Component Engineer

City of Shakopee, MN; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Emerson is seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer to strengthen supplier performance and resolve production challenges. You’ll partner with manufacturing, R&D, and sourcing to drive quality improvements across a global supplier base.

You will lead continuous improvement projects, mentor junior engineers, and serve as a technical resource across teams while addressing internal customer requirements and ensuring alignment with commodity strategies.

Qualifications

• Technical degree or 5 years relevant technical experience.
• Experience in a customer or supplier facing role.
• Proficient in MS Office tools.
• Willing to travel domestically.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with domestic suppliers, monitoring quality performance.
• Be primary contact for supplier quality issues and liaise with R&D on changes.
• Review supplier performance and drive continuous improvement projects.
• Address internal customer requirements, analyze issues, and propose solutions.
• Lead projects and feature changes impacting organizational functions.
• Support supplier assessments, qualifications, and audits locally and overseas.
• Align with global and regional commodity strategies and new evaluations.
• Serve as a technical resource across teams and mentor new engineers.
• Apply problem solving and continuous improvement tools.

Skills

Quality engineering

Supplier quality

Root cause analysis

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel willingness

MS Office

Education

Technical degree or 5 years relevant experience

Tools

8D Problem Solving

Lean/Six Sigma

Job description

Join a dynamic Supplier Quality Engineering team where you’ll play a key role in strengthening supplier performance, solving real production challenges, and partnering across manufacturing, R&D, and sourcing. This role offers the opportunity to lead impactful improvements, support new and existing products, and help shape quality excellence across a global supply base. It’s a great fit for someone eager to build technical expertise, drive meaningful change, and grow in a highly collaborative environment.

In this Role, Your Responsibilities Will Be:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with domestic electronic and mechanical component suppliers, monitoring and improving their quality performance.
• Act as the primary point of contact for production regarding supplier quality issues related to both mechanical and electronic component parts. Liaise between suppliers and R&D for new product development activities, quality improvements, and engineering changes.
• Proactively review supplier performance and drive continuous improvement projects.
• Understand and proactively address internal customer requirements and concerns, analyzing issues and recommending effective solutions.
• Independently lead projects/feature changes that positively impact organizational functions.
• Participate in and support supplier assessments, qualifications, and yearly audits (both local and overseas).
• Support and align with global and regional commodity strategies and new supplier evaluations.
• Serve as an effective technical resource for product/process/service support across various teams, providing technical assistance to cross‑functional groups as needed.
• Mentor new engineers or technicians.
• Expert at problem solving and continuous improvement tools.

SQE Best Practices:

• Owns the issue – drive closure through personal involvement
• Collaborative approach – get buy in from supplier that problem exists and work with them vs. directing
• Describe the problem in technical terms – part/product failed against what spec/test, what was the value vs. expected value
• Knows the process behind an issue – invest time up front to understand process involved, ask supplier to describe process
• Leverage team – consult with peers and/or Subject Matter Experts (SME)
• Rigid containment – focus on solid summary reporting, i.e.: record keeping, defect quantities, sorting results, accurate NCMRs (Non Confirming Material Records), etc.
• Big picture focus – be mindful of trends and seek for long‑term sustainable improvements vs. day to day firefighting
• Be willing to work out ‘best’ solution, not quickest – ensure win/win and that all parties will be committed to action plan
• Get up and go – as necessary, go to the source to address issue and learn details of process
• Follow up on key emails with phone call – allows for immediate clarification and expectation setting and clarifies tone

Always have ‘key takeaways’ on presentation slides – data and graphs should have a message, ‘what is this telling me?’

Who You Are:

You introduce new ways of looking at problems. You partner with others to get work done. You are confident under pressure.

For This Role, You Will Need:

• Technical degree or 5 years of relevant technical experience, mechanical preferred
• Previous experience in a customer or supplier facing role
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Powerpoint, Word)
• Proficient in applying quality and problem‑solving tools (8D, Lean, Six Sigma, Design Thinking, etc) and root cause analysis
• Willing to travel domestically
• Only U.S. Persons (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or protected individuals as defined by 22 CFR §120) may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications that Set You Apart:

• Lean Six Sigma or other certifications
• Experience with learning new productivity tools (AI, PowerAutomate, etc)

Culture & Commitment to You:

At Emerson, we prioritize a workplace where every employee is valued, respected, and empowered to grow. We foster an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and diverse perspectives—because we know that great ideas come from great teams. Our commitment to ongoing career development and growing an inclusive culture ensures you have the support to thrive. Whether through mentorship, training, or leadership opportunities, we invest in your success so you can make a lasting impact. We believe diverse teams working together are key to driving growth and delivering business results.

We recognize the importance of employee wellbeing. We prioritize providing flexible, competitive benefits plans to meet you and your family’s physical, mental, financial, and social needs. We provide a variety of medical insurance plans, with dental and vision coverage, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k), tuition reimbursement, employee resource groups, recognition, and much more. Our culture offers flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave (maternal and paternal), vacation and holiday leave.

Work Authorization:

Emerson will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F‑1 (including those with OPT or CPT), H‑1, H‑2, L‑1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible.