Senior/Staff Supplier Quality & Development Engineer

Quick Facts

• Hybrid role combining supplier development strategy with supplier quality engineering oversight.
• Builds and sustains a high-performing supplier base while ensuring stringent quality standards.
• Specialization: Additive Manufacturing & Components.

Description

The Senior Supplier Quality & Development Engineer serves as a liaison between production, procurement, suppliers, and customers to ensure purchased products meet specifications, quality, and regulatory requirements. The role develops and improves supplier quality manuals, procedures, production processes, engineering specifications, and inspection plans, and interprets customer requirements to ensure accurate flow down through purchase orders. It conducts supplier quality audits and source inspections, leads root-cause corrective action initiatives to improve metrics such as On-Time Delivery (OTD), scrap, rework, and repair costs, and oversees containment and robust root cause corrective action (RCCA) processes.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison between production and procurement, suppliers, and customers to ensure purchased products meet specifications, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve supplier quality manuals, procedures, production processes, engineering specifications, and inspection plans.
• Interpret and communicate customer requirements to suppliers to ensure accurate flow down through purchase orders.
• Conduct supplier quality audits and source inspections to verify adherence to standards and contractual requirements.
• Lead initiatives to identify root causes of supplier issues and implement effective corrective actions to improve OTD, scrap, rework, and repair costs.
• Oversee containment efforts for defects in procured parts and ensure robust RCCA to prevent recurrence.
• Analyze and resolve issues related to supplier components, assemblies, and materials with cross-functional engineering teams.
• Participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities for supplier-originating nonconformances.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities and performance using data analysis, site assessments, and tooling validation.
• Track and analyze supplier key performance metrics such as OEE, cost, and capability to identify trends and drive improvements in quality, productivity, and cost efficiency.
• Develop and lead training programs for quality control (QC) and buyers to build expertise in advanced problem solving, Lean concepts, and best practices.
• Travel up to 50% to support supplier development, audits, and issue resolution.

Role Specialization – Additive Manufacturing & Components

• Lead supplier quality and development activities for equipment and printer component suppliers, including contract manufacturers, electrical systems, robotic systems, automated assembly equipment, tooling, thermal processing, HVAC systems, and advanced manufacturing assets.
• Support equipment sourcing and qualification through supplier capability assessments, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), and commissioning.
• Ensure equipment suppliers meet technical, quality, safety, and regulatory requirements throughout the equipment lifecycle (design/build through installation and production ramp).
• Drive corrective actions and continuous improvement with equipment suppliers for reliability, uptime, maintainability, safety, and performance.
• Partner with manufacturing, facilities, automation, and maintenance teams to resolve supplier-related equipment issues and optimize long-term equipment performance.

Requirements

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology subject to US export controls.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or related field.
• Minimum 7–8 years progressive experience in supplier quality engineering or closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in APQP, PPAP, and FMEA.
• Strong technical knowledge of automotive component design, manufacturing processes, safety and test requirements, and appearance approval procedures.
• Proficient in GD&T and datum structures.
• Comprehensive understanding of IATF 16949:2016, ISO 14001, and relevant regulatory standards.
• Proficiency in quality tools and methodologies such as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing.
• Exceptional problem solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Proven ability to conduct supplier quality management system audits and drive supplier improvement.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, Plex), supplier portals, and compliance tracking tools.
• Demonstrated ethical conduct and integrity in all supplier interactions.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing supplier quality for capital equipment in advanced manufacturing settings (automated production lines, robotics, CNC machining, facility systems).
• Familiarity with equipment qualification (FAT, SAT, commissioning, long-term supplier performance monitoring).
• In-depth knowledge of aerospace quality standards (AS9100, NADCAP) and industry-specific certification/regulatory requirements.
• Master's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Deep understanding of DFM principles and ability to deliver actionable feedback to design engineering teams.
• Ability to develop and use cost models for multiple commodities to achieve target costs and inform sourcing decisions.

Benefits

• Holistic compensation package including competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities.
• Wellness and time off: paid vacation, sick time, company holidays, year-end shutdown, and paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits (HMO and Premium PPO options) plus company-sponsored life insurance and short/long-term disability coverage.
• Investment in growth through reimbursement for learning and development.
• Collaborative, high-performing, mission-driven environment.