Supplier Quality Engineer (onsite)

591x Varian Medical Systems, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 116,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Life insurance

Job summary

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. seeks a hands-on Supplier Quality Engineer to join onsite in Palo Alto, CA. You will manage supplier quality performance, lead root cause analyses, and coordinate rapid containment to protect production and patients.

You will collaborate with Engineering, Procurement, and Manufacturing toreview drawings, qualifications, and inspection strategies, while driving continuous improvements in supplier processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field with 5+ years in supplier quality or related roles.
• Hands-on investigation of manufacturing, component, or supplier quality issues.
• Experience with PPAP/APQP and quality qualification methodologies.
• Knowledge of PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC, MSA, and capability studies.

Responsibilities

• Manage quality for an assigned group of suppliers and be the main contact for supplier quality matters.
• Monitor supplier performance using dashboards, scorecards, and KPIs.
• Lead or support root cause investigations and supplier corrective actions.
• Coordinate containment and risk mitigation to protect production and patients.
• Support First Article Inspection, PPAP, APQP, and supplier qualification activities.

Skills

Supplier quality

Quality improvement

Data analysis

Cross-functional

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Materials Engineering, or related field

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Minitab

SAP

Job description

Join us in pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. Our inspiring and caring environment forms a global community that celebrates diversity and individuality. We encourage you to step beyond your comfort zone, offering resources and flexibility to foster your professional and personal growth, all while valuing your unique contributions.

We are seeking a motivated and hands‑on Supplier Quality Engineer to join our team onsite in Palo Alto, California.

What You Will Do

• Manage quality performance for an assigned group of suppliers and serve as a key point of contact for supplier quality matters.
• Monitor supplier performance using quality data, dashboards, scorecards, and key performance indicators.
• Communicate emerging risks, performance concerns, and improvement priorities to suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Investigate supplier‑related issues affecting incoming inspection, manufacturing, installation, and field service.
• Coordinate rapid containment and risk‑mitigation activities to protect production, customers, and patients.
• Lead or support root cause investigations and Supplier Corrective Action Requests using structured problem‑solving methods such as 8D, 5 Whys, Ishikawa diagrams, and statistical analysis.
• Review supplier corrective actions to confirm that root causes have been identified, appropriate actions have been implemented, and recurrence has been effectively prevented.
• Support Qnote/NCR and Material Review Board activities involving supplier‑provided components.
• Help minimize production disruption, blocked inventory, scrap, rework, warranty costs, and field impact.
• Work with suppliers to improve manufacturing processes and implement appropriate quality controls, including PFMEA, Control Plans, Statistical Process Control, Measurement System Analysis, process capability analysis, Cpk/Ppk, and process validation.
• Support Quality at the Source (“light” PPAP) by helping suppliers move from reliance on inspection toward prevention, process control, and data‑driven validation.
• Participate in New Product Introduction and design‑transfer activities.
• Partner with Engineering and suppliers to review drawings, specifications, tolerances, critical attributes, manufacturability requirements, and inspection strategies.
• Support supplier readiness through First Article Inspection, PPAP, APQP, inspection planning, and other qualification activities based on product and process risk.
• Review Supplier Change Notifications involving materials, manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, sub‑tier suppliers, quality systems, or manufacturing locations.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs, Service, and other stakeholders to evaluate supplier changes and ensure required qualification and validation activities are completed before implementation.
• Conduct or participate in supplier audits, process assessments, supplier qualifications, and for‑cause investigations.
• Document findings and track corrective actions through effective closure.
• Partner with Service and other functions to review field‑performance and warranty data, identify supplier‑related trends, and drive appropriate investigations and corrective actions.
• Analyze non‑conformance, scrap, rework, warranty, and operational data to identify opportunities to reduce defects and Cost of Poor Quality.
• Participate in cross‑functional forums to support timely decisions and resolution of supplier‑related issues.

