Senior/Staff Supplier Quality & Development Engineer

divergent; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Divergent is seeking a Senior Supplier Quality & Development Engineer in Torrance, CA. This hybrid role blends supplier development with quality engineering to ensure materials meet stringent standards and support new product introductions.

You will lead audits, drive corrective actions, and mentor QC and buyers, with travel up to 50% to supplier sites and audits. The position requires 7–8 years of experience and strong knowledge of APQP, PPAP, FMEA, and ISO/IATF standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or related field.
• 7–8 years of progressive supplier quality experience.
• Expertise in APQP, PPAP, and FMEA.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 standards.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison between production, procurement, suppliers, and customers to ensure quality and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and improve supplier quality manuals, procedures, and inspection plans.
• Flow down customer requirements through purchase orders.
• Conduct supplier quality audits and source inspections.
• Lead root cause corrective actions to improve OTD, scrap, and costs.
• Oversee containment for defective parts and RCCA processes.
• Analyze supplier components with cross-functional teams.
• Participate in MRB activities for supplier nonconformances.
• Evaluate supplier capability through data analysis and site assessments.
• Track KPIs like OEE, cost, and capability to drive improvements.
• Develop training programs for QC and buyers on Lean and problem solving.

Skills

APQP

PPAP

FMEA

GD&T

Six Sigma

Root Cause Analysis

Lean Manufacturing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

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 as a liaison between production and procurement operations, 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, ensuring accurate and thorough flow down through purchase orders.
• Conduct supplier quality audits and source inspections to verify adherence to standards and contractual requirements.
• Lead initiatives to identify root 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 in procured parts, 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 metrics such as OEE, cost, and capability to identify trends and drive improvements in quality, productivity, and cost efficiency.
• Develop and lead training programs for quality control (QC) and buyers team members, fostering expertise in 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 equipment and printer component suppliers, including contract 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 and optimize long-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.
• Demonstrated expertise in Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA).
• Strong technical knowledge of automotive component design, 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.
• Proficiency in quality tools and methodologies such as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing.
• Exceptional problem solving and root cause analysis skills for addressing quality issues, non-conformities, and defects.
• Proven ability to conduct supplier quality managemen