Job Summary
The Supplier Quality Engineer Sr. serves as the primary engineer for Incoming Inspection, Product Compliance Audits, and supplier quality management activities. This position acts as the key quality interface between ADTRAN and external manufacturing partners, including ODMs, JDMs, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers. The role works cross-functionally with Design Engineering, R&D, New Product Engineering (NPE), Product Engineering (PE), Test Engineering (TE), Operations, Supply Chain, and Quality organizations to ensure supplier performance meets ADTRAN quality, reliability, regulatory, and customer requirements.
This position is responsible for assisting with supplier qualification and development, First Article Inspection (FAI) activities, coordinating Root Cause Analysis (RCA), supplier corrective actions, nonconforming material management, supplier capability assessments, audit execution, SAP quality process support, field quality data analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives across the supply base.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Serve as the primary quality contact for assigned ODM, JDM, EMS, and component suppliers.
• Lead and participate in weekly ODM/JDM project calls and synchronization meetings with suppliers and ADTRAN R&D teams.
• Coordinate with customers and suppliers, including internal manufacturing, regarding quality performance, trends, corrective actions, and continuous improvement activities.
• Conduct monthly supplier quality review meetings to evaluate supplier performance metrics, corrective action status, field quality trends, and improvement initiatives.
• Devises and implements methods and procedures for inspecting, testing, and evaluating the precision, reliability, and accuracy of supplier products and manufacturing processes.
• Perform incoming material inspections, product compliance audits, and component evaluations to ensure conformance to specifications and quality requirements.
• Define and maintain IQC plan for assembly/parts with local IQC folks based on quality level and trend from certain suppliers, drive for balance of quality risk mitigation and inspection efficiency.
• Lead and support First Article Inspection (FAI) activities for new products, engineering changes, and supplier transfers, including resolution of identified issues.
• Ensure project and process control documentation complies with internal, customer, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
• Manage nonconforming material reports (NMRs), including investigation, disposition, containment, and closure of quality issues in a timely manner.
• Analyze defect trends and quality data to identify systemic issues and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Generate, manage, and track Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) from issuance through closure.
• Lead 8D/SCAR review meetings with suppliers and internal stakeholders and verify effectiveness of implemented corrective actions.
• Responsible for the review of the specification, qualification, and validation of supplier inspection tools, gauges, and measurement systems.
• Participate in design reviews and review/approve Supplier Quality Requirement Plans (Q-Specs), including development of implementation follow-up plans.
• Plan, conduct, and support supplier capability assessments, quality system audits, process audits, and product audits.
• Perform on-site supplier audit activities including reporting, corrective action follow-up, verification, and closure of nonconformances.
• Monitor and control supplier compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, TL 9000, IPC standards, and ADTRAN quality requirements.
• Coordinate and support weekly Quality meetings and other cross-functional quality reviews.
• Work with suppliers to refine and enhance products and processes through continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing principles, and quality system best practices.
• Support data requests and analysis related to field returns, failure rates, supplier performance metrics, warranty trends, and units shipped.
• Prepare quality performance reports, supplier scorecards, management presentations, and trend analyses.
• Support internal audits, environmental management system activities, customer audits, and regulatory compliance initiatives.
• Develop, maintain, and improve quality procedures, work instructions, audit documentation, and process controls.
• Handle process improvement projects at supplier facilities and support special projects as assigned.
• Travel domestically and internationally, as required, to support supplier audits, qualifications, corrective actions, and quality improvement activities.
• Other projects and assignments may be assigned to accommodate the changing needs of the department and the Company.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 5-8 years of related experience in Supplier Quality Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, Quality Assurance, or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting supplier quality management, supplier assessments, corrective action systems, and supplier development programs.
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations, including SMT, PTH, PCB assembly, and mechanical assembly processes.
• Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC), root cause analysis, corrective action methodologies, quality reporting, and problem-solving techniques.
• Experience managing nonconforming materials and supplier corrective actions.
• Experience conducting supplier audits, process audits, and quality system assessments.
• Experience working with high-mix/low-volume manufacturing environments.
• Working knowledge of IPC workmanship standards, rework methods and techniques, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and TL 9000 quality system requirements.
• Experience with SAP or equivalent ERP systems preferred.
• Intermediate Microsoft Office skills required.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to travel as required.
Preferred Qualifications
• Master's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP), or equivalent certification.
• Experience supporting ODM/JDM manufacturing environments.
• Experience within telecommunications, networking, fiber broadband, or electronics manufacturing industries.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, 8D, and reliability engineering methodologies.