Supplier Development Engineer - Plant Quality

The Supplier Development Engineer (SDE) – Plant Quality serves as the frontline guardian against supplier quality challenges within our manufacturing facilities, providing essential support and escalation when needed. The primary focus of the SDE will be to ensure timely responses from suppliers while coordinating on-site assistance as required. Working hand-in-hand with plant Supplier Quality (SQ) teams, the SDE will play a pivotal role in identifying, investigating, and swiftly resolving quality issues, thereby upholding NFI’s high-quality standards.

In addition, the SDE Plant Quality will facilitate the First Article Inspection (FAI) process and manage on-site supplier support as necessary. This role also involves overseeing the implementation of containment measures and ensuring thorough follow-ups and resolutions for Supplier Corrective Action Notices (SCANs/8Ds) and Supplier Chargebacks. In this vital position, your analytical skills and ability to effectively communicate will be crucial in promoting continuous improvement and building strong supplier partnerships. We seek a proactive problem-solver who thrives in a dynamic manufacturing environment and is ready to contribute to NFI's ongoing quality assurance initiatives.

Ensure that suppliers uphold the highest quality standards, thereby delivering a competitive edge for NFI Group and its subsidiaries.

Conduct in-depth quality incident investigations utilizing the NFI methodology (SCAN Process) to facilitate effective resolutions in supplier processes.

Support the FAI process to confirm that initial samples comply with all specifications and quality benchmarks before moving into full-scale production.

Request and coordinate on-site supplier assistance as needed to tackle quality challenges and enhance supplier processes.

Implement essential containment measures for supplier issues, establishing clean points for incoming materials.

Follow up and close SCANs, executing 8D analysis in partnership with suppliers to ensure corrective actions are implemented, validated, and effective.

Manage supplier chargebacks related to non-conforming products, ensuring a fair and precise financial accountability for quality concerns.

Champion continuous improvement initiatives within the supply chain by identifying enhancement opportunities and collaborating with suppliers to adopt best practices.

Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Production Control, Purchasing Managers, Sourcing Managers, Project Managers, and Engineering to cultivate and release Best-in-Class Suppliers that align with Commodity Strategies.

Provide summary reports on Supplier Quality Performance Metrics to Leadership, including SCAN Closure, Cost Recovery, and Plant Supplier Quality Metrics.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related discipline;
• 3-5 years of professional experience with quality management systems and continuous improvement methodologies and tools;
• 3-5 years of experience in supplier management and enhancement, preferably within Supplier Quality or Supplier Development;
• Strong experience in manufacturing and production process systems is essential;
• Proven expertise in problem-solving (using the 8-D Methodology) and root cause analysis (RCCA).
• Hands-on knowledge and practical experience with Lean and Six Sigma methodologies or other advanced problem-solving techniques, including Value Stream Mapping, Control Plans, Sampling Plans, Kaizen, 5S, Statistical Analysis, SMED, 5 Whys, Root Cause Analysis, Error Proofing, Cause and Effect Diagrams, and Pareto Analysis.
• Familiarity with and application of AIAG quality tools (such as PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, etc.)
• Strong interpersonal communication skills are required to engage with individuals at all levels within NFI Group and to interact with leaders and representatives from Supplier organizations;
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint;

Benefits

• Competitive wages
• Immediate benefit eligibility
• Paid holidays off (12) and vacation
• 401K with generous company match
• On-the-job training provided in a continuous learning environment
• Advancement opportunities with a growing company
• Apart of a team who is leading the world’s electrification of mass mobility

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