Supplier Quality Engineer

Global Power Components
Milwaukee, WI

Title: Supplier Quality Engineer

Company: Global Power Components – www.globalpowercomponents.com

Location: Milwaukee, WI (onsite 5-days/week)

Hire Type: Direct Hire

Reports To: Quality Director


Overview:

Are you enthusiastic about Supplier Quality working in collaboration with Suppliers, Internal Production & Purchasing/Supply Chain? Global Power Components is seeking a dynamic individual to join our Quality Assurance department. As a Supplier Quality Engineer, you will be crucial in ensuring smooth operations with minimum/no Quality escape from suppliers by utilizing process-based thinking and risk mitigation strategies.


Responsibilities:

  • Receiving Inspection: Develop and implement a robust Receiving Inspection plan based on supplier quality performance, Part/Process criticality, and risks. Utilize training and implementation of statistical sampling plans as needed.
  • Supplier Audits & Qualifications: Lead on-site audits and evaluate suppliers on their manufacturing and supporting processes to ensure adherence to ISO 9001 quality standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Supplier Performance Monitoring: Review and implement a robust supplier performance monitoring process (working with Purchasing), analyze the trend on Quality escapes from suppliers and recommend improvement plan for supplier development to improve the Quality performance.
  • Problem Solving: Collaborate with suppliers to investigate and resolve Quality issues, supporting corrective actions to prevent recurrence. Lead the resolution of complex quality issues, utilizing advanced problem-solving tools to identify root causes and implement effective preventative measures (Design and Process improvements, Implementation of best practices and others).
  • Supplier Quality Parts Per Million (PPM)/Defects per Unit (DPU) improvement: Provide quality support for operations, working closely with production teams to address quality-related issues and drive continuous improvement (Formalize Data collection on supplier defects found in Production, Develop and implement Supplier PPM/DPU improvement)
  • Supplier Process Validation: Lead supplier process validation activities such as FAI (First Article Inspection)/PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) and Gage R&R to drive APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) and ensure product consistency.
  • Industry Trends & Innovation: Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies, make improvement recommendations to leadership based on new insights.
  • Compliance: Understand and comply with all applicable company policies and rules.


Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a similar technical field with 5 years of experience in quality engineering focusing on supplier quality within the manufacturing industry OR associate degree from technical college with 10 years of experience.
  • Knowledge of quality tools such as APQP, FMEA, Control Plan, Gage R&R, CTQ, SPC, 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone Analysis, Pareto, and control charts are a plus.
  • Experience in Sheet Metal Fabrication, Welding, Paint and Electrical/Mechanical Assembly processes is a plus.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications and Data analysis tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Minitab, Power BI or similar); Experience with ERP systems (e.g., Epicor) and SharePoint is a plus.
  • Certification (CQE, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt) is a plus.
  • Fluent in English, additional languages like Spanish an advantage.
  • Strong people skills to establish meaningful relationships built on mutual trust and respect, navigate and resolve conflict, moderate behaviors, and foster collaborative working relationships amongst a diverse audience.
  • Effective communication skills (written, verbal, listening, and presentation). Able to consult with key stakeholders outside the quality function in technical role.
  • Estimated travel to supplier locations: 20-25%