The Supplier Quality Engineer is responsible for implementing and maintaining supplier quality assurance processes for assigned commodities, projects, programs, and production activities. The role works closely with Purchasing, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Suppliers to ensure purchased products and services meet all technical, regulatory, and quality requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
Supplier Quality Management (60%)
- Analyze supplier quality performance and develop supplier improvement plans.
- Participate in technical validation of components and ensure compliance with specifications and customer requirements.
- Review product definitions, drawings, and technical documentation to ensure requirements are clearly communicated and understood by suppliers.
- Evaluate supplier quality capabilities during sourcing and supplier selection activities.
- Conduct supplier process and product audits.
- Manage and track First Article Inspection submissions when applicable.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities for supplier nonconformances.
- Support suppliers in implementing quality tools and structured problem-solving methodologies.
- Coordinate containment and corrective actions for quality issues identified during receiving inspection, production, or by customers.
- Review and manage supplier deviation.
- Maintain supplier quality documentation and inspection requirements.
- Lead cross-functional reviews regarding supplier quality issues.
- Develop and implement supplier quality improvement programs for critical suppliers.
Quality Strategy and Supplier Management (20%)
- Ensure compliance with Supplier Quality standards, contracts, procedures, and corporate guidelines.
- Support the maintenance of supplier and commodity data.
- Participate in supplier quality agreement negotiations.
- Represent company quality requirements to suppliers.
- Drive continuous improvement of Supplier Quality processes and procedures.
Performance Management (20%)
- Monitor supplier quality KPIs and performance metrics.
- Identify gaps between performance objectives and actual results.
- Develop and manage corrective and continuous improvement action plans.
- Participate in supplier evaluations and performance reviews.
- Prepare and present monthly supplier quality reports.
Authority
- Stop production and/or supplier shipments when quality requirements are not met.
- Escalate recurring supplier quality issues that cannot be resolved at the operational level.
- Recommend supplier development, qualification, or disqualification actions.