Senior Vendor Quality Engineer - Defense Supply

nLIGHT, Inc.; Longmont (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Holidays

Stock purchase plan

Tuition assistance

Health/Vision/Dental

Family leave & disability

401k match

Job summary

nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. in Longmont, CO seeks a Vendor Quality Engineer to ensure supplier quality, capability, and performance. You will partner with engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to build robust supplier relationships and drive continuous improvement for new product introductions.

All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference for candidates with an existing DoD clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field.
• Experience in supplier quality, manufacturing engineering, or supply chain engineering.
• Strong understanding of quality tools (e.g., FMEA, SPC, 8D, PPAP).

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain quality expectations for suppliers, including specifications, inspection criteria, and performance metrics.
• Monitor supplier performance through data analysis, scorecards, and regular reviews.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action activities to resolve supplier-related quality issues.
• Translate engineering, regulatory, and contractual requirements into clear, actionable flow-downs for suppliers.
• Ensure suppliers understand and comply with all technical documentation, standards, and process requirements.
• Collaborate with internal teams to maintain accurate and complete supplier documentation packages.
• Oversee the identification, containment, and disposition of non-conforming supplier material.
• Facilitate Material Review Board (MRB) activities and ensure timely closure of non-conformance reports.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurrence.
• Evaluate supplier manufacturing processes, technologies, and capacity to ensure alignment with current and future business needs.
• Identify risks and opportunities within supplier operations and recommend improvement strategies.
• Support supplier selection decisions through technical assessments and capability audits.
• Plan, execute, and document supplier audits focused on quality systems, process controls, and compliance.
• Track audit findings and verify effective implementation of corrective actions.
• Maintain audit schedules and support supplier development initiatives.
• Collaborate with design engineering to ensure manufacturability and supplier readiness for new product designs.
• Lead supplier engagement during prototype builds, pilot runs, and production ramp-up.
• Validate supplier processes through PPAP, FAI, or equivalent qualification activities.

Skills

FMEA

SPC

8D

PPAP

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field

Job description

nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. in Longmont, CO seeks a Vendor Quality Engineer to ensure supplier quality, capability, and performance. You will partner with engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to build robust supplier relationships and drive continuous improvement for new product introductions.

All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference for candidates with an existing DoD clearance.