Staff Supplier Manufacturing Engineer

Intuitive; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Intuitive is seeking a supplier development professional to ensure ISI suppliers meet quality, service, delivery, and cost targets. The role involves driving improvements with suppliers, guiding engineering in selecting suppliers for new products, and providing DFM feedback to designs.

The ideal candidate brings broad hands-on MIM/PIM or machining experience and a track record of developing suppliers, with strong project management and Six Sigma/Lean expertise to deliver measurable outcomes.

Qualifications

• Broad hands-on experience in MIM, PIM and/or machining.
• Experience selecting and developing suppliers.
• Familiar with Six Sigma, Lean and SPC practices.
• Strong project management and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Complete supplier qualification deliverables (pFMEA, IQ/OQ/PQ, inspection reports, Gage R&R, and CP analysis).
• Drive cost reductions, capacity improvements and risk mitigation with suppliers.
• Select processes and suppliers with long-term fit and total cost of ownership in mind.
• Manage supplier changes including process, equipment, validations and production changes.
• Lead supplier variances to root cause analysis and CAPA closure.
• Provide DFM feedback to ISI engineering early in development cycle.
• Collaborate with Engineering to select and build preferred suppliers and supplier landscapes.
• Support new product introductions with supplier readiness and risk assessments.

Skills

MIM/PIM machining

Supplier development

Process validation IQ/OQ/PQ

CAPA/root cause analysis

Six Sigma

Lean

SPC

Project management

Cost reduction

Capacity improvements

Job description

Job Description

Primary Function of Position

Responsible for ensuring suppliers meet ISI requirements for quality, service, delivery, and cost. Drive suppliers to continuously improve business and manufacturing processes. Evaluate and select suppliers. Guide Engineering in choosing suppliers for new products and provide DFM input to new designs. Supports both NPI and on-going production, monitors and works with suppliers to improve supplier performance. Executes detailed projects with suppliers to implement changes and improvements affecting quality, cost, capacity, risk, and sub-supplier management.

The ideal Candidate possesses broad and deep hands-on metal injection molding (MIM), plastic injection molding (PIM), and/or machining experience along with skills to select and develop suppliers. The scale and impact this candidate will have on Intuitive’s core business and products is very high. Self-motivated and driven candidates are encouraged to apply.

Essential Job Duties

• Complete project/ part qualification deliverables including Supplier pFMEA, Process Validations (IQ/OQ/PQ), Inspection Reports, Gage R&R, and Process Capability Analysis
• Work with suppliers to execute cost reductions, capacity improvements, and supply chain risk mitigation efforts like dual sourcing or supplier driven design improvements.
• Select the right process and supplier for the part, considering long term fit and total cost of ownership
• Manage supplier changes including manufacturing process changes, production optimization, facility changes, new equipment qualification, and new line validations
• Drive changes to ISI requirements as necessary by initiating and managing changes to specifications and drawings through the engineering change order process
• Own and drive to closure supplier variances from symptom through root cause analysis to corrective action, including careful CAPA documentation
• Effectively prioritize and advance multiple concurrent projects and tasks
• Clearly communicate project status to key stakeholders
• Build, own, and relentlessly pursue a vision for developing suppliers
• Understand proper level of documentation detail for tracking of actions and justification of decisions
• Generate key metrics for the team and suppliers, and continually drive for timely achievement of those metrics
• Drive suppliers to continually improve their business and manufacturing process performance to meet Intuitive’s requirements for supplier excellence using a collection of best practices in project management, Six Sigma, Lean, SPC and negotiation. Lead these efforts without managerial guidance at several suppliers simultaneously
• Implement corrective and preventive actions for supplier process by driving supplier’s investigations and root cause analysis, reduce issue recurrence through thorough RCA implementation.
• DFM by engaging suppliers early in development cycle to feedback manufacturability improvements in the designs prior to production
• Influence and guide Engineering in choosing suppliers by determining selection criteria for preferred suppliers and leading the team effort to evaluate & build preferred suppliers
• Review, analyze and close customer complaints, manufacturing variance requests, and first article inspections by judging risk analyses and justifications

• Work with suppliers and ISI engineering for the new product introduction to:
  • Create product supplier landscapes to determine launch readiness and report to management
  • Develop supplier ramp readiness plans by judging business risk based on forecast, supplier capacity, quality performance, and process capability.
  • Collaborate with Supply Chain & purchasing organizations to ensure new suppliers meet financial and viability thresholds to onboard onto Intuitive Approved Supplier List.