Supplier Quality Engineer (1148093)

The Judge Group

Shelbyville (TN)

On-site

USD 85,000 - 100,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

The Judge Group is seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer III to lead supplier quality activities for automotive HVAC manufacturing programs. You will manage supplier quality throughout the product lifecycle, including APQP, PPAP, launch readiness, production quality, corrective actions, supplier audits, and continuous improvement.

You will serve as the quality liaison between suppliers and internal teams, ensuring adherence to IATF 16949 and customer requirements, while driving quality

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
4–7 years of supplier quality or quality engineering in automotive manufacturing.
Tier 1 supplier experience and OEM requirements familiarity.
Strong knowledge of IATF 16949 and AIAG Core Tools.
Hands-on APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and root cause analysis.

Responsibilities

Lead supplier quality activities for automotive programs and monitor KPIs.
Drive containment, corrective actions, and supplier improvement initiatives.
Develop supplier quality strategies to improve capability and performance.
Lead APQP/PPAP for new products and changes; assess readiness.
Coordinate supplier audits and support cross-functional teams.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Project management

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, or related technical discipline

Tools

APQP

PPAP

PFMEA

Control Plans

MSA

SPC

Root Cause Analysis

Job description

Location: Shelbyville, TN Salary: $85,000.00 USD Annually - $100,000.00 USD Annually

Description

The company is looking for a Supplier Quality Engineer III to support supplier quality activities within their Tier 1 automotive HVAC manufacturing operation. This position is responsible for managing supplier quality throughout the product lifecycle, including supplier development, APQP, PPAP, launch readiness, production quality, corrective actions, supplier audits, and continuous improvement. The Supplier Quality Engineer will serve as a key quality liaison between suppliers and internal teams, including Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Program Management, and Quality. The role will focus on ensuring suppliers meet the company's quality expectations, customer requirements, IATF 16949 standards, and automotive quality requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Lead supplier quality activities for automotive manufacturing programs.
Monitor supplier performance through KPIs, PPM, scorecards, corrective actions, and other quality metrics.
Identify and upscale chronic supplier quality issues.
Lead containment and recovery activities when supplier issues impact production.
Drive supplier improvement initiatives and defect reduction.
Develop supplier quality strategies to improve supplier capability and performance.

APQP / PPAP / Launch

Lead supplier APQP activities for new products and engineering changes.
Review and approve supplier PPAP submissions.
Ensure supplier documentation meets AIAG, customer-specific, and internal requirements.
Conduct supplier process reviews and manufacturing readiness assessments.
Support new product launches and engineering changes.
Travel to supplier locations as needed for launch support, process evaluations, and corrective action verification.

Supplier Development & Auditing

Conduct supplier process and quality system audits.
Support supplier qualification and risk assessments.
Evaluate supplier capability related to quality, delivery, capacity, and manufacturing processes.
Develop supplier improvement plans when performance does not meet expectations.
Recommend supplier approval, development plans, probation, or disqualification based on performance and risk.

Problem Solving / Corrective Action

Investigate supplier quality issues, non-conforming material, warranty concerns, and production-impacting issues.
Issue and manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs/CARs).
Lead root cause investigations using methodologies such as:
- 8D
- 5 Why
- Fishbone/Ishikawa
- Statistical analysis
Coordinate containment activities to minimize production disruptions and customer impact.
Verify the effectiveness of corrective actions and prevent recurrence.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Serve as the quality liaison between suppliers and Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Logistics, Program Management, and Quality.
Communicate supplier quality risks and improvement opportunities to plant and leadership teams.
Support customer audits, supplier audits, launch reviews, and management quality reviews.
Coordinate multiple projects and supplier quality priorities simultaneously.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, or related technical discipline.
Approximately 4–7 years of supplier quality, manufacturing quality, or quality engineering experience in an automotive manufacturing environment.
Tier 1 automotive supplier experience.
Experience with OEM customer requirements.
Strong knowledge of IATF 16949 and AIAG Core Tools.
Hands-on experience with:
- APQP
- PPAP
- PFMEA
- Control Plans
- MSA
- SPC
- Root Cause Analysis
Experience with supplier development and supplier performance management.
Strong analytical, communication, project management, and organizational skills.
Experience working with ERP/MRP and quality management systems.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and manage multiple priorities.