Manager, Supplier Development and Quality

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier development activities in collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and strategic sourcing to ensure suppliers are capable of meeting quality, technical, and schedule requirements for development and production programs.
• Evaluate, qualify, and approve suppliers based on quality systems, technical capability, reliability, risk, and cost, building a resilient and scalable supplier base to support Castelion's rapid development and production cadence.
• Define and manage supplier quality requirements, including audits, qualifications, AS9102 FAIRs, certifications, and ongoing compliance to aerospace and company standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to drive supplier performance improvements in quality, delivery, cost, and service while identifying and mitigating supply chain and compliance risks.
• Support contract reviews and negotiations by ensuring quality, technical, and regulatory requirements are clearly defined, achievable, and enforceable with suppliers.
• Facilitate design-for-manufacturability and design-for-quality reviews with engineering and suppliers to proactively reduce risk and improve producibility.
• Partner with engineering and operations to address nonconforming material, supplier escapes, and rejected hardware through root cause analysis and corrective action, with a focus on prevention and continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain supplier performance metrics, reporting regularly to stakeholders on quality trends, risks, and critical issues.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships through regular engagement, performance reviews, and development plans.
• Ensure supplier compliance with company policies, quality management systems, and applicable customer, industry, and government regulations.

Basic Qualifications

• Educational Background: Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• Technical Proficiency: 6+ years of experience working in a related field, program, or project
• Aerospace Quality Systems: Experience operating within AS9100-compliant environments, including supplier qualification, audits, AS9102 FAIRs, corrective actions, and ongoing supplier compliance.
• Manufacturing & Technical Expertise: Broad knowledge of aerospace manufacturing processes and suppliers, including machined parts, composites, chemicals, and avionics and their relevant specifications, typical customer requirements, and certifications.
• Supplier Development & Analytics: Strong root cause and corrective action capability using structured problem-solving methods (e.g., 8D, Six Sigma, Lean), supported by data-driven analysis in Excel, SQL, or similar tools.
• Business & Quality Systems: Familiarity with ERP, MRP, and Quality Management Systems to manage supplier data, nonconformances, and documentation accuracy.
• Security Clearance: Active U.S. Government security clearance or the ability to obtain one.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to put in extended hours, including evenings and weekends, when required to meet aggressive timelines
• This role is based in Torrance, CA and requires full-time onsite presence