Senior Supplier Development Engineer

Leonardo DRS, Inc.; Fitchburg (MA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems is seeking a Senior Supplier Development Engineer to bridge requirements with external suppliers, maturing designs into producible, repeatable products. You will assess supplier welding, machining and inspection capabilities, lead manufacturability and cost-reduction efforts, and drive first-article builds and process validation with engineering and suppliers.

The role requires a BS in engineering, at least 5 years in heavy fabrication or precision machining,

Qualifications

• BS in engineering or related field or equivalent experience with at least 5 years in heavy fabrication, weldment manufacturing, or precision machining.
• Proficient technical expertise and application domain knowledge.
• ASQ certification or Black Belt preferred.
• Proficient with ISO Standards, Six Sigma tools, statistics.
• Ability to understand military specifications and to read blueprints.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, communication and writing skills.
• Self-directed and willing to travel 50%.
• Ability to define problems and drive to root cause and effective corrective action.

Responsibilities

• Assess prospective and incumbent suppliers’ welding, machining, and inspection capabilities, including equipment, certifications, qualified personnel, capacity, and process controls.
• Participate in concept and detailed design reviews, representing supplier capabilities and manufacturing constraints before drawings are released.
• Lead design-for-manufacturability and cost-reduction efforts with engineering and suppliers. Identify opportunities to simplify weldments, optimize joint design and weld volume, reduce machining setups and tolerance stack-ups, and lower material and process costs.
• Review drawings, models, and specifications for build readiness, including weld symbols, GD&T, surface finishes, nondestructive testing callouts, and process requirements.
• Evaluate supplier manufacturing plans for completeness and risk, including fabrication sequences, weld procedure specifications and qualifications, fixturing, distortion controls, machining plans, and in-process inspections.
• Support quoting and proposal activities by providing technical input on potential sources of supply, evaluating supplier estimates against proposed manufacturing processes, and identifying cost drivers.
• Serve as a day-to-day technical point of contact for suppliers. Work with DRS engineering to resolve technical questions, drawing clarifications, and deviation requests in a timely manner.
• Drive first-article, prototype, and pre-production builds. Help suppliers develop the processes and capabilities needed to complete accurate first-article inspection packages, qualify weld procedures and personnel, and close technical risks before rate production.
• Visit supplier facilities as needed to support design reviews, process and build validation, first-article activities, and issue resolution.
• Lead or support root-cause investigations and corrective actions for supplier nonconformances, including build defects, dimensional escapes, requirements gaps, and process failures.
• Support the transition to stable production by helping establish documented work instructions, inspection criteria, and process controls; assist with production ramp-up and capacity growth.
• Drive continuous improvement across the supply base by sharing lessons learned, standardizing effective practices, and incorporating supplier producibility insights into internal design standards.

Skills

Technical leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Problem solving

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Job description

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Location: Fitchburg, MA, US, 01420

Job ID: 116003

The Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems business is a trusted provider of innovative naval gas and hybrid power systems, control technology and support solutions for the U.S. Navy and navies around the world.

Job Summary

The Senior Supplier Development Engineer serves as the technical bridge between Leonardo DRS’s requirements and the external suppliers that fabricate and machine its hardware. Working closely with suppliers and DRS engineering personnel, this role helps mature designs into producible, repeatable products by incorporating manufacturability early in the design process, resolving fabrication and machining issues at the source, and selecting or developing qualified suppliers that can build to print successfully the first time.

Job Responsibilities

• Assess prospective and incumbent suppliers’ welding, machining, and inspection capabilities, including equipment, certifications, qualified personnel, capacity, and process controls.
• Participate in concept and detailed design reviews, representing supplier capabilities and manufacturing constraints before drawings are released.
• Lead design-for-manufacturability and cost-reduction efforts with engineering and suppliers. Identify opportunities to simplify weldments, optimize joint design and weld volume, reduce machining setups and tolerance stack-ups, and lower material and process costs.
• Review drawings, models, and specifications for build readiness, including weld symbols, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), surface finishes, nondestructive testing (NDT) callouts, and process requirements.
• Evaluate supplier manufacturing plans for completeness and risk, including fabrication sequences, weld procedure specifications and qualifications (WPS/PQR), fixturing, distortion controls, machining plans, and in-process inspections.
• Support quoting and proposal activities by providing technical input on potential sources of supply, evaluating supplier estimates against proposed manufacturing processes, and identifying cost drivers.
• Serve as a day-to-day technical point of contact for suppliers. Work with DRS engineering to resolve technical questions, drawing clarifications, and deviation requests in a timely manner.
• Drive first-article, prototype, and pre-production builds. Help suppliers develop the processes and capabilities needed to complete accurate first-article inspection packages, qualify weld procedures and personnel, and close technical risks before rate production.
• Visit supplier facilities as needed to support design reviews, process and build validation, first-article activities, and issue resolution. Observe manufacturing processes firsthand and identify risks and improvement opportunities.
• Lead or support root-cause investigations and corrective actions for supplier nonconformances, including build defects, dimensional escapes, requirements gaps, and process failures.
• Support the transition to stable production by helping establish documented work instructions, inspection criteria, and process controls; assist with production ramp-up and capacity growth.
• Drive continuous improvement across the supply base by sharing lessons learned, standardizing effective practices, and incorporating supplier producibility insights into internal design standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field or equivalent experience and a minimum of 5 years of experience in heavy fabrication, weldment manufacturing, and/or precision machining environments.
• Proficient technical expertise and application domain knowledge
• ASQ certification or Black Belt preferred
• Proficient with ISO Standards, Six Sigma tools, statistics
• Ability to understand military specifications and to read blueprints
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, communication and writing skills
• Self-directed and comfortable owning issues to closure across organizational boundaries
• Willingness to travel (50%)
• Ability to define problems and drive to root cause and effective corrective action

The salary range for this position is $96,702 - $138,285. This range reflects the good faith estimate of pay the employer is willing to offer at the time of posting. Several factors can influence the pay scale, including but not limited to: Federal contract labor categories and contract wage rates, collective bargaining agreements, geographic location, business considerations, scope, and responsibilities of the position, local or other applicable market conditions, and internal equity. Other factors include the candidate’s qualifications such as prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education/training, and certifications. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible for: annual performance-based bonuses, equity awards, and overtime pay (for non-exempt employees as applicable. Our benefits package includes comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision), employer matching 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off including vacation, holidays, and sick leave (including ant state-mandated paid sick leave), parental leave benefits, tuition reimbursement, professional development support, and life and disability insurance coverage.

Taking care of our people is a top priority at Leonardo DRS. We are proud to offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a company contribution to a health savings account, telemedicine, life and disability insurance, legal insurance, and a 401(k) savings plan. We champion wellness programs that focus on physical, emotional, and financial well-being. We develop our talent by offering programs and activities to support career-growth, professional development, and skill enhancement. And we understand there is more to life than work, and the importance of offering flexible work schedules with our 9/80 program, competitive vacation, health/emergency leave, paid parental leave, and community service hours. *Some employees are eligible for limited benefits only

Leonardo DRS, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Our Vision. To be the leading mid-tier defense technology company in the U.S.

Our Values.

• Integrity
• Agility
• Excellence
• Customer Focus
• Community & Respect
• Innovation

We strive to uphold them in all aspects of our business practices to inspire our employees and provide outstanding support for our customers.