Supplier Quality Engineer

The Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) is responsible for evaluating, qualifying, monitoring, and improving third-party suppliers and fabricators to ensure purchased materials, components, and fabricated products conform to engineering drawings, purchase requirements, customer specifications, and company quality standards. The SQE conducts supplier assessments, on-site product and process inspections, manufacturing and fixture validations, and supplier audits. This position provides documented supplier quality assessments to Supply Chain and Quality Management, leads or verifies supplier root cause investigations, and follows corrective and preventive actions through effectiveness verification. The SQE works collaboratively with suppliers, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality while maintaining independent, evidence-based quality assessments. Roles & Responsibilities Perform pre-award supplier capability assessments and on-site or remote qualification audits, including evaluation of manufacturing capacity, equipment, personnel competency, inspection capability, quality systems, and relevant certifications. Assess suppliers against defined technical, quality, delivery, traceability, and documentation requirements; document findings, risks, required actions, and recommendations for approval, conditional approval, probation, or disqualification. Provide written supplier assessment results and risk ratings to Supply Chain and Quality Management to support sourcing and approved-supplier decisions; maintain objective separation between technical qualification and commercial purchasing decisions. Monitor supplier performance using defects, NCRs, on-time corrective actions, audit results, and receiving-inspection trends; recommend reassessment frequency and receiving inspection levels based on demonstrated performance. Conduct source, first-article, in-process, pre-shipment, and final inspections at supplier facilities as required by risk, purchase order, inspection plan, or customer requirements. Verify product dimensions, materials, welds, surface condition, coatings, assembly, identification, and required inspection/test records against approved drawings and specifications within the scope of applicable training and qualifications. Inspect and validate manufacturing fixtures, jigs, gauges, and checking methods for suitability, repeatability, alignment to drawing datums, and documented verification or calibration status. Witness or review supplier testing and inspection activities, verify traceability and records, and document acceptance status, deviations, and outstanding items prior to shipment. Identify and escalate nonconforming work; recommend containment or shipment held in accordance with company procedures. Do not authorize engineering deviations, use-as-is dispositions, or concessions without designated approval. Plan and execute risk-based audits of supplier manufacturing processes, inspection controls, document and revision control, material identification, equipment calibration, operator qualifications, and subcontracted operations. Compare actual shop practices with documented procedures, work instructions, inspection and test plans, and contractual requirements; record objective evidence and classify findings. Confirm suppliers maintain effective in-process controls, inspection records, nonconforming material segregation, and change-control processes; track audit findings to closure. Issue or support supplier nonconformance reports and ensure timely containment, affected-lot identification, segregation, and communication of potential escapes. Lead cross-functional root cause investigations when assigned, or review and challenge supplier-led RCA to verify evidence, causal logic, and identification of systemic causes rather than symptoms. Review proposed corrective and preventive action plans for responsibility, due dates, risk, verification method, and recurrence prevention; coordinate follow-up with suppliers and interna…

View the full posting and apply