SQE

Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market-leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world. A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment.

About the role

The Supplier Quality Engineer will be based in Austin, Texas and responsible for supplier development in a manufacturing or service process. This role involves working with suppliers to continuously improve performance, implement process controls, and develop quality assurance plans.

Responsibilities

• Supplier Selection: Select suitable suppliers in collaboration with sourcing, evaluating quality, capability, pricing, delivery, environmental, and social regulation compliance against customer requirements.
• Supplier Qualification: Implement new supplier qualification through capability matching, risk assessment, self-assessment, onsite audits, and qualification database management.
• Value-Added Engineering Activity (VEA): Understand customer drawings and specifications to provide value-added engineering proposals for optimizing supplier manufacturing processes or products.
• Material (Component) Qualification: Implement PPAP (Production Part Approval Process), including FAI (First Article Inspection), Material Certificates, Quality/Process Control Plan, FMEA, MSA, Process Parameter Sheet, RoHS compliance, Reliability Test, and COC.
• Pilot Run Tracking: Track the quality performance of newly qualified parts to ensure they meet customer requirements during the pilot run phase. Drive supplier corrective actions and transition smoothly to mass production.
• Hot Issue Solution and Troubleshooting: Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to resolve supplier quality issues and provide troubleshooting support.
• Maintenance Audit: Assist in annual maintenance audits for existing suppliers with the Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE).
• Supplier Continuous Improvement Program (CIP): Help suppliers use quality tools to improve manufacturing processes and product quality.
• ECO/ECN/SCR Implementation: Handle Engineering Change Orders (ECO), Engineering Change Notices (ECN), and Supplier Change Requests (SCR) from customers, ensuring PPAP/FAI is completed prior to production if required.
• Perform quality audits on suppliers to ensure compliance with ISO and regulatory standards.
• Build strong relationships with purchasing engineers and suppliers to maintain robust supplier systems and relationships.
• Provide cross-functional support to select, approve, and develop suppliers to meet customer and business needs.
• Ensure supplier selection, development, approval, and rejection align with vendor guidelines and requirements.
• Drive full assessments of supplier process control plans, measures, and activities for effectiveness.
• Use statistical techniques and professional judgment to research data for process improvement.
• Develop and guide execution of process validations and tests; analyze and document results (protocols/reports).
• Guide supplier process capability studies and construct Design of Experiments (DOE) to characterize processes or identify root causes.
• Develop and implement procedures for new and/or improved supplier processes.
• Provide engineering support to Receiving Inspection, including statistical research, measurement systems analysis, Gage R&R studies, and inspection procedures.
• Participate in Material Review Board resolutions for supplier-provided parts and services.
• Participate in supplier Quality System Improvement Plans.
• Guide the Supplier Requests for Change process.
• Perform supplier Quality System audits and corrective/preventive actions.
• Research non-conformances and supplier performance for key performance indicators.
• Perform dock-to-stock monitoring and part selection activities.
• Provide guidance to project teams on supplied component and supplier qualifications.
• Guide teams in identifying risks/hazards related to new product designs, processes, suppliers, and applications.
• Operate job-related equipment skillfully and safely.
• Rate and track supplier performance to drive continuous improvement.
• Establish and maintain supplier management processes and tools.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Typically requires 4 years of experience in engineering within the high technology electronics industry or a related field.
• Experience with the following tools may be required:
  • Electronic Assembly: color code, component, schematics, and various PCB operations.
  • Testing: oscilloscope, cable and harness testing, troubleshooting, component testing, logic analyzer.
  • Inspection: bare board, systems, components, cable and harness, microscope, measuring tools.
  • Mechanical & Electrical Tools: taps and dies, alignment tools, measuring tools.
• Demonstrates advanced functional and technical skills, as well as basic process skills.