Role:Northwood is seeking a Senior Supplier Development Engineer to be the first quality-focused hire. This role is ideal for someone eager to build supplier quality processes from the ground up and shape how we scale high-reliability manufacturing for satellite ground stations. You will play a critical role in establishing our quality systems, developing our supply base, and partnering with engineering and operations to ensure our products are designed and built for long-term performance. This is a rare opportunity to influence the foundation of quality and supplier operations at a company on the frontier of satellite connectivity.
Responsibilities: - Design and implement the company's first supplier quality assurance system, documentation, and workflows
- Lead the identification, evaluation, and qualification of new suppliers for key components (RF, PCBA, mechanical, electromechanical) and conduct supplier audits, performance reviews, and corrective action processes
- Collaborate with product design and manufacturing teams on DFM, NPI, and pilot builds
- Support in defining supplier KPIs (quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness) and establish reporting mechanisms
- Drive resolution of supplier quality issues through root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action (NCR/CAPA)
- Support the development of incoming inspection plans and testing protocols
- Act as a hands-on technical liaison between internal engineering teams and external manufacturing partners
- Own capacity expansion readiness and production ramp-up at suppliers
- Develop and implement supplier technical requirements and quality flow downs to meet hardware manufacturing needs
- Provide feedback to suppliers as appropriate on manufacturing methods, with a specific focus on eliminating costs, reducing cycle times, and increasing yields
- Drive supplier root cause failure analysis and corrective actions associated with any quality gaps, escapes, or containments
- Lead cost engineering activities to converge the bottoms-up cost curve to product cost, maximizing the total cost of ownership
Basic Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related field
- 5+ years of experience in Supplier Quality or Supplier Development roles in manufacturing
- Experience with quality standards and tools (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100, PPAP)
- Experience qualifying new suppliers and managing supplier performance
- Experience building or scaling quality systems in a low-to-medium volume, high-complexity manufacturing environment
- Able to travel up to 25% domestically and internationally
Preferred Qualifications:- Experience in an AS9100 environment
- Prior experience in the aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, or defense industries
- Experience with RF components, PCBA, custom enclosures, and electromechanical assemblies
- Familiarity with ERP, PLM, and digital quality management systems
- Experience supporting early-stage product development through to production ramp
- Lean Six Sigma or other quality certifications
- Proficient in SQL or other data tools for supplier and quality analytics
