Supplier Quality Engineer

Job Type


Full-time

Description

Since 1948, Follett Products, LLC, has led the industry in designing and manufacturing high-quality, innovative ice storage bins, ice storage and transport systems, ice machines, ice and water dispensers, ice and beverage dispensers, and medical-grade refrigerators and freezers for the food service and healthcare industries.

Follett currently has an opportunity for a Supplier Quality Engineer to join our team!

Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off; paid holidays; retirement plan with company match, bonus opportunity, and much more.

The Supplier Quality Engineer ensures that purchased parts meet Follett's quality, regulatory, and performance requirements. The role qualifies new parts and suppliers for product launches, manages supplier nonconformances through to verified corrective action, and drives continuous improvement across the supply base.

The position works cross-functionally, partnering with the Purchasing, Product Design, Industrial Engineering, and Manufacturing teams, and serves as the primary quality contact for assigned suppliers. This role also uses supplier performance data to prioritize development activities and to inform sourcing decisions.

Essential Functions:

New Part & Supplier Qualification

• Lead the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) and first article inspection (FAI) for new and revised purchased parts. Review submissions for completeness and accuracy, and approve, conditionally approve, or reject them.

• Participate in product development stage gates to ensure purchased part quality requirements, critical characteristics, and supplier readiness are defined and met before launch.

• Partner with Product Design to review drawings and specifications for clarity, measurability, and supplier manufacturability, and to identify critical-to-quality characteristics.

• Review supplier process flow diagrams, process FMEAs, and control plans to confirm that risks are identified and adequately controlled.

• Evaluate supplier-initiated changes to process, material, tooling, sub-tier source, or location, and determine requalification requirements before approval.

Nonconformance & Corrective Action
• Investigate purchased part nonconformances identified at receiving inspection, in production, or in the field. Determine containment actions and disposition through the Material Review Board (MRB) process.

• Issue Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) and guide suppliers through structured problem solving such as 8D, 5 Why, and Ishikawa analysis.

• Evaluate supplier root cause and corrective action responses for adequacy and verify effectiveness before closure.

• Partner with Purchasing to recover costs associated with supplier-caused nonconformances.

• Support CAPA and warranty investigations facilitated by the Quality function where purchased components are a suspected cause.

Receiving Inspection
• Define receiving inspection requirements, sampling plans, and inspection instructions for purchased parts based on part risk and supplier performance.

• Establish criteria for increasing or reducing inspection levels and support the dock-to-stock process.

• Provide technical guidance to receiving inspection personnel on measurement methods, gauging, and interpretation of drawings and GD&T.

Supplier Development & Audits
• Plan and conduct supplier quality system and process audits for new supplier approval and for ongoing surveillance of existing suppliers.

• Partner with Purchasing to evaluate the quality capability of prospective suppliers during supplier selection.

• Lead improvement projects with suppliers to reduce defects, improve process capability, and strengthen process controls.

• Verify that suppliers maintain required certifications and compliance documentation (e.g., ISO 9001, UL component recognition, NSF material requirements, RoHS).



Supplier Performance Management
• Maintain supplier quality metrics such as defect rate (PPM), SCAR responsiveness, and cost of poor quality, and publish supplier scorecards on a regular cadence.

• Use performance data to identify and prioritize underperforming suppliers and present findings in supplier business reviews.

• Maintain the supplier quality records within the Quality Management System.

• Develop and maintain supplier quality procedures, the supplier quality manual, and related work instructions.

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in Supplier Quality Engineering, Quality Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering within a manufacturing environment.

• Demonstrated experience reviewing and approving PPAP submissions and leading supplier corrective actions to closure.

• Experience with purchased components typical of commercial food service equipment, appliance, HVAC/R, automotive, or a comparable industry (e.g., sheet metal fabrications, castings, plastic moldings, wire harnesses, and electromechanical components) is strongly preferred.

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) preferred.

Technical Knowledge & Skills
• Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) and First Article Inspection (FAI)

• Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Product Development Stage Gate Process

• Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) and Control Plans

• Structured Problem-Solving Methods (e.g., 8D, 5 Why, Ishikawa, fault tree analysis)

• Engineering Drawing Interpretation and Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)

• Measurement and Inspection Methods (e.g., hand gauges, height gauges, CMM, measurement systems analysis)

• Applied Statistics Tools (e.g., statistical process control, process capability analysis, acceptance sampling)

• Quality System Auditing (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 19011)

• Standards and Compliance (e.g., UL, NSF, RoHS)

• Statistical Analysis Software (e.g., Minitab) and ERP/QMS Systems

Professional Competencies
• Ability to influence suppliers and internal stakeholders to act on quality issues without formal authority.

• Sound, fact-based judgment when dispositioning nonconforming material and accepting or rejecting supplier submissions, balanced against production schedule and business risk.

• Clear technical writing, with the ability to produce audit reports, SCARs, and inspection instructions that suppliers and inspectors can act on.

• Ability to manage multiple suppliers, launches, and open corrective actions concurrently.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Self-motivated with excellent organizational and time management skills.

• Detail-oriented with excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:


• Regular presence on the manufacturing floor and in receiving inspection areas. Compliance with all personal protective equipment requirements is mandatory.

• Regular work in supplier manufacturing facilities, which may involve exposure to noise, heat, and industrial equipment.

• Extended periods of computer-based work including data analysis, technical writing, and documentation review.

• Frequent standing, walking, bending, and reaching while inspecting parts, conducting audits, and supporting investigations.

• Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds occasionally.

• Visual acuity sufficient to read measurement equipment, inspect components, and interpret engineering drawings.

• Occasional work outside standard business hours to support production issues, supplier containment, and suppliers in other time zones.

Travel Requirements:


• Travel is estimated at 20-30% annually.

• Travel between Follett business locations.

• Travel to attend meetings or training outside the company as requested.

• Supplier facility visits to conduct audits, support part qualification, and lead on-site containment and corrective action.

• Occasional international travel to support global suppliers.

If you meet the position's qualifications and are looking for an exciting and challenging career with growth opportunities, then Follett is the place for you. Follett Products, LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EOE/M/F/Vets/Disabled) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.