Principal Aerospace Supplier Quality Engineer

About the role

At Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems (SES) division, we believe in the power of using strong engineering principles to drive innovation and solve complex problems. We foster a culture of rigorous engineering and continuous improvement, leveraging the full knowledge of our organization through collaborative product development processes that include design and peer reviews.

The Principal Aerospace Supplier Quality Engineer plays a crucial role in ensuring that all suppliers meet our high standards for quality and compliance. This position involves working closely with suppliers, as well as internal engineering and quality teams, to establish strong quality benchmarks, enhance supplier performance, and foster continuous improvement throughout the supply chain.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and uphold supplier quality standards to ensure alignment with company policies, regulatory mandates, and industry norms.
• Conduct thorough supplier audits, which include initial qualification assessments and regular follow-up inspections, to evaluate and enhance supplier quality systems.
• Drive root cause analysis and implement corrective actions in collaboration with suppliers to effectively address quality issues and prevent future occurrences.
• Work hand in hand with suppliers on quality improvement initiatives, guiding them to create processes that meet our company’s standards.
• Review and approve supplier-issued Certificates of Conformance (CoC) to confirm compliance with specified requirements.
• Lead cross-functional teams in assessing supplier risks, monitoring quality, and qualifying both new and existing suppliers.
• Provide technical support to suppliers for quality-related challenges, ensuring consistent processes and quality outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams—such as engineering, procurement, and quality assurance—to align our supplier quality management strategies with the broader goals of the company.
• Establish and communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess supplier performance and take action to implement necessary improvement strategies as needed.
• Potentially travel up to 5% - 10% to supplier locations for audits.

Qualifications

Required qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, quality, or related field (or equivalent experience / combined education) and 12+ years of related experience OR 10+ years with a graduate degree (OR 16+ years in lieu of a degree). Experience in supplier quality engineering, quality assurance, or a related field, preferably in a regulated industry (e.g., aerospace, automotive, medical devices) is also required.

Preferred qualifications include Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Six Sigma certifications and Quality Assurance experience in a regulated field (e.g., aerospace, automotive, medical devices), as well as working knowledge of quality systems (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100), statistical process control, root cause analysis, and risk management methodologies.

Pay

The full-time salary range for this position is $95,000 - $176,000. Actual compensation offered will be determined based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, internal equity, business considerations, and geographic location where applicable.

Benefits

• Health benefits
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Basic life with AD&D
• Short term disability
• Long term disability
• Ancillary (Voluntary life with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet)
• Spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCFSA)
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• 401(k) (including company match)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Leaves (Parental, maternity, and military)
• Annual discretionary bonus (for eligible roles)