Manufacturing and Sourcing Engineer

You help a product team understand what can be made, at what cost, and with what risk. You carry a design package into quoting, supplier comparison, sample approval, and quality planning, keeping communication clear between design, engineering, and suppliers.

• Review design packages for quotation readiness, manufacturability, missing specifications, and supplier risk
• Develop bills of materials (BOMs), sourcing plans, request for quotation (RFQ) packages, quote comparisons, lead time assumptions, and landed cost views
• Coordinate DFM questions and revisions among specialists, prototype shops, and manufacturing partners
• Define first article, inspection, sample approval, functional test, and packaging expectations
• Track tooling, fixtures, minimum quantities, long lead components, substitutions, change orders, and freight
• Support supplier qualification, nonconformance resolution, and corrective action

• Five or more years in manufacturing engineering, sourcing, supplier quality, new product introduction (NPI), product operations, or contract manufacturing
• Experience moving physical products from prototype into low-volume or production environments
• Strong BOM, costing, design for manufacture (DFM), RFQ, quality documentation, and supplier communication skills
• A clear sense of the difference between a component supplier, a prototype shop, a contract manufacturer, and a systems integrator
• Comfort across domestic and overseas supply chains, with commercial assumptions documented plainly

Relevant but not required.

• Consumer products, electronics, enclosures, plastics, metals, medical or wellness products, equipment, or low-volume production
• First article inspection, production part approval process (PPAP), supplier audits, ISO quality systems, or corrective action
• Korean or Asian manufacturing networks
• Freight, customs, packaging, and field support planning

Quotation readiness review BOM and sourcing plan RFQ package Quote comparison and landed cost view Supplier and manufacturing recommendation Quality and first article plan

This is a paid, project-based contract opportunity, and assignments depend on suitable project availability. Scope, compensation, and payment terms are agreed in writing before any work begins.

Contract Project-based independent contractor

Location Remote or hybrid, set by project. Some assignments may require participation in Detroit or at a client site.

Hours Variable hours, no guaranteed minimum