Supplier Development Engineer

This hands-on Supplier Development Engineer position is based in Lake Orion, Michigan, or Springboro, Ohio, and is offered as a contract role with the potential for permanent hire. Compensation is set between $35.00 and $45.00 per hour, depending on your verified professional background. You will play a vital role in selecting, evaluating, and managing the development of components. Your primary objective is to maintain a robust Supplier Development Management System that guarantees our customers receive high-quality parts.

By ensuring that supplier processes and production capabilities align with design specifications and end-user requirements, you will serve as a critical bridge between our organization and our supply partners. Furthermore, you will act as a key resource for component teams to enhance cost competitiveness and will lead rapid root-cause analysis and resolution efforts whenever non-conformances arise.

• Collaborate with component teams to prioritize development needs, helping to reduce supply constraints and improve overall cost efficiency.
• Manage the selection of suppliers by implementing rigorous qualification procedures.
• Evaluate the capacity and performance of both new and existing suppliers to ensure they meet our standards for quality, cost, delivery, and compliance with ISO
  9001 and TS16949 requirements.
• Utilize Lean methodologies and supplier scorecards to foster systematic process improvements that deliver measurable value to the organization.
• Monitor supplier performance metrics and publish scorecards to help the supply base consistently exceed our operational expectations.
• Provide expert guidance to Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to minimize waste and streamline the introduction of new products.
• Offer technical leadership during the sourcing process to ensure suppliers meet our high standards for technology, performance, and logistics.
• Lead complex problem-solving investigations and special projects to build stronger, more collaborative relationships across the supply chain.
• Direct the resolution of component concerns by overseeing APQP, PPAP, and VA/VE initiatives to drive continuous cost and quality improvements.
• Execute validation audits for new suppliers while supporting their internal APQP processes.
• Support successful product launches by partnering with suppliers to ensure all critical project milestones are met on time.
• Work alongside Design and Manufacturing Engineers to define process parameters that guarantee supplier capability matches our product requirements.
• Stay informed on emerging manufacturing and engineering trends to ensure our product quality remains competitive.
• Participate actively in ongoing continuous improvement initiatives across the department.
• Prepare and deliver progress reports during project meetings to keep stakeholders informed.
• Perform benchmarking research to identify industry best practices and future design trends.
• Promote quality initiatives by conducting thorough root cause analysis to resolve production issues.
• Analyze manufacturing and engineering specifications to determine the exact materials required for product assembly.
• Perform quality control audits to ensure vendors maintain strict compliance with federal and company manufacturing standards.
• Maintain regular communication with vendors to resolve issues and cultivate a culture of ongoing improvement in our business partnerships.
• Interpret and apply industry-standard manufacturing audits, including ISO
  9001 requirements.
• Manage a comprehensive supplier database that tracks performance evaluations and audit results for internal management access.
• Drive improvements in supplier quality performance, specifically focusing on new product development and…