STA Technical Specialist - Machining

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

The Ford Purchasing team adds critical value to the entire organization. You’ll help us source the highest quality parts and services from around the globe while ensuring optimal cost and on-time delivery. You’ll also contribute to establishing a robust supply chain so that we can continually produce the vehicles our customers want.

The Machining Technical Specialist provides technical leadership and hands-on support to help suppliers and internal teams assess, develop, and improve machining processes. This role evaluates new and changing manufacturing processes, supports the investigation and resolution of current and emerging quality issues, and strengthens technical capability through team training and development.

Working across the Global Supplier Technical Assistance organization and with suppliers and relevant internal stakeholders, the specialist helps identify process risks, determine root causes, and drive sustainable corrective and preventive actions. The role requires substantial travel to supplier and manufacturing sites, with travel levels varying according to business priorities.

• Assess new, modified, and existing machining processes for capability, process control, product quality, and risk.
• Provide on-site technical support for machining-related quality concerns, including containment, investigation, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and verification of effectiveness.
• Support resolution of current and emerging issues involving machining operations, equipment, tooling, work holding, cutting tools, process parameters, inspection, and operator methods.
• Evaluate manufacturing readiness and process robustness during supplier assessments, launches, changes, and recovery activities.
• Identify process weaknesses and recommend practical improvements to reduce variation, defects, downtime, and recurrence of quality issues.
• Review relevant process documentation and objective evidence, such as process flows, control plans, work instructions, capability data, inspection results, and corrective-action records.
• Coach suppliers and internal teams in machining fundamentals, process assessment, structured problem solving, and effective corrective-action practices.
• Develop and deliver training, technical guidance, and knowledge-sharing materials to build machining capability across the STA organization.
• Communicate assessment findings, risks, and recommendations clearly to technical and leadership audiences.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to align on priorities, escalation needs, and resolution plans.
• Document assessments, findings, actions, and lessons learned in accordance with applicable organizational processes.
• Travel to supplier and manufacturing locations—approximately 50–75% of the time—to conduct assessments, support issue resolution, and deliver training.

• Acting as the corporate technical lead for machining.
• Leading manufacturing-risk assessments and supporting the industrialization of new technologies through the GTDS process.
• Collaborating with industry experts to develop global manufacturing standards and assessments.
• Driving prevention of recurrence by creating and maintaining Ford manufacturing-process standards that capture lessons learned, best practices, and technical innovations.
• Conducting manufacturing-process assessments based on a priority model.
• Staying current with manufacturing technology…