one area and is actually four. Quality covers the systems and checks that keep product or service conforming. Validation proves that a process, equipment or computer system does what it should, with evidence. Regulatory affairs manages submissions and communication with authorities. Environment, health and safety protects people and the environment and keeps the site within the rules.
A request that says we need a quality person may mean any of them. Describe the trigger. An audit finding points to quality systems. A new line or software points to validation. A product change or market entry points to regulatory work. An incident or inspection points to EHS.
Say which standards or rules apply to you. The relevant frameworks vary by industry, and experience in one does not transfer neatly to another.
Engineer, specialist or manager
A quality engineer works on specific products and processes: inspections, control plans, nonconformances and root cause. A supplier quality engineer works at the edge of the supply base, qualifying and monitoring suppliers. A CAPA and quality system specialist keeps the corrective action, document and training processes working. A validation engineer plans, executes and documents validation activities.
Managers are different. If quality has no leader, a specialist will be unable to set direction or deal with senior people. Say whether you need someone to run the function or someone to do specific tasks within it. Be honest about whether anyone will review their work.
EHS specialists often work alone in a site. That requires judgement about when to stop work and the confidence to say no to a supervisor. Ask yourself whether the environment will support that.
Technical differences that matter
Validation is the clearest example. Equipment qualification, process validation and computer system validation each use different methods and documents. A person experienced in one may have little practice in another. Industry matters as well because expectations differ between regulated and non-regulated settings.
Quality systems vary by standard. Someone familiar with one management system will often learn another, but specific audit experience is useful when an assessment is near. Document control and training records are routine but exacting, and sloppy work shows up at the worst time.
EHS splits into safety, industrial hygiene and environmental compliance. Permits, waste handling, emissions and reporting need environmental knowledge. Machine safeguarding, lockout, incident investigation and training need safety knowledge. Say which dominates your needs.
Who we look at and how we screen
We consider experienced contract engineers and specialists, people with backgrounds in several industries, and former managers who prefer project work. For regulatory roles we look for people who have prepared and defended submissions. For EHS we consider practitioners from industrial settings with real site experience.
Screening depends on documents and decisions. We ask for an example of a root cause investigation and what changed afterwards. For validation we ask what they wrote, what they executed and how they handled a deviation. For EHS we ask about an incident, an inspection and how they dealt with resistance.
We look for people who write clearly, since the output is evidence. You see several profiles and choose.
Dependencies across the business
Quality depends on production for cooperation, on suppliers for materials that conform and on engineering for design. Validation depends on operations for access to equipment and time, and on information technology for systems. Regulatory work depends on quality records and technical data. EHS depends on supervisors who act on what they are told.
These links explain why many quality engagements stall. If production will not release time for validation, a validation engineer waits. If supervisors ignore safety instructions, the specialist is ineffective regardless of skill.
Describe who will support the person and who may resist. Candidates will plan around these, and it lets us tell you if the scope is realistic.
Briefing mistakes
A common mistake is a vague title such as quality professional with no mention of the standard, the product or the trigger. Another is asking for someone to get us ready for an audit without saying what the audit covers. Another is expecting a specialist to change culture without authority.
Briefs also forget to mention documentation state. If records are incomplete, say so. A person who enjoys rebuilding will welcome it, and a person who expected maintenance will not.
Finally, state what happens afterwards. Does a permanent person take over, or does the engagement end with a finished set of documents? Clarity here avoids disappointment on both sides.
Questions
How do I define my specific Quality or EHS needs?
Describe the specific trigger such as an upcoming audit or new equipment installation. We identify the relevant technical experience needed for that environment.
Are candidates verified before I interview them?
We review their specific documents and decision-making history during a screening process. You only interview vetted options that align with your requirements.
Can I request specialists with specific audit backgrounds?
Yes, please specify the regulatory standards or audit types involved. We then look for people who have previously prepared and defended submissions.
How do you handle confidentiality during a search?
Use the confidential checkbox on your request to limit what is disclosed. We agree on what information is shared before contacting any candidates.
Does my site need to provide specific support?
Success depends on your internal team providing access to records, equipment, or staff time. We discuss these dependencies to ensure the candidate can succeed.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.