Supplier Quality Engineer | Lean & Continuous Improvement

Thorlabs; Ely, Witchford; Remote; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributed Pension Scheme

Group Life Cover

Private Health Care

Onsite Parking

Job summary

Thorlabs seeks a Supplier Quality Engineer to lead supplier audits and drive continuous improvement across the supply chain. The role partners with Quality, Purchasing and Engineering to prevent defects and ensure on-time delivery.

You will engage with suppliers on-site, develop corrective actions, and use Lean/Six-Sigma and PFMEA tools to enhance performance. Based at our Ely/Witchford facility, 3+ years in supplier quality is required.

Qualifications

• Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering or Quality Engineering or equivalent.
• 3+ years in an equivalent Supplier Quality Engineering role.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier audits and present results highlighting risks to the business.
• Visit and support suppliers on-site; raise and validate Supplier Corrective Action Reports.
• Experience with CNC machined parts to tight tolerances and metal finishing (anodising) preferred.
• Drive supply chain improvements via collaborative supplier engagement to reduce waste and prevent defects.
• Utilise Lean, Six-Sigma, Poka-Yoke, MSA, PFMEA to enhance supplier performance.
• Monitor and critique supplier quality data with cross-functional teams to identify improvements.
• Collaborate with Engineering (R&D, NPI, Quality, Manufacturing) on quality programs.
• Create concise supplier action plans with KPIs to track cost/quality/on-time delivery impacts.
• Develop a supplier audit programme with periodic verification.

Skills

Supplier quality engineering

Lean principles

Cross-functional collaboration

Root cause analysis

Problem solving

Education

Manufacturing/Process/Quality Engineering degree

Tools

PFMEA

APQP

PPAP

Job description

Our Ely, United Kingdom location is the second largest Thorlabs entity in Europe, employing 12% of our employees. The team manufactures laser curtains, optical tables, vibration isolation equipment, and motion control products.

Thorlabs Vytran ® Europe in Exeter, UK provides sales, service, and technical support to the European market for our Vytran ® fusion splicer and fiber processing systems.

Benefits at this location include private healthcare insurance, including dental, therapy, optical, and counseling needs, income protection during illness, group life insurance, annual leave entitlement of 25 days, pension plan and advisement, and transportation assistance.