Supplier Technical Assistance Engineer

Lincoln Motor Company; Allen Park (MI); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Parental leave & backup child care

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Holidays & time off

Job summary

Ford Motor Company in Michigan seeks a degreed engineer with manufacturing and quality background to manage supplier quality for mod centers, collaborating with senior leaders across customization, purchasing and plant teams.

You will lead APQP/PPAP activities, PFMEA, QR/PPM improvements, containment of issues, and support industrialization, DIO/QOS initiatives. Travel up to 30% to supplier sites. This role is hybrid with onsite four or more days per week.

Qualifications

• BS in Engineering or related field.
• 2-5 years of supplier manufacturing experience.
• 2-5 years of assembly/component plant manufacturing experience.
• 2-5 years proficiency in at least one automotive discipline (body exterior, body interior, chassis, electrical, or powertrain).
• Fluent in English.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier quality improvement to reduce QR/PPM and improve mod center supplier quality.
• Containment and resolution of quality issues, manage stop-ship, root cause analysis for prevention.
• Act as plant liaison between PVT, STA, and plant leadership on supplier quality issues.
• Develop and implement STA deliverables, industrialization plans, and supplier quality systems (mod centers, PFMEA, Control Plans, PPAP).
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Support APQP, PFMEA, Process Control Plans, and PPAP reviews.

Skills

Supplier quality

Quality improvement

Root cause analysis

APQP/PPAP

PFMEA

Process control plans

Education

BS in Engineering

MS in Engineering

Job description

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters. Our Marketing, Sales & Service organization advances the Ford reputation as a visionary vehicle and mobility services company and helps deliver a trusted customer experience. Use your marketing, sales and service expertise to turn data-driven insights into innovative solutions that enhance sales and customer loyalty. Join us and be the eyes, ears and voice of Ford.

In this position

We are looking for a degreed engineer with prior manufacturing experience and a strong quality background that has the ability to build strong relationships with supplier partners for success. There will be significant collaboration with senior leaders in the Ford Customization, purchasing, assembly plant teams. The position requires excellent verbal and written communication skills and a passion for teamwork and collaboration. Ideal candidates for this position will have prior experience managing automotive suppliers for an OEM or experience supporting a supplier manufacturing site as a supplier engineer. Candidates are needed who have specific experience in automotive manufacturing, with the ability to travel.

What You’ll Do

• Supplier Quality Improvement: The primary focus is on improving mod center supplier quality and reducing quality rejects (QRs). This involves leading process improvements, analyzing warranty concerns, and ensuring data accuracy related to QR/PPM.
• Containment and Problem Resolution: A significant part of the role involves containing quality issues arising from suppliers, managing stop-ship situations, and supporting root cause analysis for prevent reoccurrences that lead to enhanced launch process improvements.
• Plant Liaison: The STA Engineer acts as a bridge between the plant vehicle team (PVT), STA, and plant leadership, providing updates on supplier-related quality issues and participate in quality meetings.
• Technical Support and Development: The role includes developing and implementing STA deliverables, industrialization plans, and quality systems for suppliers, particularly those involved in modification centers(“mod centers”).
• Collaboration and Communication: The position requires strong collaboration and effective communication with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• QR (Quality Reject) performance improvement: This is a core metric the role aims to improve.
• Stop Ship: Managing situations where shipments are halted due to quality concerns.
• Standardized Mod Center PPAP requirements, Review and approve mod center PPAP for both VP and FCS content: PFMEA, Process Control Plans
• APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning): Developing manufacturing APQP.
• DIO (Dealer Invoiced Option): DIO wheel program / Support for FAD processes, QOS best practices, APQP support.
• FCG (Ford Custom Garage): Support initiative in 3rd party post gate release upfitter, collaborate to develop and establish quality system/processes.

Minimum

• BS in Engineering or related field.
• 2-5 years of experience with supplier manufacturing
• 2-5 Years - Assembly/Component plant manufacturing experience
• 2-5 Years - Proficiency with at least one of the automotive disciplines (body exterior, body interior, chassis, electrical, or powertrain).
• Fluent in English
• Strong communication and relationship building skills
• Ability to travel up to 30%

Preferred

• MS in engineering
• 5-10 years of manufacturing experience in or with the automotive supply base
• Prior experience leading manufacturing feasibility assessments
• Prior experience leading industrialization projects
• Prior experience in the Lean manufacturing disciplines (e.g. Bill of Process, capacity planning, design to target, etc.)
• Knowledge of problem-solving quality skills preferred-black belt

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a range of salary grades 7-8 and ranges from $84,480-$166,200.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.