Supplier Quality Engineer

About the role

Location: Timberlake, NC (onsite)

Schedule: Full-time | Exempt

About the Role

The Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) serves as a key liaison between Procurement, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality, ensuring that raw materials, components, and outsourced services provided by external suppliers meet Voltage's quality standards, technical specifications, and regulatory requirements.

This role is responsible for supplier qualification, performance monitoring, audits, corrective action management, and continuous improvement initiatives, with a strong focus on risk prevention, defect reduction, and supply chain robustness. The SQE will support first article qualifications, supplier change management, and root cause investigations, while driving accountability and improvement across the supplier base.

Supplier Qualification & Compliance

• Qualify and approve new suppliers of raw materials, components, connectors, fuses, and critical services.
• Develop, review, and maintain Supplier Quality Agreements (SQAs).
• Ensure supplier compliance with ISO 9001, customer requirements, and applicable industry standards.

Supplier Performance & Development

• Monitor and evaluate supplier performance using quality, delivery, and responsiveness metrics.
• Lead supplier development activities to improve quality, cost, delivery, and process capability.
• Conduct for cause, periodic, and risk based supplier audits.

Corrective Actions & Issue Resolution

• Lead and manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs).
• Perform root cause analysis and verify effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions.
• Escalate unresolved supplier quality issues and support cross functional resolution.

Production & New Product Support

• Support First Article Inspections (FAI) and component qualifications.
• Coordinate component and product testing, including validation of supplier changes.
• Manage supplier initiated change requests to ensure controlled implementation.

Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze quality data and trends to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
• Apply statistical tools and continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma).
• Support cross functional projects related to quality improvement and risk reduction.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Act as the supplier quality representative in cross functional teams involving Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Legal.
• Support integration of suppliers during new projects or business expansions.
• Provide mentoring and guidance to quality technicians or junior engineers as needed.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a technical discipline.
• 5-10 years of experience in supplier quality or manufacturing quality.
• Experience in cable, harness, electrical, automotive, industrial, or energy manufacturing preferred.

Strong knowledge of

• ISO 9001 (IATF 16949 a plus)
• Supplier auditing and qualification
• Root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Minimum 5 years of supplier auditing experience (third party certification preferred).
• ASQ certification (CQE, CQA) or equivalent preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced problem solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Experience with statistical tools and data analysis (Minitab is preferred).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Excellent technical writing and documentation skills.
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills are required.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple suppliers and priorities.
• Experience in manufacturing environments (plant, field, supplier sites).

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Office, manufacturing plant, supplier sites, and field environments.
• Frequent domestic and international travel (50-70%).
• Exposure to manufacturing and warehouse environments.

Additional Information

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. The Company will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of any employment visa, including without limitation, H-1B, O-1, E-3, TN status, or I-485 job portability or similar immigration processes.