Senior Supplier Quality Engineer

For more than a decade, Design West Technologies Inc. has served as a trusted partner to the Department of Defense (DoD), delivering mission-critical design engineering and rugged manufacturing solutions that protect our nation's warfighters. As we enter our next chapter, we are blending our deep-rooted defense heritage with a start-up culture designed to take advantage of the current DoD landscape.

About the role

We are seeking an ambitious, forward-thinking Sr. Supplier Quality Engineer to champion this cultural evolution and serve as a primary liaison between our agile, non-traditional engineering environment and the rigorous quality standards required by the Department of Defense (DoD). In this high-impact role, you will own the supplier quality lifecycle for our mechanical and electrical product lines. You will be responsible for executing the "heavy lift" of establishing robust supplier quality processes, auditing vendors, resolving complex quality escapes, and ensuring our supply chain seamlessly meets defense flow-down requirements.

Responsibilities

• Supplier Compliance & DoD Requirement
  • Ensure suppliers comply with AS9100D / ISO 9001 quality management standards and specific DoD regulations.
  • Manage and enforce DFARS compliance throughout the supply chain (e.g., specialty metals, counterfeit electronic part prevention like AS5553).
  • Coordinate with DCMA representatives for source inspections and government-furnished property evaluations at supplier facilities.
• Supplier Quality Performance
  • Establish, monitor, and report on Supplier Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including defect rates (DPPM) and On-Time Delivery (OTD).
  • Issue, track, and drive Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) to closure using robust root-cause analysis tools (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone).
  • Conduct hands-on troubleshooting and technical support with underperforming mechanical and electrical suppliers to remediate quality issues.
• Auditing, Qualification, & Onboarding
  • Lead technical and quality system audits of new and existing suppliers (both mechanical machine shops and electronics/PCBA manufacturers).
  • Maintain the Approved Supplier List (ASL) and risk-rate the supply chain to proactively mitigate bottlenecks or quality failures.
  • Collaborate with Engineering and Procurement to source and qualify alternative components or vendors.
• Product Acceptance & NPI (New Product Introduction)
  • Oversee and validate First Article Inspections (FAIs) per AS9102 standards for complex assemblies.
  • Define incoming inspection criteria, sampling plans, and testing requirements for electro-mechanical parts.
  • Review supplier manufacturing processes (PFMEAs, Control Plans) to ensure design intent and quality controls are robust before full-rate production.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in Supplier Quality Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering within a defense, aerospace, or space environment.
• Deep understanding of AS9100 / ISO 9001 quality management systems.
• Strong blueprint reading skills and expertise in GD&T and Mechanical Inspections.
• Familiarity with IPC standards for electronics (e.g., IPC-A-610, IPC-A-600) and mechanical inspection methods.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and Quality Management Software (QMS).
• Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) or Lead Auditor certification is highly desired.
• Ability to travel up to 60% to visit our supplier manufacturing sites.
• Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident) due to ITAR/EAR regulations.