Supplier Quality Engineer

Supplier Quality & Industrialization Engineer

The Supplier Quality & Industrialization Engineer drives supplier performance, product and project quality, manufacturing oversight, and operational excellence across complex engineering and industrial programs. This role serves as a key liaison between Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Suppliers, and Customers to ensure products are delivered on time, meet quality requirements, and remain within budget. The engineer leads supplier quality initiatives, oversees supply chain performance, manages non-conformances, supports manufacturing activities at supplier facilities, and implements continuous improvement programs to enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. The position requires up to 70% domestic and occasional international travel to supplier, customer, and manufacturing locations.

Responsibilities:

• Lead supplier quality initiatives to ensure consistent delivery of conforming products and services.
• Drive supplier performance improvement across complex engineering and industrial projects.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Suppliers, and Customers to align expectations and resolve issues.
• Oversee supply chain quality performance and address non-conformances in a timely and structured manner.
• Manage and support non-conformance investigations, root cause analysis, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Support manufacturing activities at supplier facilities by providing on-site quality and industrialization oversight.
• Conduct supplier qualification activities, including capability assessments and audits, to ensure compliance with quality and manufacturing requirements.
• Audit supplier capabilities and processes, including adherence to ISO 9001 and other applicable quality standards.
• Develop and qualify aerospace suppliers, ensuring they meet technical, quality, and industrialization requirements.
• Review and approve supplier quality documentation, including quality plans, inspection records, and compliance documentation.
• Support tooling projects through active supplier engagement, ensuring tooling is designed, manufactured, and validated to meet specifications.
• Identify and evaluate new machining, welding, fabrication, and mechanical assembly suppliers to strengthen the supply base.
• Monitor and report on supplier quality performance, driving continuous improvement initiatives where needed.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure products are delivered on time, on quality, and within budget.
• Implement and support continuous improvement programs at supplier sites to enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Travel to supplier locations and customer facilities as needed, including up to 70% domestic travel and occasional international travel.

Essential Skills:

• Proven aerospace supplier quality experience with a focus on machining and manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on supplier qualification and audit experience, including assessment of capabilities and compliance.
• Strong understanding of machining, welding, fabrication, and mechanical assembly operations.
• Knowledge of quality documentation and compliance requirements, including preparation, review, and approval of supplier quality records.
• Experience in industrialization and manufacturing, including bringing products and processes from development into production.
• Ability to manage supplier quality performance, including non-conformance management and corrective action follow-up.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 and related quality management system principles.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 70% domestically, with occasional international travel to supplier, customer, and manufacturing locations.
• Capability to work effectively as a liaison between Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Suppliers, and Customers.
• Preference for candidates with machining and manufacturing exposure rather than purely avionics or electronics supplier quality backgrounds.

Additional Skills & Qualifications:

• Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) or equivalent certification is preferred but not mandatory.
• Supply chain and logistics experience, particularly in managing supplier performance and flow of materials, is highly desirable.
• Experience managing supplier networks and tiered supply bases, including coordination across multiple suppliers and sub-tiers.
• Experience in aerospace manufacturing or industrial projects with complex supplier ecosystems.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills applied in a supplier quality context.
• Effective communication and relationship-building skills to influence suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to support tooling projects and industrialization activities through close collaboration with suppliers.

Work Environment:

This role operates in a dynamic, project-driven environment that involves frequent interaction with suppliers, customers, and internal cross-functional teams. The position requires up to 70% domestic travel and occasional international travel to supplier, customer, and manufacturing locations, where you will spend significant time on shop floors, in production areas, and within supplier quality and manufacturing facilities. You will work closely with machining, welding, fabrication, and mechanical assembly operations, reviewing processes, tooling, and quality documentation. The work involves applying ISO 9001 and related quality management system practices in real-world manufacturing environments. Office-based work will focus on planning, documentation review, performance analysis, and coordination with Operations, Engineering, and Procurement. The environment emphasizes continuous improvement, operational excellence, and close collaboration across the supply chain to ensure high-quality, on-time, and cost-effective delivery of aerospace products.

Job Type & Location:

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Mobile, AL.

Pay and Benefits:

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)