Ford Motor Company

Supplier Technical Assistance Engineer

Ford Motor Company • $84K — $166K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • BS in Engineering or related field
  • 2-5 years of supplier manufacturing experience
  • 2-5 years in assembly/component plant manufacturing
  • Proficiency in automotive specialties such as body exterior or powertrain
  • Strong communication and relationship-building skills
  • Fluent in English
  • Willingness to travel up to 30%

Responsibilities

  • Lead initiatives to improve mod center supplier quality and reduce quality rejects (QRs)
  • Manage and contain supplier-related quality issues and support root cause analysis
  • Act as a liaison among plant vehicle team, STA, and plant leadership regarding quality issues
  • Develop and implement STA deliverables and quality systems for suppliers
  • Foster collaboration and communication with internal teams and external suppliers
  • Focus on improving QR performance metrics
  • Manage stop-ship situations due to quality concerns

Benefits

  • Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
  • Flexible family care days and paid parental leave
  • Family building benefits including adoption and fertility treatments
  • Employee vehicle discount programs
  • Tuition assistance for further education
  • Active employee resource groups for support and networking
  • Generous paid holidays and time off for community service
  • Option to purchase additional vacation time
Full Job Description
Job Description

In this position...

We are looking for a degreed engineer with prior manufacturing experience and a strong quality background that has the ability to build strong relationships with supplier partners for success. There will be significant collaboration with senior leaders in the Ford Customization, purchasing, assembly plant teams. The position requires excellent verbal and written communication skills and a passion for teamwork and collaboration. Ideal candidates for this position will have prior experience managing automotive suppliers for an OEM or experience supporting a supplier manufacturing site as a supplier engineer. Candidates are needed who have specific experience in automotive manufacturing, with the ability to travel.

The STA Engineer position is a critical role in ensuring supplier quality and resolving manufacturing issues within a mod center environment. It requires a blend of technical expertise, problem-solving skills, communication and collaboration, and a strong understanding of manufacturing processes and quality systems.

Responsibilities

What you'll do...
  • Supplier Quality Improvement: The primary focus is on improving mod center supplier quality and reducing quality rejects (QRs). This involves leading process improvements, analyzing warranty concerns, and ensuring data accuracy related to QR/PPM.
  • Containment and Problem Resolution: A significant part of the role involves containing quality issues arising from suppliers, managing stop-ship situations, and supporting root cause analysis for prevent reoccurrences that lead to enhanced launch process improvements.
  • Plant Liaison: The STA Engineer acts as a bridge between the plant vehicle team (PVT), STA, and plant leadership, providing updates on supplier-related quality issues and participate in quality meetings.
  • Technical Support and Development: The role includes developing and implementing STA deliverables, industrialization plans, and quality systems for suppliers, particularly those involved in modification centers ("mod centers").
  • Collaboration and Communication: The position requires strong collaboration and effective communication with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
  • QR (Quality Reject) performance improvement: This is a core metric the role aims to improve.
  • Stop Ship: Managing situations where shipments are halted due to quality concerns.
  • Standardized Mod Center PPAP requirements, Review and approve mod center PPAP for both VP and FCS content: PFMEA, Process Control Plans
  • APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning): Developing manufacturing APQP.
  • DIO (Dealer Invoiced Option): DIO wheel program / Support for FAD processes, QOS best practices, APQP support.
  • FCG (Ford Custom Garage): Support initiative in 3rd party post gate release upfitter, collaborate to develop and establish quality system/processes.


Qualifications

You'll have...

Minimum
  • BS in Engineering or related field.
  • 2-5 years of experience with supplier manufacturing
  • 2-5 Years - Assembly/Component plant manufacturing experience
  • 2-5 Years - Proficiency with at least one of the automotive disciplines (body exterior, body interior, chassis, electrical, or powertrain).
  • Fluent in English
  • Strong communication and relationship building skills
  • Ability to travel up to 30%


Even better, you may have...
Preferred
  • MS in engineering
  • 5-10 years of manufacturing experience in or with the automotive supply base
  • Prior experience leading manufacturing feasibility assessments
  • Prior experience leading industrialization projects
  • Prior experience in the Lean manufacturing disciplines (e.g. Bill of Process, capacity planning, design to target, etc.)
  • Knowledge of problem-solving quality skills preferred-black belt


You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder...or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a range of salary grades 7-8 and ranges from $84,480-$166,200.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here:

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.

#LI-Hybrid
#LI-TS3

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company manufactures or distributes automobiles in addition to offering financial services. The company sells to dealerships for retail sales, and for sale to fleet customers, including commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. Ford’s vehicle portfolio includes automobiles, buses, tractors, and trucks. Retail financing includes retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles, and direct financing leases for new vehicles to retail customers, government entities, daily rental car companies, and fleet customers. Finance receivables in the non-consumer portfolio include products offered to automotive dealers. Ford’s environmental initiatives include compressed natural gas, flexible fuel vehicles, electric drive vehicles, Hydrogen, PC power management, and so on. Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.

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Join the dynamic team at Ford Motor Company, a global leader in automotive innovation and manufacturing. At Ford, we are committed to driving human progress by providing outstanding vehicles and mobility solutions. This is an exciting time to become part of our inclusive team, where job opportunities abound and growth is not just a possibility, but a promise.

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At Ford Motor Company, you will collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our professionals are at the forefront of automotive technology, leading projects that redefine transportation and sustainability. With a culture rooted in continuous improvement and respect for all, Ford offers a workplace where leadership, diversity training, and innovation are part of everyday life.

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Engage in work that makes a difference. Ford Motor Company is pioneering developments in electrification, autonomous vehicles, and smart mobility solutions. Our team of over 190,000 employees worldwide is dedicated to crafting experiences that improve the way the world moves.

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Working at Ford means more than just having a job; it means being part of a global family. Our culture promotes teamwork, integrity, and respect—values that underpin everything we do. We believe in nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment where every employee can thrive.

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Ford Motor Company is not just a great place to work; it’s a place to build a lasting career. Our employees enjoy competitive benefits, comprehensive health care, and retirement plans that rank among the best in the industry. We support career advancement through extensive training programs and hands-on experience in the latest automotive technologies.

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Learn more about Ford Motor Company
Size
183,000 employees
Market Cap
$44.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$1.2 billion
Founded
1903
5 Year Trend
-2.1%
Revenue
$127.1 billion
NASDAQ

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