Supplier Quality Engineer III

Job Description

Job Description

Supplier Quality Engineer III

Location: Orchard Park, NY
Job Type: Direct Hire / Permanent
Salary: $83,000–$124,000/year
Schedule: 1st Shift / Standard Business Hours
Travel: Up to 50%
Work Arrangement: Onsite when not traveling; limited flexibility may be available in special circumstances

Position Overview

We are seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer III to lead supplier quality and development activities for a growing manufacturing organization. This position will have significant interaction with external suppliers and will focus on improving supplier performance, resolving manufacturing and quality issues, and ensuring suppliers consistently meet quality and production requirements.

The ideal candidate will bring strong supplier-facing quality experience , along with hands-on knowledge of CNC machining and precision manufacturing processes . This is a highly interactive role requiring regular supplier visits, audits, technical problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and perform supplier quality audits and assessments .
• Develop and improve supplier capabilities, processes, and quality performance.
• Manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) and drive issues through root cause and corrective action.
• Lead or support RCCA, 8D, and other structured problem-solving activities .
• Investigate supplier process issues, manufacturing variation, material substitutions, and measurement discrepancies.
• Support MRB activities and disposition of supplier-related quality issues.
• Review and approve First Article Inspection (FAI) documentation.
• Manage and maintain the Approved Supplier List (ASL) .
• Monitor supplier performance through supplier scorecards and quality metrics .
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement, and suppliers to resolve technical issues.
• Evaluate supplier manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Review inspection methods, manufacturing documentation, drawings, and quality requirements.
• Apply knowledge of CNC machining, precision manufacturing, inspection, and GD&T when evaluating supplier processes and capabilities.
• Travel to supplier facilities for audits, development activities, problem resolution, and process reviews.

Required / Preferred Qualifications:

Must-Have Experience:

• Strong supplier-facing quality experience .
• Experience conducting supplier audits or supplier assessments .
• Experience with supplier development and supplier performance improvement .
• Strong knowledge of CNC machining and/or precision manufacturing processes .
• Experience driving corrective actions and root-cause investigations .
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and manufacturing/inspection documentation.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work directly with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% .

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related technical field.
• AS9100 experience.
• SCAR, RCCA, 8D, NCR/NCMR experience.
• FAI / First Article Inspection experience.
• MRB experience.
• Supplier scorecard/performance management experience.
• Knowledge of GD&T, inspection, and metrology .
• Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience.
• Lead Auditor or CQE certification.

Education Flexibility: Candidates without a bachelor's degree may be considered with approximately 15–20+ years of highly relevant supplier quality/manufacturing experience .

Additional Requirements:

• U.S. Person required.
• No security clearance required.
• Must be comfortable working onsite when not traveling.
• Must be comfortable with regional supplier travel, including day trips, short overnights, and occasional multi-day travel.

Ideal Background:

The strongest candidates will typically have a background such as:

Supplier Quality Engineer → Supplier Development → CNC/Machining → Supplier Audits → SCAR/RCCA/8D → GD&T/Inspection.

Candidates with titles such as Supplier Development Engineer, Supplier Manufacturing Engineer, Vendor Quality Engineer, Manufacturing Quality Engineer, or Quality Engineer may also be a strong fit if they have substantial supplier-facing responsibilities.