Supplier Development Engineer

Vital Lyfe; California; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vital Lyfe is seeking a hands-on Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial engineer to architect and scale a supplier network for a field-deployable water system in Torrance, CA. You will lead supplier qualification, audits, and continuous improvement, partnering with internal engineering to meet stringent part, metrology, and process requirements.

The role emphasizes QMS alignment, on-site problem solving, and governance from supplier onboarding to CAPAs, with a focus on manufacturability and quality

Qualifications

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills in a high-growth hardware environment.
• Hands-on mindset; able to design processes and validate with operators.
• Experience with supplier quality, NPI, or manufacturing engineering in hardware or industrial systems.
• Familiarity with QMS tools and standards (ISO 9001, PPAP, FAI, Cpk, PFMEA).

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement core supplier management systems to ensure traceability, accountability, and quality control.
• Develop and scale a high performing, resilient supplier network aligned with cost, capacity, delivery, and quality targets.
• Lead supplier qualification, onboarding, and technical assessments, including DFM reviews, process flow validation, and QMS audits.
• Define and enforce technical and quality standards across NPI and production.
• Partner with internal engineering teams to ensure suppliers meet tight part, assembly, and metrology requirements.
• Own the lifecycle of supplier issues from SDRs to CAPAs, RTVs, and production quality investigations.
• Collaborate with vendors to solve recurring issues and drive process-level improvements.
• Conduct performance audits and risk reviews, implementing corrective actions where needed.
• Provide on-site technical support to ensure supplier processes are dialed for manufacturability, stability, and spec compliance.
• Monitor supplier metrics and trend data to mitigate risks and improve performance.
• Source and evaluate new suppliers with capabilities in materials, fabrication, and metrology.
• Build scalable supplier governance and escalation frameworks from scratch.
• Thrive in ambiguity; build processes where none exist and push for excellence.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Clear communicator across teams

Process design with operators

Education

Bachelor’s in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial or equivalent)

Job description

About Vital Lyfe

At Vital Lyfe, we are on a mission to solve global water scarcity by creating innovative, desalination systems. This is an opportunity to join a passionate, multidisciplinary team tackling one of the world’s most critical challenges.

Mission

Build the supplier network behind a field deployable water system. Architect quality and reliability into the supply chain from day one and help turn a prototype into a product that can scale anywhere.

What You’ll Do

• Architect and implement core supplier management systems to ensure traceability, accountability, and quality control
• Develop and scale a high performing, resilient supplier network aligned with cost, capacity, delivery, and quality targets
• Lead supplier qualification, onboarding, and technical assessments, including DFM reviews, process flow validation, and QMS audits
• Define and enforce technical and quality standards across new product introduction (NPI) and production
• Partner with internal engineering teams to ensure suppliers fully understand and can meet tight part, assembly, and metrology requirements
• Own the lifecycle of supplier issues from non-conformance reports (SDRs) to CAPAs, RTVs, and production quality investigations
• Collaborate directly with vendors to solve recurring issues and drive process-level improvements
• Conduct performance audits and risk reviews, implementing corrective actions where needed
• Provide on-site technical support as needed to ensure supplier processes are dialed for manufacturability, stability, and spec compliance
• Monitor supplier metrics and trend data to proactively mitigate risks and improve operational performance
• Source and evaluate new suppliers with unique capabilities in materials, fabrication, and metrology
• Build and enforce scalable supplier governance and escalation frameworks from scratch
• Thrive in ambiguity build process where none exists, and push for excellence where it does

What We're Looking For

• Required:
  • Bachelor’s in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial or equivalent).
  • Hands on mindset: comfortable designing the process and also working with operators & equipment to validate and refine.
  • Strong problem solving skills, ability to operate in ambiguous/higher-growth environment, clear communicator across teams.
  • Experience in supplier quality, NPI, or manufacturing engineering in hardware, climate tech, or industrial systems
  • Familiarity with QMS tools and standards (e.g., ISO 9001, PPAP, FAI, Cpk, PFMEA)

Preferred

• Excellent communication and problem solving skills in fast-paced, cross-functional environments
• A track record of owning hard problems end-to‑end and getting things done under real-world constraints
• A builder’s mindset and a systems‑level view of manufacturing
• Experience in a hardware startup or mission-driven organization.

Physical Requirements (with or without reasonable accommodation)

• Hands on work on development and production hardware.
• Long periods of standing, crouching and walking.
• Lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Wearing required PPE (safety glasses, gloves, safety shoes) in production areas. Vital Lyfe will provide or reimburse required PPE, including safety shoes

Why Join Vital Lyfe?

• Work on high impact problems with global relevance
• Help scale breakthrough technology in water security and climate resilience
• Early ownership in a high growth, engineering led startup
• Join a tight knit, mission driven team in a fast paced environment
• Build long term career equity as we grow

Location Requirement: Ability to work 100% onsite in Torrance, CA (remote or hybrid work will not be considered)

Vital Lyfe is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vital Lyfe is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.