Principal Supplier Quality Special Process Engineer

Elbit Systems of America, LLC; Fort Worth, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Elbit Systems of America, LLC in Fort Worth, TX, is seeking a Senior Supplier Quality Special Process Engineer to qualify and audit supplier processes across welding, heat treating, plating, painting, NDT/NDE, shot peening and brazing for aerospace and defense programs.

You will lead supplier qualification, conduct on-site audits, review process control plans and CAPAs, and drive continuous improvement with NADCAP and AS9100 compliance. Travel up to 40% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; CQE or equivalent certification preferred.
• 9+ years in supplier quality or related regulated manufacturing.
• NADCAP experience and AS9100/ISO 9001 familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier qualification and approval for welding, brazing, heat treating, plating, painting and NDT/NDE.
• Conduct on-site supplier audits; assess controls, calibration, facilities, and certifications.
• Review and approve Process Control Plans, FMEAs, and related work instructions.
• Issue SCARs and drive CAPA with root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with internal teams to update specifications and acceptance criteria.
• Monitor PPM defect rates, OTD, and audit scores to drive improvements.
• Ensure NADCAP, AS9100, ISO 9001 compliance and customer-specific requirements.
• Support NPI by qualifying special process suppliers early in development.
• Maintain complete documentation on approvals, audits, actions, and certifications.

Skills

NADCAP Expertise

Aerospace/defense industry experience

GD&T knowledge

Special Process knowledge

Audit experience

Communication skills

CQE Certification

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

APQP

PPAP

FMEA

Control Plans

8D problem-solving

Job description

Job Summary

The Supplier Quality Special Process Engineer plays a pivotal role in safeguarding product integrity and regulatory compliance across the supply chain by ensuring that all suppliers meet rigorous quality standards for special processes including welding, heat treating, plating, painting, non-destructive testing (NDT/NDE), shot peening, and brazing within a manufacturing, aerospace, and defense environment. This position functions at the intersection of engineering, quality assurance, and procurement, requiring both deep technical expertise and strong collaborative skills to qualify, audit, and continuously improve supplier special process capabilities. Working cross-functionally with internal engineering teams, procurement, and supplier organizations, the engineer serves as the authoritative technical liaison who ensures that supplier processes, controls, and certifications align with applicable industry standards and contractual requirements. This is a mission-critical role in which the engineer's diligence and expertise directly determine the quality, safety, and reliability of the finished product delivered to the customer.

Responsibilities and Tasks

• Lead supplier qualification and approval activities for special processes, including welding, brazing, heat treating, plating, painting, and NDT/NDE, ensuring all processes meet applicable specifications and standards prior to production use.
• Conduct on-site supplier audits and assessments to evaluate process controls, equipment calibration and maintenance, facility conditions, and personnel certifications documenting findings and tracking closure of identified gaps.
• Review and approve supplier Process Control Plans, Control Plans, Failure Mode and Effects Analyses (FMEAs), and work instructions specifically related to special processes.
• Issue Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) in response to nonconformances or audit findings and drive timely root cause analysis and implementation of effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams to develop, interpret, and update special process specifications, drawing requirements, and acceptance criteria to reflect current standards and lessons learned.
• Monitor and analyze supplier performance metrics including parts per million (PPM) defect rates, on-time delivery (OTD), and audit scores and facilitate structured continuous improvement initiatives with underperforming suppliers.
• Ensure supplier compliance with relevant industry standards and accreditation programs, such as NADCAP, AS9100, ISO 9001, and applicable customer-specific requirements.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) programs by engaging and qualifying special process suppliers early in the development cycle, reducing downstream quality risk.
• Maintain accurate and complete documentation and records related to supplier approvals, audit reports, corrective actions, and process certifications in accordance with quality management system requirements.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact between the company and special process suppliers, translating engineering requirements into actionable supplier expectations and managing escalations as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering - Mechanical, Materials Science, Manufacturing, Industrial, Welding, or a closely related engineering discipline. Master’s degree +7 years of experience preferred (or in lieu of degree, equivalent related work experience, and/or military service)
• Experience: 9+ years of progressive experience in supplier quality, manufacturing engineering, or quality engineering within a regulated or high consequence manufacturing environment.
• Professional Certification: Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or other relevant quality certification from the American Society for Quality (ASQ), or equivalent professional credentialing body.

Skills and Abilities

• NADCAP Expertise: Experience as a NADCAP auditor or working knowledge of the NADCAP accreditation and Merit status process across one or more commodity areas (e.g., Welding, Heat Treating, Chemical Processing, NDT).
• Industry Background: Prior experience in the aerospace, defense, or automotive industry, with familiarity with the unique regulatory, contractual, and traceability demands of these sectors.
• Specification Familiarity: Working knowledge of AMS (Aerospace Material Specifications), MIL-SPEC, or other industry-specific special process specifications relevant to the company's commodity base.
• GD&T: Foundational to intermediate knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5, supporting effective interpretation of engineering drawings in supplier assessments.
• Special Process Knowledge: Demonstrated, hands-on knowledge of one or more special processes, including welding (per AWS or AMS standards), heat treating, electroplating, surface coating/painting, or NDT/NDE techniques.
• Audit Experience: Proven experience conducting formal supplier audits and process assessments, including planning, execution, report writing, and corrective action follow-through.

Quality Management Systems: Functional familiarity with at least one major QMS standards: AS9100, AC7004, or ISO 9001 including interpretation and application of requirements.

Quality Tools Proficiency: Working knowledge of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Control Plans, and 8D problem-solving methodology.

Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence suppliers, peers, and leadership without direct authority presenting technical findings clearly and diplomatically.

Travel/Physical Requirements

• Travel Availability: Willingness and ability to travel up to 30-40% for domestic and/or international supplier visits, audits, and qualification activities.
• Work is usually conducted in a factory/office/warehouse atmosphere
• Exposed to conditions such as machining equipment noise, riveting, dust and chemical fumes
• Hearing, vision and breathing protection needed and provided in appropriate areas
• Some exposure to elements of weather when traveling and/or commuting between sites

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