Supplier Quality Engineer - VOC

Job Location (Short):
Longview, Texas, USA, 75603

Requisition

Onsite or Remote:
Onsite Position

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The Quality Engineer - Voice of Customer (VOC) plays a pivotal role within our Manufacturing division at Surface, focused on elevating supplier quality through in-depth analysis of customer and field feedback. This position is integral to maintaining and enhancing the quality standards of components supplied for the world’s largest front-end loader, reflecting our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. The role demands a proactive approach in identifying quality challenges and opportunities by leveraging VOC insights, ensuring that supplier performance aligns with our industry's rigorous demands.

As a key contributor to Joy Global Longview Ops under the Quality business unit, the Quality Engineer acts as a vital link between supplier operations and end-user expectations, driving continuous improvement initiatives and fostering robust supplier partnerships. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence product reliability and customer trust by promoting quality best practices and data-driven decision-making throughout the supply chain.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, field service, and supplier management to translate customer experiences and feedback into actionable quality enhancements. Your expertise will support strategic supplier quality goals, complementing the company's broader mission to deliver superior, durable products. This is a dynamic position requiring strong analytical skills, a keen attention to detail, and a customer-centric mindset, all contributing to the ongoing reputation of Surface as an industry leader.

Own supplier‑related Juhin / Product Issues as a Project Manager or Technical Lead, including problem definition, root cause analysis, interim containment, permanent corrective actions, and recurrence prevention.

• Investigate customer‑impacting issues through Komatu’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, ensuring timely response, effective containment, and sustained resolution.
• Interface with Customer Quality and VOC teams on quality escapes, warranty claims, and field issues, ensuring robust corrective actions and feedback into manufacturing and design processes.
• Ensure lessons learned from VOC and field failures are captured and deployed to prevent recurrence in current and future products including support for Region’s task force
• Lead and facilitate structured root cause analysis and corrective action activities using 8D, A3, 5‑Why, and Fishbone methodologies.
• Verify effectiveness of corrective actions through data analysis and validation, ensuring actions are sustained and systemic.
• Drive disciplined closure of quality issues and recurrence prevention across suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Lead discussions with suppliers on quality issues, root cause identification, and development of robust mitigation and corrective action plans.
• Collaborate with suppliers to develop, maintain, and improve Inspection and Control Plans to ensure ongoing quality conformance.
• Lead escalation of supplier containment activities including holds, controlled shipping, sorting, rework, deviation management, and risk mitigation to protect the customer.
• Identify and prioritize supplier quality risks using VOC data, warranty trends, incoming inspection results, and SPC signals.
• Develop, maintain, and fulfill warranty metrics and VOC reporting requirements across the Komatsu business.
• Drive actions to reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) through targeted supplier and process improvements and cost recovery
• Ensure VOC and field learnings are fed back into design reviews, DFMEAs, and supplier technical requirements.
• Support ISO 9001 internal audits, ensuring compliance and effective corrective action closure.
• Coach suppliers and internal stakeholders on quality tools, standards, and best practices to strengthen problem‑solving capability.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Customer Quality to…