Senior/Staff Supplier Quality & Development Engineer

DIVERGENT; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 204,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity plan

Discretionary bonus opportunities

Health benefits

Paid vacation & holidays

Parental leave

Life insurance & disability

Professional development reimbursement

Job summary

Divergent is seeking a Senior/Staff Supplier Quality & Development Engineer to lead supplier quality and development efforts at our Torrance, CA campus with occasional travel to Long Beach. You will guide supplier capability, audits, and containment, ensuring materials and components meet exacting standards for mission-critical systems.

The role requires 7–8 years in supplier quality, APQP/PPAP/FMEA expertise, and strong GD&T/IATF knowledge.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or a related field.
• 7–8 years of progressive experience in supplier quality engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Expertise in APQP, PPAP, and FMEA.
• Strong knowledge of automotive components, processes, safety, and testing requirements.
• Proficiency in GD&T, datum structures, and IATF 16949/ISO standards.
• Experience with Six Sigma/Lean tools and supplier audits.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison between production, procurement, suppliers, and customers to ensure purchased products meet specs and regulatory requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and improve supplier quality manuals, procedures, product processes, and inspection plans.
• Interpret and flow down customer requirements through purchase orders to suppliers.
• Conduct supplier quality audits and source inspections to verify standards compliance.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions to improve OTD, scrap, rework, and repair costs.
• Oversee containment for defects and implement RCCA processes to prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve supplier component issues and drive improvements.
• Participate in MRB activities to address supplier-originating nonconformances.
• Assess supplier capabilities via data analysis, site visits, and tooling validation.
• Travel up to 50% to support supplier development, audits, and issue resolution.

Skills

APQP

PPAP

FMEA

GD&T

IATF 16949

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Root Cause Analysis

Data Analysis

Supplier Audits

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Quality Management

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Plex

ERP/MRP systems

Excel

Job description

Senior/Staff Supplier Quality & Development Engineer

Divergent is building the new industrial age. Every day, our teams design, manufacture, and assemble advanced systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries. Our integrated engineering and manufacturing platform transforms complex designs into production-ready solutions, helping customers move faster, build smarter, and deliver critical systems when they matter most. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S. aerospace and defense companies.

Join us and help push the boundaries of what can be built.

Purpose

The Senior Supplier Quality & Development Engineer is a hybrid role that combines the proactive, strategic focus of supplier development with the technical rigor and oversight of supplier quality engineering. This position is responsible for building, improving, and sustaining a high-performing supplier base while ensuring all supplied materials, components, and services meet or exceed stringent quality standards. The role is pivotal in driving supplier excellence, supporting new product introductions, and ensuring continuous improvement .

The Role

• Serve asaliaison betweenproduction and procurementoperations, suppliers, and customers to ensure all purchased products meet specifications, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop,maintain, and continuously improve supplier quality manuals, procedures, production processes, engineering specifications, and inspection plans.
• Interpret and communicate customer requirements to suppliers, ensuringaccurateand thorough flow down through purchase orders.
• Conduct supplier quality audits and source inspections to verify adherence to standards and contractual requirements.
• Lead initiatives toidentifyroot causes of supplier issues and implement effective corrective actions, driving improvements in key metrics such as On-Time Delivery (OTD), scrap, rework, and repair costs.
• Oversee containment efforts for defects inprocuredparts, ensuring robust root cause corrective action (RCCA) processes are implemented to prevent recurrence.
• Analyze and resolve issues related to supplier components, assemblies, and materials, collaborating with cross-functional engineering teams.
• Participate in Material Review Board (MRB) activities to address supplier-originating nonconformances.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities and performance through data analysis, site assessments, and tooling validation.
• Track and analyze supplier key performance metricssuch as OEE, cost, and capabilitytoidentifytrends and drive improvements in quality, productivity, and cost efficiency.
• Develop and lead training programs for quality control (QC) and buyers team members, fosteringexpertisein advanced problem solving, Lean concepts, and best practices.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% to support supplier development, audits, and issue resolution activities.

Role Specialization –Additive Manufacturing & Components

• Lead supplier quality and development activities for equipmentand printercomponentsuppliers, includingcontract manufacturers,electrical systems,robotic systems, automated assembly equipment, tooling,thermal processing,HVAC systems, and other advanced manufacturing assets.
• Support equipment sourcing and qualification through supplier capability assessments, factory acceptance tests (FAT), site acceptance tests (SAT), and commissioning activities.
• Ensure equipment suppliers meet technical, quality, safety, and regulatory requirements throughout the equipment lifecycle, from design and build through installation and production ramp.
• Drive corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives with equipment suppliers related to reliability, uptime, maintainability, safety, and performance.
• Partner with manufacturing, facilities, automation, and maintenance teams to resolve supplier-related equipment issues andoptimizelong-term equipment performance.

Basic Qualifications

• Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7–8 years of progressive experience in supplier quality engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstratedexpertisein Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA).
• Strong technical knowledge of automotivecomponentdesign, manufacturing processes, safety and test requirements, and appearance approval procedures.
• Proficient in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and datum structures.
• Comprehensive understanding of IATF 16949:2016, ISO 14001, and relevant regulatory standards.
• Proficiencyin quality tools and methodologies such as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing.
• Exceptional problemsolving and root cause analysis skills for addressing quality issues, non-conformities, and defects.
• Proven ability to conduct supplier quality management system audits and drive supplier improvement initiatives.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, Outlook.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Plex), supplier portals, and compliance tracking tools.
• Demonstrated ethical conduct and integrity in all supplier interactions.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% to support supplier development, audits, and issue resolution activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience managing supplier quality for capital equipment in advanced manufacturing settings, including automated production lines, robotics, CNC machining, and facility systems.
• Familiarity with equipment qualification methodologies, includingFactory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), commissioning, and long-term supplier performance monitoring.
• In-depth knowledge of aerospace quality standards, including AS9100 and NADCAP, withdemonstratedfamiliarity in industry-specific regulations and certification requirements.
• Master’s degree in Engineeringor a closely related technical discipline, reflecting advanced technicalexpertiseand leadership capabilities.
• Deep understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles, with a proven ability to deliver actionable feedback to design engineering teams tooptimizemanufacturability, quality, and cost.
• Strong ability to develop andutilizecost models for multiple commodities, enabling effective achievement of target costs and informed sourcing decisions.
• This role will be located onsite in our Torrance, CA headquarters with occasional travel to our Long Beach factory.

Compensation

At Divergent, our pay range is based on the level of the job. For this role, we will consider candidates at levels E05-E06 as evaluated through our interview process.

Pay Range

$128,520 - $204,090 USD

What We Offer:

• Holistic Compensation Package: Enjoy a world-class compensation package that includes a competitive salary, equity plan, and discretionary results-based incentive bonus opportunities, ensuring you're truly valued for your contributions.
• Wellness and Time Off: Embrace a healthy lifestyle with paid vacation, sick time, and company holidays, including a year-end shutdown to recharge. We support growing families with paid parental leave, recognizing the importance of bonding time.
• Comprehensive Health and Wellness: Prioritize your well-being with our comprehensive health and wellness benefits, offering both HMO and Premium PPO options. Additionally, benefit from company-sponsored life insurance and short and long-term disability coverage for peace of mind.
• Investment in Growth: We're committed to your professional development. Take advantage of reimbursement opportunities for learning and development initiatives, empowering you to continuously expand your skill set and reach peak performance.
• Collaborative and High-Performing Environment: Join our collaborative, dynamic, and high-performing team within a fast-paced, mission-driven company. Together, we're disrupting the traditional manufacturing industry, fostering innovation, and integrating people and technology to reduce our footprint.

Equal Employment Opportunity Divergent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected characteristic. Divergent provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act. EEO Poster

In order to adjust to changes in our business, it may become necessary to add, remove or modify certain duties and responsibilities, or to reassign you to another job position. From time to time you may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work. Your cooperation and assistance in performing such additional work is expected. E-Verify: Right to Work Our company participates in E-Verify . E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms a candidate’s eligibility to work in the United States after completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). The information provided on the Form I-9 is compared to the records contained in the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases. This helps employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees. Eligibility to Work Poster (English) |Eligibility to Work Poster (Spanish) Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO), we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.