Sourcing Engineer, Electrical

Sourcing Engineer

The Sourcing Engineer is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for electronic components, assemblies, PCBs/PCBAs, cables, electro-mechanical assemblies, and EMS partners. This role serves as a key technical liaison between Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing, EMS providers, and global suppliers to ensure products are designed for manufacturability, cost competitiveness, quality, and supply continuity.

The engineer plays a critical role in both new product introduction (NPI) and sustaining production, partnering cross-functionally to optimize supplier capabilities, qualify components and alternate sources, manage component life cycles, mitigate supply chain risk, and identify cost-reduction opportunities. The role also drives continuous improvement initiatives across the electronics supply chain to improve quality, efficiency, scalability, and overall supplier performance.

Reporting to the Director of Global Sourcing, this role operates with general supervision and requires strong technical judgment, cross-functional collaboration, and ownership. The position is based in an office, laboratory, and light manufacturing environment, with occasional domestic and international travel to supplier and EMS facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing and supply chain strategies for electronic components, PCBs, PCBAs, cables, and electro-mechanical assemblies, balancing cost, quality, technical requirements, supply continuity, and risk.
• Partner with Electrical Engineering to incorporate DFM, DFA, and Design for Supply Chain principles into product development.
• Evaluate, select, qualify, and develop EMS providers and global electronics suppliers based on technical capability, quality, cost, capacity, delivery, and overall performance.
• Develop alternate- and second-source strategies for high-risk components and commodities, including semiconductors, passives, connectors, power electronics, memory, and other critical components.
• Manage BOMs, AVL/AML, component lifecycle and obsolescence, and related ECN/ECO activities.
• Lead should-cost modeling, cost breakdown analysis, pricing analysis, and cost-reduction initiatives for electronic components and assemblies.
• Lead NPI sourcing activities through stage-gate processes, including supplier readiness, tooling validation, pilot builds, component qualification, validation builds, and production ramp.
• Conduct technology scouting and supplier capability assessments to identify components, PCB technologies, packaging options, and manufacturing solutions that improve cost, performance, reliability, or scalability.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Electrical Engineering, and EMS providers to resolve manufacturing, yield, testing, reliability, and failure-analysis issues.
• Drive supplier performance improvement across quality, delivery, cost, responsiveness, capacity, and risk; support SCARs and corrective actions as needed.
• Apply lean and structured problem-solving methodologies, including VSM, PFMEA, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement practices.
• Use SAP or an equivalent ERP system to support BOM management, material planning, demand alignment, and sourcing activities.
• Negotiate pricing and commercial terms in partnership with relevant stakeholders, considering market conditions, currency, capacity, and geopolitical factors.
• Support lead-time reduction, inventory optimization, and supply-buffer strategies while maintaining appropriate service and risk levels.
• Partner with Supplier Quality and Engineering to ensure compliance with applicable IPC, UL, ISO, product, and customer requirements.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to component obsolescence, counterfeit parts, supplier continuity, geopolitical exposure, and other electronics supply chain disruptions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.
• 3–5 years of experience in electronics design, technical sourcing, EMS, electronics manufacturing, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of electronic components, PCB/PCBA manufacturing processes, EMS operations, and electronics supply chains.
• Experience with BOMs, AVL/AML management, component lifecycle management, and supplier or component qualification.
• Demonstrated experience supporting supplier development, electronics sourcing, and/or NPI programs.
• Familiarity with ERP systems; SAP experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in high-volume electronics manufacturing or contract manufacturing/EMS environments.
• Knowledge of DFM/DFA principles specific to electronics and PCB design.
• Familiarity with PCB design tools such as Altium, OrCAD, or similar ECAD workflows.
• Understanding of industry standards including IPC, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and UL.
• Experience with global electronics sourcing and low-cost-region manufacturing.
• Experience sourcing high-risk electronic commodities such as semiconductors, memory, power modules, or other critical…