What You Will Have

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Materials Engineering, or another related technical field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 5 or more years of relevant experience in Supplier Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering, Design Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in medical devices, automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, or another highly regulated or quality‑critical manufacturing environment where disciplined process controls, product and process qualification, traceability, and timely issue resolution are required.
• Hands‑on experience investigating manufacturing, component, process, or supplier‑quality issues and coordinating rapid containment to protect production and customers.
• Practical experience with PPAP, APQP, or comparable product and process qualification methodologies used to establish supplier readiness and production capability.
• Working knowledge of supplier and manufacturing quality tools, including PFMEA/FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, MSA and Gauge R&R, process capability, Cpk/Ppk, First Article Inspection, process validation, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventive action.
• Experience working in fast‑moving manufacturing environments where supplier issues may require immediate containment, cross‑functional coordination, clear escalation, and timely corrective action.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, inspection requirements, and technical documentation.
• Experience working directly with suppliers and cross‑functional teams to resolve technical, manufacturing, and quality issues.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple supplier investigations, corrective actions, and improvement activities.
• Willingness to travel to supplier locations domestically and internationally approximately 30-40%, including occasional travel on short notice.
• Ability to work onsite in Palo Alto, California.

What Will Set You Apart

• Direct technical supplier‑quality or manufacturing engineering experience in automotive, medical devices, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, or another industry with rigorous supplier qualification and process‑control requirements.
• Experience applying PPAP and APQP in a production environment, including supplier readiness, process qualification, Control Plans, PFMEA, MSA, capability studies, and production‑part approval.
• Experience working in an environment where speed of response is critical, including line‑down situations, supplier escapes, production interruptions, field issues, or urgent containment activities.
• Ability to balance speed with quality‑system discipline, ensuring that immediate containment is followed by evidence‑based root cause analysis and sustainable corrective action.
• Experience leading regulatory and technical/for‑cause supplier audits, process audits, or supplier assessments.
• Experience supporting New Product Introduction, design transfer, supplier selection and qualification, production ramp‑up, or product and process changes.
• Knowledge of standards such as ISO 13485, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, VDA 6.3, AS9100, or other relevant industry‑specific quality standards.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Design for Manufacturability, and continuous‑improvement methodologies.
• Experience analyzing quality and operational data using Excel, Power BI, Minitab, or another statistical or visualization tool.
• Familiarity with electronic Quality Management Systems and ERP systems. SAP experience is preferred.
• Experience with SCARs, non‑conforming material processes, Material Review Boards, Qnotes, Supplier Change Notifications, or equivalent quality processes.
• A relevant certification, such as Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, or ISO Lead Auditor certification.

The Qualities That Will Help You Succeed

You bring the discipline of a highly controlled manufacturing environment and the ability to move quickly when quality or supply issues threaten production. You understand that immediate containment and operational recovery must be followed by rigorous root cause analysis, effective corrective action, and verification that the issue will not recur. You are comfortable challenging suppliers, reviewing objective evidence, and making sound decisions based on risk and data. Whether your background is in medical devices, automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, or another quality‑critical industry, you know how to combine structured quality methods with the urgency required in a fast‑moving manufacturing operation. You enjoy working directly with products, manufacturing processes, and suppliers. You build constructive supplier relationships while maintaining clear expectations around quality, responsiveness, and accountability.

Why Join Us?

Solve meaningful supplier and manufacturing challenges. Work directly with suppliers in the United States and internationally. Gain experience across incoming inspection, manufacturing, installation, and field service. Contribute to new healthcare technologies and product introductions. Develop your expertise in supplier development, auditing, process control, and quality improvement. See the direct impact of your work on product quality, customer experience, operational performance, and patient care. Grow within a global medical‑technology organization while collaborating with experienced technical and quality professionals.

Compensation

The base pay range for this position is: $115,980 - $159,478. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate. If this is a commission eligible position the commission eligibility will be in accordance with the terms of the Company's plan. Commissions are based on individual performance and/or company performance.

Benefits

• medical insurance
• dental insurance
• vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• life insurance