Sr Supplier Quality Engineer

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Materials Engineering, or another related technical field, or equivalent relevant experience.

• 8-10+ years of relevant experience in Supplier Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Engineering, Design Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in medical devices, automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, or another highly regulated or quality-critical manufacturing environment where disciplined process controls, product and process qualification, traceability, and timely issue resolution are required.

• Hands-on experience investigating manufacturing, component, process, or supplier-quality issues and coordinating rapid containment to protect production and customers.

• Practical experience with PPAP, APQP, or comparable product and process qualification methodologies used to establish supplier readiness and production capability.

• Working knowledge of supplier and manufacturing quality tools, including PFMEA/FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, MSA and Gauge R&R, process capability, Cpk/Ppk, First Article Inspection, process validation, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventive action.

• Experience working in fast-moving manufacturing environments where supplier issues may require immediate containment, cross-functional coordination, clear escalation, and timely corrective action.

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, inspection requirements, and technical documentation.

• Experience working directly with suppliers and cross-functional teams to resolve technical, manufacturing, and quality issues.

• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple supplier investigations, corrective actions, and improvement activities.

• Willingness to travel to supplier locations domestically and internationally approximately 30-40%, including occasional travel on short notice.

• Ability to work onsite in Palo Alto, California.

• Direct technical supplier-quality or manufacturing engineering experience in automotive, medical devices, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, or another industry with rigorous supplier qualification and process-control requirements.

• Experience applying PPAP and APQP in a production environment, including supplier readiness, process qualification, Control Plans, PFMEA, MSA, capability studies, and production-part approval.

• Experience working in an environment where speed of response is critical, including line-down situations, supplier escapes, production interruptions, field issues, or urgent containment activities.

• Ability to balance speed with quality-system discipline, ensuring that immediate containment is followed by evidence-based root cause analysis and sustainable corrective action.

• Experience leading regulatory and technical/for cause supplier audits, process audits, or supplier assessments.

• Experience supporting New Product Introduction, design transfer, supplier selection and qualification, production ramp-up, or product and process changes.

• Knowledge of standards such as ISO 13485, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, VDA 6.3, AS9100, or other relevant industry-specific quality standards.

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Design for Manufacturability, and continuous-improvement methodologies.

• Experience analyzing quality and operational data using Excel, Power BI, Minitab, or another statistical or visualization tool.

• Familiarity with electronic Quality Management Systems and ERP systems. SAP experience is preferred.

• Experience with SCARs, non-conforming material processes, Material Review Boards, Qnotes, Supplier Change Notifications, or equivalent quality processes.

• A relevant certification, such as Certified Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, or ISO Lead Auditor certification.

You bring the discipline of a highly controlled manufacturing environment and the ability to move quickly when quality or supply issues threaten production. You understand that immediate containment and operational recovery must be followed by rigorous root cause analysis, effective corrective action, and verification that the issue will not recur.

You are comfortable challenging suppliers, reviewing objective evidence, and making sound decisions based on risk and data. Whether your background is in medical devices, automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, or another quality-critical industry, you know how to combine structured quality methods with the urgency required in a fast-moving manufacturing operation.

You enjoy working directly with products, manufacturing processes, and suppliers. You build constructive supplier relationships while maintaining clear expectations around quality, responsiveness, and accountability.