Supplier Technical Engineer

Title: Supplier Technical Engineer
Location: San Diego, CA
Job Type: FTE/Permanent
Role Definition
Assesses supplier quality and drives process improvement to decrease product defects and ensure products are in compliance with manufacturing specifications and standards.
Responsibilities

• Ensure quality of received components by reviewing supplier-provided data against drawing requirements.
• Generate reports on supplier quality by monitoring defect rates and identifying areas that can lead to potential flaws. Guide suppliers to reduce defect rates.
• Research potential vendors and assess their manufacturing environment, practices, and procedures. Conduct supplier quality control audits to ensure compliance with organizational policies and quality certifications (ISO, NADCAP).
• Support suppliers in improving their performance through process enhancements, implementing process controls, and developing quality assurance plans.
• Responsible for reading blueprints and understanding GD&T.

Skill Descriptors:
Effective Communications - Working Knowledge

• Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient.
• Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it to improve communication.
• Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
• Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
• Considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.

Problem Solving - Extensive Experience

• Ensures capture of lessons learned from problem-solving efforts.
• Organizes problem solvers and leads resolution efforts.
• Uses varying approaches and techniques as appropriate.
• Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving.
• Analyzes and synthesizes information to develop alternative strategies.
• Develops successful resolutions to critical or broad-impact problems.

Process Improvement - Extensive Experience

• Streamlines critical workflows.
• Sets priorities for addressing process problems.
• Develops methods for improving and establishing process controls.
• Monitors external sources for applicable new methods.
• Analyzes improvement outcomes.
• Coaches others to improve processes.

Quality Orientation - Working Knowledge

• Confronts root causes of problems.
• Eliminates unnecessary work and non-value-added activities.
• Uses objective quality data to drive decisions.
• Documents learnings for improvement.
• Surfaces quality issues beyond the team's responsibility.

Product Quality Assurance - Extensive Experience

• Advises on alternative QA methodologies.
• Consults on matching QA tools to specific products.
• Interprets QA failures and analyzes underlying causes.
• Implements QA processes across products.
• Conducts and directs quality reviews and audits.
• Oversees QA documentation and validations.

Manufacturing Standards, Procedures and Policies - Extensive Experience

• Consults on development and implementation of standards.
• Participates in policy development.
• Develops control and monitoring mechanisms.
• Collaborates on joint standards.
• Defines architectural principles.
• Ensures effective communication of policies and standards.

Supplier Management - MFG - Extensive Experience

• Facilitates supplier partnerships.
• Monitors performance and resolves discrepancies.
• Develops quality standards for suppliers.
• Builds and maintains multiple supplier relationships.
• Evaluates issues and manages supplier terminations.
• Ensures reporting and record-keeping requirements are met.

Supplier Evaluations and Certification - Working Knowledge

• Documents and follows up on supplier references.
• Participates in supplier selection and certification.
• Assists with certification procedures.
• Researches supplier/product reputation.
• Assesses products/services using evaluation criteria.

Desired Qualifications

• 2-5 years of experience in any of the following: CNC Programming, Machining, Investment Casting or Quality Engineering.
• Experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with specifications from SAE, ASTM, MIL.