Supplier Quality Engineer

Overview

Serve as the primary liaison between suppliers, operations, engineering, program teams and customers to resolve supplier quality issues, drive supplier performance improvements and ensure high-quality products and a reliable supply chain.

What you'll do

• Lead daily supplier quality management activities and proactively identify and escalate risks when needed.
• Build strong supplier partnerships through regular engagement and performance reviews.
• Visit supplier locations and work directly with supplier teams to develop and strengthen quality systems (up to 30% travel).
• Participate in supplier assessments, audits and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coach, mentor and provide quality-related training to suppliers to support long-term success.
• Lead Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) activities for supplier quality issues.
• Issue and manage supplier corrective actions, ensuring issues are addressed thoroughly and effectively.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of corrective actions.
• Assess supplier performance and recommend actions that strengthen supplier relationships and quality outcomes.
• Communicate the urgency and business impact of quality concerns to suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Verify and validate corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Build strong relationships with customers, engineering, sourcing, program management, operations and quality teams to understand requirements, mitigate risks and ensure uninterrupted product quality.
• Support Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) activities for new product introductions and engineering changes.
• Partner with suppliers on process capability studies, FMEA reviews, and control plan development and validation.
• Lead supplier quality improvement initiatives that support a zero-defect mindset.
• Partner with suppliers and cross-functional teams to drive sustainable quality improvements.
• Champion supplier development efforts, including Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma projects.
• Identify opportunities to improve quality, reduce costs and increase efficiency throughout the supply chain.
• Maintain supplier quality documentation, audit reports and supplier performance records.
• Support compliance with applicable environmental, health, safety and quality standards.

What you'll need

• Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or a closely related field.
• Solid understanding of APQP, PPAP, SPC, Process Capability Studies, FMEA, Control Plans and GD&T.
• Proficient in root cause analysis investigation, such as RCCA, 8D and 3L5Y.
• 4+ years in Supplier Quality related functions.

Nice to have

• Quality Certifications (CQE, CMQ, CQA) and ISO 9001:2015 Internal Auditor trained.

Details

• Location: Blaine, MN, US.
• Onsite role.
• Travel: up to 30% to supplier locations.
• Compensation range: $76,000.00 - $141,100.00.