Senior Supplier Development Engineer, Electro-Mechanical
HybridPalo Alto, California, United States
Job Summary
Collaborate with Sourcing and Engineering teams to define technical requirements for new components and assemblies. Conduct in-depth technical assessments of potential suppliers, evaluating their manufacturing processes, engineering capabilities, quality management systems, and overall technical competency. Participate in supplier site visits and audits, providing critical technical input during the down-selection phase. Work with manufacturing process and quality engineering to develop and implement robust supplier qualification processes, including APQP, PPAP reviews, DFM/DFA, and incoming/outgoing quality control. Drive process optimization, tooling validation, and contingency planning for early production runs. Facilitate knowledge transfer between internal engineering teams and new suppliers to ensure seamless integration. Identify opportunities to drive continuous improvement initiatives with supplier performance for quality, yield, and cost. Drive supplier CAPA and root-cause analysis to mitigate technical risks before they impact production. Monitor supplier performance from a technical perspective, providing regular feedback and support for improvement. Act as the primary technical liaison between internal engineering and suppliers to resolve complex technical misalignments. Communicate complex technical information clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Collaborate cross-functionally to align supplier strategies and influence the adoption of unified quality standards.
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience qualifying complex Electro-Mechanical Test fixtures/Equipment using industry standard qualification frameworks (such as FAT, SAT and UAT)
- Strong experience working with CMs and suppliers in a Joint Design Manufacturing (JDM) model
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, or a related field), or equivalent experience
- Proven experience conducting technical supplier assessments and audits, developing new suppliers, leading DOEs (in a JDM model), preparing reports, working with cross functional teams & driving/coordinating final outcomes for team decision
- Strong understanding of diverse manufacturing processes, specifically electro-mechanical assemblies, PCBAs, cables and harnesses, and related mechanical components (such as CNC machining, injection molding, Li-ion batteries and stamping)
- Experience with quality management systems and quality tools (e.g., FMEA, SPC, MSA, 8D, 5 Whys, Control Plans, PPAP, e-QMS system, GD&T, Gage R&R, Calibrations etc.)
- Experience working with global supply chain with target for rapid scaling
- Ability to travel up to 25% domestically and internationally as required
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.