Supplier Development Engineer - Wire Assemblies. This position can sit in Charlotte, NC or Raleigh, NC.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $113000 - $165000 a year.

Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

What you'll do:

Primary Function

Responsible for developing supplier manufacturing capability, capacity, scalability, and operational readiness to support current and future business requirements. Leads supplier development initiatives to identify and close manufacturing, process, capacity, and operational gaps. Partners with Supplier Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Operations, and suppliers to drive sustainable improvements in performance, capability, and readiness.
Key Responsibilities

Supplier Development & Capability Improvement

• Lead supplier development activities to assess and improve manufacturing, process, capacity, and operational performance.
• Develop and execute improvement plans with defined actions, ownership, timelines, and measurable results.

Manufacturing & Process Capability

• Evaluate supplier manufacturing processes and drive improvements using Lean principles, process capability analysis, structured problem solving, and process controls.
• Assess manufacturing systems, operator qualification programs, traceability, validation controls, and testing processes to ensure consistent product quality.

Capacity & Readiness

• Assess supplier capacity and production-rate readiness against current and future business requirements.
• Identify risks, constraints, and bottlenecks, and drive mitigation and capacity expansion plans.

Growth, Launch & Transfer Support

• Support supplier readiness for new product introductions, supplier transfers, localization efforts, volume increases, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Identify risks early and implement actions to prevent business disruption.

Supplier Assessment & Recovery

• Participate in supplier audits, site assessments, and risk evaluations.
• Lead supplier development efforts when quality, delivery, or operational issues are linked to manufacturing, process, or capability gaps.
• Drive corrective actions and sustainable performance improvements.

Continuous Improvement & Collaboration

• Coach suppliers in Lean methodologies, root cause analysis, 8D problem solving, process capability improvement, and material management.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support supplier readiness, risk reduction, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Verify improvement effectiveness and ensure results are sustained.

Qualifications:

Required (Basic) Qualifications

• Technical degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Supplier Development, Supplier Quality, Operations, or Supply Chain, including experience with metal fabrication manufacturing processes such as stamping, machining, welding, forming, fabrication assemblies, and related production technologies.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and supplier development methodologies.
• Legally authorized to work in the U.S. without company sponsorship now or in the future.
• No relocation benefit is offered for this position. Candidates must reside within a 50-mile radius of Charlotte, NC, or Raleigh, NC unless exempt as an Active-Duty Military Service member candidate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lead Auditor qualification.
• Lean and/or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience supporting supplier transfers, new product introductions (NPI), capacity expansion, and industrialization initiatives.
• Experience working across multiple sites, regions, and cultures.
• Advanced technical or business degree.
• Demonstrated experience assessing manufacturing capability and driving supplier improvement.
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Experience with capacity analysis and production-rate readiness assessments.
• Knowledge of Lean and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills.
• Ability to influence and lead supplier improvement activities without direct authority.
• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives across multiple sites and functions.

Skills:
• Demonstrates strong technical and business judgment when assessing supplier risk.
• Works independently and effectively in supplier-facing environments.
• Builds effective relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Demonstrates urgency appropriate to business risk while maintaining structured problem solving.
• Communicates complex supplier issues clearly to technical, operational, and leadership audiences.
• Demonstrates strong project-management and execution discipline.
• Able to prioritize multiple supplier-development activities based on business impact and risk.
• Comfortable working in a matrix organization with cross-functional accountability.
• Significant supplier-site travel may be required.
• Up-to 50% travel

All positions may require participation in video and in-person interviews as part of the hiring process. All candidates will be evaluated based on job-related competencies, and all candidates' privacy rights and data security will be protected in accordance with applicable laws.

We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.