Supplier Quality Engineer

Optimal Solution Company; Dearborn (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

OEM is hiring a Quality / Manufacturing Engineer for the STA Site Interior to ensure supplier manufacturing readiness and sustained performance. You will coordinate APQP/PPAP activities, act as the principal on-site technical lead, and drive issue resolution to minimize production disruption.

You will collaborate with internal OEM teams and supplier leadership, manage quality and delivery metrics, and enable successful product launches with zero defects.

Qualifications

• 3-5+ years in advanced manufacturing, advanced quality, or APQP/PPAP for interior automotive components.
• Experience with stamping, welding, thermoforming in interior commodities.
• Proven PPAP/APQP experience and quality systems application.

Responsibilities

• Ensure supplier manufacturing readiness and sustained performance.
• Interface between OEM and suppliers to support launches and rapid issue resolution.
• Lead APQP/PPAP deliverables aligned with program timelines.
• Monitor supplier performance using data-driven metrics to guide sourcing decisions.
• Drive continuous improvement and supplier development to meet OEM standards.
• Travel to supplier sites up to 70% as required.

Skills

APQP/PPAP

Cross-functional

On-site troubleshooting

Quality standards

Supplier collaboration

Data-driven metrics

Issue resolution

Manufacturing readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Position Description:

Quality / Manufacturing Engineer *STA Site Interior* As a STA Engineer at OEM, you will play a critical role in ensuring supplier manufacturing readiness and sustained performance. You will be responsible for implementing commodity-specific business plans, ensuring supplier compliance with OEM's quality, delivery, capacity, and warranty standards. This position serves as the primary technical interface between OEM and its suppliers and is essential in supporting product launches, driving issue resolution, and ensuring zero disruption to vehicle production.

Skills Required:

• Implement commodity-specific business plans to ensure suppliers exceed OEM's expectations for launch readiness, quality, capacity, warranty, and on-time delivery.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with internal OEM teams and supplier leadership to resolve open issues and drive continuous improvement.
• Serve as the principal on-site technical lead for troubleshooting, emergency containment, and corrective action implementation during critical supplier events.
• Ensure zero vehicle losses or production disruptions due to supplier-related issues.
• Monitor and enforce compliance with OEM's quality and operational standards, including Q1 requirements.
• Drive early manufacturing feasibility assessments at supplier sites to ensure launch and production readiness.
• Lead and support execution of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) deliverables in alignment with program timelines.
• Analyze supplier performance using data-driven metrics to support strategic sourcing decisions and future quality improvements.
• Participate in supplier development initiatives, helping build long-term capability and alignment with OEM's operational excellence goals.

Experience Required:

• 3-5+ years of experience in advanced manufacturing, advanced quality, process planning, implementation, or launch of Interior Commodity manufacturing systems such as Cross Car Beams, Carpets, NVH insulators, Heat Shields
• 3-5+ years of hands-on experience in Stamping, Welding, and Thermoforming processes as applied to Interior manufacturing, including:
  • Metal stamping of Cross Car Beam (CCB) structural components, brackets, and mounting/reinforcement panels
  • Resistance, spot, projection, and/or MIG welding of Cross Car Beam sub-assemblies and structural joints
  • Thermoforming of automotive floor carpets, heat shields, acoustic insulators, and wheel arch liners
• Specific tooling/equipment experience should include one or more of the following:
  • Stamping: Progressive dies, transfer dies, single station dies, blanking/piercing tools, hydraulic and mechanical stamping presses, servo presses, die spotting and tryout equipment
  • Welding: Robotic resistance/spot welding cells, projection welding equipment, ultrasonic plastic welding, vibration welding, hot plate welding, laser welding systems, weld fixture/jig design
  • Thermoforming: Vacuum forming equipment, pressure forming presses, twin-sheet thermoforming systems, forming molds/tooling, trim fixtures, IR/convection heating ovens
• Required experience within automotive Interior Commodities manufacturing, or direct experience with stamping, welding, and thermoforming processes in a related manufacturing environment
• Proven experience in PPAP, APQP, and quality systems, specifically as applied to stamped, welded, and thermoformed components
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills, particularly related to stamping/welding/thermoforming process defects and tooling/equipment troubleshooting
• Ability to travel frequently to supplier sites up to 70%

Experience Preferred:

• Automotive industry experience.
• Six Sigma or Lean Manufacturing certification.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership skills.

Education Required:

Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field.

Use of AI Technology:

Unless expressly authorized in the interview/skill set validation instructions, candidates may not use AI tools or other third-party assistance during an interview or assessment to generate or provide substantive answers to interview questions. Candidates should answer organically in their own words, drawing on their own knowledge, skills, and experience. Failure to adhere to these expectations may result in the candidate being removed from consideration.