Senior Supplier Quality Engineer

Valmont Industries; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k with company match

Paid time off

Employer paid life insurance

Disability coverage

Job summary

Valmont Industries seeks a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer to lead supplier quality initiatives across complex commodities. You will mentor engineers, drive SCAR/CAPA, audits, and APQP/PPAP activities while partnering with Supply Chain, Engineering, and Operations to improve supplier performance.

Role requires advanced problem-solving, QMS knowledge, and the ability to influence without direct authority. Travel to supplier and company sites is anticipated.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 5+ years in supplier quality or manufacturing quality.
• Experience with ISO 9001 and customer standards.
• Strong problem-solving and data analysis skills.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and specs.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex supplier nonconformance investigations with root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Drive SCAR/CAPA end-to-end, including containment, verification, and leadership communication.
• Plan and lead supplier audits for qualification and ongoing performance management.
• Lead supplier selection, onboarding, and development activities with risk-based evaluations.
• Lead APQP and PPAP activities for new products and changes, ensuring timely deliverables.
• Review PFMEAs, control plans, SPC, metrology, and inspection plans for approvals.
• Collaborate with Engineering to influence design for manufacturability and supplier capability.
• Lead supplier risk assessments and mitigation planning for new programs and capacity constraints.
• Develop and present supplier performance metrics and trend analyses.
• Drive cost of poor quality reduction across the supply base (scrap, rework, returns).
• Support audits and close supplier-related findings with systemic corrective actions.
• Mentor supplier quality engineers and cross-functional teams on quality tools and methods.

Skills

Root cause analysis

8D problem solving

Statistical analysis

Quality systems

Documentation & reporting

Effective communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Associate’s degree with 7+ years of experience

Tools

MS Office

Quality tools (SPC, PFMEA)

ERP systems

Job description

Remote Office Remote Office Nebraska 99999

Why Valmont

We’re Here to Move the World Forward. Valmont impacts millions of people around the world every day, yet they might not realize the many ways. Our technology is helping feed the growing population, supplying the world with more reliable energy and access to renewables, enhancing connectivity in remote and urban locations to create a sustainable future and so much more. Simply put, Valmont is advancing agricultural productivity and reimagining vital infrastructure to make life better. Join a Fortune 1000 company that respects hard work, honors diversity and invests in our employees as we focus on creating the world of tomorrow, today. We are the modern workforce. Are you ready to move the world forward?

Position Summary

The Senior Supplier Quality Engineer (Senior SQE) is a technical and strategic leader responsible for ensuring supplier quality performance across complex, high-risk, or high-spend commodities. This role leads advanced supplier quality planning, drives systemic improvement across the supply base, and mitigates quality and delivery risk throughout the product lifecycle. The Senior SQE serves as a subject matter expert in supplier quality, quality systems, and manufacturing processes. This role independently leads critical supplier initiatives, mentors less experienced quality engineers, and partners closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, and leadership to influence sourcing decisions, design for manufacturability, and long-term supplier capability development. Success in this role is measured by sustained supplier performance improvement, reduced cost of poor quality, effective risk mitigation for new and existing products, and leadership impact across cross‑functional teams.

Essential Functions

• Lead complex supplier nonconformance investigations using advanced problem-solving and data analysis; ensure robust root cause identification and sustainable corrective actions.
• Drive supplier corrective action (SCAR/CAPA) process end‑to‑end, including escalation, containment strategy, verification of effectiveness, and leadership communication.
• Plan, conduct, and lead supplier audits (quality system, process, and product) for qualification, development, and ongoing performance management.
• Lead supplier selection, onboarding, and development activities, including quality system maturity assessments and risk‑based evaluations.
• Lead APQP and PPAP activities for new product introductions and major changes, ensuring timely and compliant supplier deliverables.
• Provide expert review and approval of PFMEAs, control plans, SPC strategies, process capability data, gage R & R, and inspection plans.
• Partner with Engineering to influence product and process design for manufacturability, reliability, and supplier capability.
• Lead supplier risk assessments and mitigation planning for new programs, capacity constraints, design changes, or quality escapes.
• Develop, analyze, and present supplier performance metrics and scorecards; identify trends, systemic issues, and improvement opportunities.
• Drive cost of poor quality reduction initiatives across the supply base, including scrap, rework, returns, and warranty exposure.
• Act as a key quality representative in cross‑functional and leadership forums related to sourcing strategy, supplier performance, and operational risk.
• Support internal, external, and customer audits; lead closure of supplier‑related findings and systemic corrective actions.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Supplier Quality Engineers and cross‑functional teams on quality tools, methods, and best practices.
• Travel to supplier and company sites as required (typically +50%).

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s with 5+ years of relevant experience or an Associate’s degree with 7+ years of relevant experience or 9+ years of relevant experience. Extensive experience in supplier quality engineering, quality engineering, or manufacturing quality with demonstrated ownership of complex supplier issues. Strong knowledge of quality management systems and supplier quality methodologies. Expert-level proficiency in structured problem-solving (8D, A3, 5 Whys, Fishbone) and statistical analysis tools. Experience working with industry and customer standards (e.g., ISO 9001, AISC, customer-specific requirements). Advanced ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation. Deep working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, SPC, and metrology. Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive‑level presentations. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience using quality, SPC, and ERP systems.

• Experience leading supplier development programs and long–term capability improvement initiatives.
• Experience managing supplier quality for complex manufacturing processes such as metal fabrication, welding, coatings, or machined components.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement certification (Green Belt or Black Belt preferred).
• Professional quality certifications such as ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
• Experience supporting global suppliers and cross‑regional operations.
• Demonstrated mentoring or informal leadership experience within a quality organization.

Benefits

• Healthcare (medical, prescription drugs, dental and vision)
• 401k retirement plan with company match
• Paid time off
• Employer paid life insurance
• Employer paid short‑term and long‑term disability including maternity leave
• Work Life Support
• Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,250 per year
• Voluntary programs like tobacco cessation, Type 2 diabetes reversal, one‑on‑one health coaching, mortgage services and more

Valmont does not discriminate against any employee or applicant in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If you have a disability and require any assistance in filling out the application for employment email [e-mail].

Valmont is here to modernize vital infrastructure and increase agricultural productivity, sustainably and reliably. We galvanize steel to last a century with minimal environmental impact. We modernize irrigation to feed a growing population by utilizing the latest technology. We harden the electrical grid to enable the delivery of reliable power to millions of homes around the world. And we help make communities everywhere safer, cleaner and more connected through our smart infrastructure technology. Valmont serves two primary markets — agriculture and infrastructure — and seven diverse product lines: Utility, Lighting and Transportation, Telecom, Solar, Coatings, Irrigation and Ag Tech. We manufacture products in 85 facilities spread across six continents, and we do business in 100 different countries. That’s what Valmont does. We conserve resources and improve life, finding ways to make innovation and technology beneficial in the real world. + That’s the value we add.