Supplier Quality Engineer – Capacity and Launch Specialist

Jobtailor; Missouri; On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking a Senior Specialist in supplier capacity planning to ensure capacity alignment with awarded volumes and launch readiness. You will analyze line performance, drive corrective actions, and coach SQEs on capacity calculations and run-at-rate readiness across automotive-grade suppliers.

The role emphasizes project leadership, issue resolution, and clear communication with cross-functional teams to mitigate risks and ensure timely launches. On-site in Missouri preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years in advanced manufacturing, industrial engineering, quality, engineering, or a related field.
• Strong working knowledge of capacity calculation, justification, installation, launch, and validation in production environments.
• Experience troubleshooting line performance, bottlenecks, staffing assumptions, equipment readiness, throughput constraints, and launch execution issues.
• Ability to develop detailed, credible, and executable supplier recovery plans.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including follow-up, coordination, issue tracking, timing discipline, and action closure.
• Strong communication skills to explain technical manufacturing concepts to experts and non-experts.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert on capacity planning, line installation, launch execution, and run-at-rate readiness.
• Visit suppliers with capacity or execution issues to identify gaps, build corrective actions, and drive resolution plans.
• Assess whether installed manufacturing capacity aligns with awarded volumes, process assumptions, and production requirements.
• Analyze supplier capacity calculations, line rates, station performance, constraints, labor assumptions, and equipment readiness.
• Support suppliers through run-at-rate preparation and execution, including issue identification, containment, recovery planning, and closure.
• Educate and coach Supplier Quality Engineers on capacity calculation, validation, installation, launch, and sustainment.
• Act as a technical resource for the broader SQE organization on capacity planning, throughput risk, and supplier manufacturing execution.
• Provide backfill support for supplier-facing responsibilities.
• Support incoming calls and issue triage related to SQMS and team support activities.
• Organize work, manage priorities, document actions, and drive closure across multiple supplier issues.

Skills

Supplier Capacity Planning

Manufacturing Execution

Project Management

Capacity Calculation

Troubleshooting Line Performance

Bottleneck Analysis

Labor Modeling

Equipment Readiness

Launch Execution

Manufacturing Readiness Reviews

Issue Tracking

Communication Skills

Coaching

Mentoring

Organizational Skills

Prioritization

Supplier Recovery Planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field

Job description

• Serve as a subject matter expert on supplier capacity planning, line installation, launch execution, and run-at-rate readiness


• Visit suppliers with capacity or execution issues to identify gaps, build corrective actions, and drive resolution plans


• Assess whether installed manufacturing capacity aligns with awarded volumes, process assumptions, and production requirements


• Analyze supplier capacity calculations, line rates, station performance, constraints, labor assumptions, and equipment readiness


• Support suppliers through run-at-rate preparation and execution, including issue identification, containment, recovery planning, and closure


• Educate and coach Supplier Quality Engineers on capacity calculation, validation, installation, launch, and sustainment


• Act as a technical resource for the broader SQE organization on capacity planning, throughput risk, and supplier manufacturing execution


• Provide backfill support for supplier-facing responsibilities


• Support incoming calls and issue triage related to SQMS and team support activities


• Organize work, manage priorities, document actions, and drive closure across multiple supplier issues

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience


• 5+ years in advanced manufacturing, industrial engineering, quality, engineering, or a related field


• Strong working knowledge of capacity calculation, justification, installation, launch, and validation in production environments


• Experience troubleshooting line performance, bottlenecks, staffing assumptions, equipment readiness, throughput constraints, and launch execution issues


• Ability to develop detailed, credible, and executable supplier recovery plans


• Demonstrated project management skills, including follow-up, coordination, issue tracking, timing discipline, and action closure


• Strong communication skills to explain technical manufacturing concepts to experts and non-experts


• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field


• Preferred: Significant supplier-facing manufacturing, industrial engineering, advanced manufacturing, launch, or operations experience in automotive or comparable high-volume manufacturing


• Preferred: Experience preparing suppliers or manufacturing operations for run-at-rates


• Preferred: Experience with major automotive OEM or Tier 1 supplier launches


• Preferred: Background in industrial engineering, advanced manufacturing engineering, launch engineering, or technical project leadership


• Preferred: Experience with line balancing, cycle time analysis, labor modeling, equipment integration, and manufacturing readiness reviews


• Preferred: Experience training, coaching, or mentoring on manufacturing capacity and launch execution


• Preferred: Familiarity with supplier quality processes and manufacturing risk evaluation


• Preferred: Experience supporting plant, supplier, or launch issue escalations


• Must not require GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future, including H-1B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, or J-1 support

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in supplier capacity planning, manufacturing execution, and project management, with a strong focus on troubleshooting and resolving production issues. Proficient in developing recovery plans and educating teams on capacity calculations and launch processes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Supplier Capacity Planning


• Manufacturing Execution


• Project Management


• Capacity Calculation


• Troubleshooting Line Performance

Hard Skills

• Capacity Calculation


• Line Performance Troubleshooting


• Bottleneck Analysis


• Supplier Recovery Planning


• Cycle Time Analysis


• Labor Modeling


• Equipment Readiness


• Launch Execution


• Manufacturing Readiness Reviews


• Issue Tracking

Soft Skills

• Strong Communication Skills


• Coaching


• Mentoring


• Organizational Skills


• Prioritization

Industry Keywords

• Advanced Manufacturing


• Industrial Engineering


• Supplier Quality Processes


• Automotive Manufacturing


• High-Volume Manufacturing


• Run-at-Rate Preparation


• Technical Project Leadership


• Supplier-Facing Experience


• Manufacturing Risk Evaluation


• Launch Engineering