Supplier Engineer - Mechanical

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary technical interface for mechanical suppliers, supporting precision machined parts, fabricated components, and mechanical subassemblies.
• Review and influence part designs for manufacturability, inspectability, and robustness in collaboration with internal design engineering.
• Support supplier selection, onboarding, and technical qualification activities.
• Evaluate supplier manufacturing processes for capability, repeatability, and risk, particularly in low-volume, high-complexity environments.
• Support development and refinement of manufacturing processes, fixturing, and inspection strategies at supplier sites.
• Apply PFMEA, control planning, and process capability concepts as part of engineering risk management.
• Lead or support root cause investigations for supplier manufacturing issues, nonconformances, and escapes.
• Drive corrective actions that address true technical and process root causes, not just symptoms.
• Analyze supplier performance data and drive targeted improvement initiatives.
• Partner closely with Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality to ensure smooth transitions from design to production.
• Support new supplier introductions and engineering changes from concept through stable production.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, supplier engineering, or a closely related role.
• Strong understanding of precision manufacturing processes (e.g., machining, castings, fabrication, assemblies, paint, plating).
• Able to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Hands-on experience with root cause analysis and process improvement.
• Effective communication skills and ability to work directly with suppliers; experience supporting suppliers in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of PFMEA, SPC, Lean, or Six Sigma tools a plus.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 or similar quality systems (as applied to manufacturing).
• Experience working with global or distributed supply bases preferred.
• Ability to travel to suppliers or partner sites, if required.
• Communicating and influencing skills that foster collaborative problem-solving across functions.
• Flexible and able to pivot with changing priorities.