Quality Engineer (Supplier Focused)

About the role

Working at Freudenberg: We will wow your world!

Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve the Quality & HSE Management System, ensuring alignment with global standards and customer and supplier expectations.
• Evaluate supplier performance and facilitate supplier audits, capability assessments, and corrective action activities to strengthen supplier quality.
• Support supplier development initiatives to improve quality, reduce risk, and enhance process capability, partnering closely with Purchasing and Engineering.
• Partner with Sales, Engineering, and suppliers to analyze warranty returns, ensuring robust root-cause analysis and corrective actions while managing the claim process for customer and supplier issues.
• Outline, monitor, and improve Quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), developing and leading action plans to elevate internal and supplier-related quality performance.
• Facilitate internal, external, customer, and supplier audits while leading cross-site audit activities and driving audit-related improvements.
• Deliver Quality & HSE training to internal teams and provide guidance on quality standards, systems, and tools, including coaching on measurement systems and problem-solving methodologies.
• Serve as a liaison for quality-related communication with customers and suppliers, communicating trends, systemic issues, and improvement actions.
• Lead or support quality improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methods while supporting process improvements, equipment upgrades, and measurement system enhancements.
• Prepare and maintain PPAP documentation and other required records, ensuring compliance with internal procedures, industry standards, and customer and supplier specifications.
• Support measurement activities, sampling documentation, and analysis for prototypes and requalification while participating in APQP activities to ensure flawless product launches.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field preferred; advanced degree or equivalent experience accepted.
• Experience in Quality, Manufacturing, or Supplier Quality preferred.
• Strong knowledge of quality systems, statistical tools, and audit practices.
• Experience with ISO standards, APQP, PPAP, and other core Quality tools.
• Relevant certifications, system experience, and training (ASQ certifications preferred).
• Professional-level English language skills preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Analytical capability with strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret customer and supplier requirements and apply them effectively.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, word processing, and data analysis tools.
• Internal auditing experience preferred.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Additional information

• Communication & Collaboration: Communicates clearly and concisely, while engaging proactively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Value for Customers: Anticipates, understands and meets internal/external customers' needs and expectations. Develops solutions based on a customer centric approach.
• Innovation: Drives and supports innovative ideas, while taking informed risks to seek and develop new or improved solutions.
• Drive & Execution: Proactively identifies what needs to be done and takes action. Explores new ways and pursues new opportunities.
• Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership