Supplier Quality Engineer Sr. - 42135

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary quality contact for assigned ODM, JDM, EMS, and component suppliers.
• Lead and participate in weekly ODM/JDM project calls and synchronization meetings with suppliers and ADTRAN R&D teams.
• Cook with internal manufacturing, regarding quality performance, trends, corrective actions, and continuous improvement activities.
• Cover monthly supplier quality review meetings to evaluate supplier performance metrics, corrective action status, field quality trends, and improvement initiatives.
• Devises and implements methods and procedures for inspecting, testing, and evaluating the precision, reliability, and accuracy of supplier products and manufacturing processes.
• Perform incoming material inspections, product compliance audits, and component evaluations to ensure conformance to specifications and quality requirements.
• Define and maintain IQC plan for assembly/parts with local IQC folks based on quality level and trend from certain suppliers, drive for balance of quality risk mitigation and inspection efficiency.
• Lead and support First Article Inspection (FAI) activities for new products, engineering changes, and supplier transfers, including resolution of identified issues.
• Ensure project and process control documentation complies with internal, customer, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
• Manage nonconforming material reports (NMRs), including investigation, disposition, containment, and closure of quality issues in a timely manner.
• Analyze defect trends and quality data to identify systemic issues and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Generate, manage, and track Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) from issuance through closure.
• Lead 8D/SCAR review meetings with suppliers and internal stakeholders and verify effectiveness of implemented corrective actions.
• Responsible for the review of the specification, qualification, and validation of supplier inspection tools, gauges, and measurement systems.
• Participate in design reviews and review/approve Supplier Quality Requirement Plans (Q-Specs), including development of implementation follow-up plans.
• Plan, conduct, and support supplier capability assessments, quality system audits, process audits, and product audits.
• Perform on-site supplier audit activities including reporting, corrective action follow-up, verification, and closure of nonconformances.
• Monitor and control supplier compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, TL 9000, IPC standards, and ADTRAN quality requirements.
• Cook with Quality meetings and other cross-functional quality reviews.
• Work with suppliers to refine and enhance products and processes through continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing principles, and quality system best practices.
• Support data requests and analysis related to field returns, failure rates, supplier performance metrics, warranty trends, and units shipped.
• Prepare quality performance reports, supplier scorecards, management presentations, and trend analyses.
• Support internal audits, environmental management system activities, customer audits, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
• Develop, maintain, and improve quality procedures, work instructions, audit documentation, and process controls.
• Handle process improvement projects at supplier facilities and support special projects as assigned.
• Travel domestically and internationally, as required, to support supplier audits, qualifications, corrective actions, and quality improvement activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 5-8 years of related experience in Supplier Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, Quality Assurance, or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting supplier quality management, supplier assessments, corrective action systems, and supplier development programs.
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations, including SMT, PTH, PCB assembly, and mechanical assembly processes.
• Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC), root cause analysis, corrective action methodologies, quality reporting, and problem-solving techniques.
• Experience managing nonconforming materials and supplier corrective actions.
• Experience conducting supplier audits, process audits, and quality system assessments.
• Experience working with high-mix/low-volume manufacturing environments.
• Working knowledge of IPC workmanship standards, rework methods and techniques, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and TL 9000 quality system requirements.
• Experience with SAP or equivalent ERP systems preferred.
• Intermediate Microsoft Office skills required.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to travel as required.