Supplier Development Engineer - Welding and Brazing

Eaton Corporation; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton Corporation’s Corporate Sector division is seeking a Supplier Development Engineer - Welding and Brazing in a hybrid role that can be located at Raleigh, NC. You will partner with Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering and suppliers to drive capability improvements and readiness to meet current and future business needs.

The role focuses on leading structured supplier development activities, process capability optimization, capacity scalability, and launches, with up to 50% travel.

Qualifications

• Leads supplier development activities to close manufacturing and process gaps.
• Collaborates with Supplier Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, and COE.
• Applies Lean tools and structured problem solving to enable improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead structured supplier development activities to identify and close manufacturing, process, capability gaps.
• Assess supplier processes and drive improvement using process capability analysis and Lean methodologies.
• Drive capacity expansion and risk mitigation to ensure sustainable supplier readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean methodologies

Structured problem solving

Job description

Eaton’s Corporate Sector division is currently seeking a Supplier Development Engineer - Welding and Brazing. This will be a hybrid remote/in-office position that can be located at one of the following facilities: Beachwood, OH – Charlotte, NC – Detroit/Jackson, MI – Menomonee Falls, WI – Moon Township, PA – Raleigh, NC. Travel of up to 50% is required.

The Supplier Development Engineer is responsible for developing supplier manufacturing capability, capacity, scalability, and operational readiness to support current and future business requirements. This role will lead structured supplier development activities to identify and close systemic manufacturing, process, capacity, and operational gaps. In addition, you will provide proactive supplier development support for business growth, new product launches, supplier transfers, capacity expansion, and strategic supplier initiatives.

This position partners with Supplier Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, COE, and suppliers to drive measurable and sustainable improvement in supplier capability and performance.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $113000 - $165000 a year.

Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

What you’ll do:

Supplier Development & Capability Improvement

• o Lead structured supplier development activities to identify and close manufacturing, process, capability gaps. Establish development plans with clear objectives, actions, owners, timing, and measurable outcomes.

Manufacturing & Process Capability

• o Assess supplier manufacturing processes and drive improvement using process capability analysis, Lean methodologies, structured problem solving, material flow, process controls, and applicable advanced quality tools.
• o Assess supplier capability and manufacturing controls for circuit breakers and protection devices, with specific emphasis on bi-metal materials and thermal trip systems, including material composition and properties, strip thickness, forming and dimensional controls, joining processes, thermal response and calibration, magnetic trip components, contacts and operating mechanisms, insulation systems, electrical and mechanical testing, traceability, process validation, and change management to ensure consistent protection performance and robust, repeatable, and compliant manufacturing processes.

Capacity & Scalability Readiness

• o Assess supplier production-rate readiness and capacity against current and future business requirements. Identify constraints and risks and drive mitigation, recovery, or expansion plans to demonstrate sustainable capacity.

Growth, Launch & Transfer Readiness

• o Proactively assess and develop supplier readiness to support business growth, new product introductions, supplier transfers, localization, volume increases, and capacity expansions. Identify supplier risks early and drive mitigation actions before they impact operations.

Technical Supplier Recovery

• o Lead the supplier-development workstream when supplier quality, delivery, or operational performance issues are driven by deeper manufacturing, process, capacity, or systemic capability gaps. Partner with the SQE and appropriate cross-functional resources while maintaining defined responsibilities through the RASIC.

Supplier Assessment & Risk Identification

• o Participate in Supplier Site Assessments and other risk-based supplier assessments as required. Evaluate manufacturing capability, operational maturity, process controls, capacity, and readiness, and drive supplier-development actions resulting from identified gaps.

APQP & Supplier Readiness Support

• o Support APQP and supplier-readiness activities by evaluating manufacturing capability, capacity, scalability, operational risks and driving development actions within the SDE scope.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• o Coach and support suppliers in structured problem solving, Lean, 8D, root-cause analysis, process capability, material management, and other applicable methodologies to achieve sustainable performance improvement.

Cross-Functional Execution

• o Partner with Supplier Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, COE, and other stakeholders in accordance with established