Job description:

• This role demands technical expertise and soft skills to provide 24/7 support, promptly resolve supplier quality issues, and ensure seamless transition of new products into mass production.
• The SQE will be responsible for cradle-to-grave mass production supplier management, ensuring best-in-class supplier quality, and safeguarding manufacturing operations by working closely with Manufacturing, Plant Quality, Material Planning, Logistics, NPI teams, and external suppliers.

Responsibilities:

The Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) has roles:

• As an Individual Contributor: Provide 24/7 Supplier Quality Support by continuously addressing and resolving supplier quality issues, ensuring the highest standards in EV production. Take cradle-to-grave responsibility for assigned mass production suppliers, including managing supplier scorecards and performance evaluations.
• As People Manager: Oversee commodity SQEs, leading and managing priorities and project assignments for all team members. Ensure comprehensive 24/7 supplier quality coverage for systems and subsystems within the plant.
• Problem Solving and Troubleshooting: Swiftly identify, analyze, and resolve supplier-related quality issues to protect plant operations. Implement root cause analysis and permanent countermeasures to prevent recurrence.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with Manufacturing, Plant Quality, Material Planning, Logistics, NPI teams, and suppliers to develop robust solutions that protect plant operations and drive product quality.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Maintain strong relationships with suppliers, ensuring open communication and collaboration to achieve mutual quality objectives.
• Support New Product Build Events: Collaborate with Advanced SIEs and Program teams during new product build events, ensuring a seamless transition into mass production while maintaining quality standards.
• Lessons Learned: Streamline lessons learned between programs in mass production.
• Supplier Audits: Perform supplier assessments, audits, and site inspections; develop process improvement plans and drive implementation; monitor and maintain performance metrics.
• Be visible and voice of your commodity supplier quality team by generating regular reports for senior management, highlighting SQEs/Supplier performance, OKRs-Goals-KPIs, risks, and strategies for improvement.
• Be able to work independently and make decisions in the best interest of client and its business.
• Have the ability to travel 25-75% on average on a short-term or long-term basis to client and supplier sites globally on short notice.

Requirements:

• 8+ years of plant floor SQE experience in Exterior Commodity components like glass, closures, plastics, stampings, metal trims, Class-A finishes, and assembly processes.
• 3+ years of managing Plant SQEs and Technicians, demonstrating strong leadership and team-building skills.
• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a technical field (Engineering); a Master's degree is preferred.
• Hands-on expertise in utilizing quality assurance practices and methodologies such as 8D, 5 Whys, and Fishbone diagrams for prompt and effective resolution of quality issues.
• Clear and effective communication abilities, ensuring quality issues and solutions are well-articulated to both internal teams and external suppliers.
• Ability to read and interpret schematics and drawings and in-depth knowledge of quality standards and specifications in the area of placement.
• Excellent analytical abilities, technical writing ability, and comprehensive understanding of quality toolbox (IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP, SPC, MSA, FMEA, DOE, DFM/A, GD&T, etc.)
• Certification preferred - American Society for Quality, Six Sigma Black Belt, etc.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills, hands-on and data-driven, creative mindset in problem-solving.
• Positive attitude, willingness to learn, be part of the solution, and be able to adapt to the dynamic working environment.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Working knowledge of Smartsheet's, JMP, Minitab, JIRA and Tableau is a plus.