Supplier Quality Engineer

The Supplier Quality Engineer exists to ensure that components and assemblies received from INFICON’s supplier base conform to engineering requirements and to minimize the impact of supplier-related quality escapes on production and customers. The role advances INFICON’s supplier quality program by managing corrective actions, supplier scorecards, and MRB dispositions, while also providing mechanical quality engineering support on the production floor and conducting periodic supplier audits to drive sustainable improvements across the supply chain.

 

Essential Job Duties

Specific duties include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Discrepancy Triage, Disposition, and MRB Management 

• Disposition nonconforming incoming and production material; determine accept-as-is, rework, or return-to-vendor (RTV) outcomes in coordination with the MRB coordinator and sourcing team.

• Outline and document rework instructions for material that can be salvaged; communicate dispositions clearly to production technicians and supervisors.

• Collaborate with inspectors to ensure consistent and complete MRB documentation in SAP.

• Coordinate with the MRB coordinator on RTV ticket initiation, tracking, and closure.

 

Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) Investigations 

• Lead 8D investigations for significant quality escapes originating from suppliers or internal production processes.

• Apply structured problem-solving tools (5-Why, fishbone, fault trees) to identify and document verified root causes.

• Develop robust corrective action plans and drive closure through follow-up verification and effectiveness checks.

• Partner with electrical quality engineers when issues span mechanical and electrical domains.

 

Supplier Quality Program Management 

• Issue, track, and formally close Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) in accordance with INFICON's corrective action process.

• Maintain and continuously improve supplier scorecards tracking key metrics including Project portfolio management, on-time delivery (OTD), and SCAR response timeliness.

• Collaborate with the sourcing team to address chronic underperforming suppliers and escalate where necessary.

• Maintain supplier quality program documentation including procedures, approved supplier lists, and quality agreements.

 

Production Floor Quality Support 

• Provide responsive quality support to production technicians and supervisors for build and test quality issues.

• Perform containment activities to minimize production line stoppages caused by nonconforming material.

• Identify and escalate systemic process quality issues to prevent recurrence.

• Act as a liaison between production and engineering to communicate quality feedback on assemblies and components.

 

Statistical Analysis and Continuous Improvement 

• Perform Statistical Process Capability (SPC) studies on current production build and test processes.

• Collect and trend historical quality data from SAP and other databases to identify improvement opportunities.

• Identify design and test specifications that are poorly defined or over-constrained; collaborate with Design Engineering and suppliers to refine them.

• Use data to prioritize quality improvement initiatives with the greatest business impact.

 

Supplier Quality Audits and Site Visits 

• Plan and conduct periodic on-site quality audits at supplier facilities to assess process capability, quality management systems, and corrective action effectiveness.

• Document audit findings in formal audit reports and issue findings to suppliers for corrective action.

• Track and verify closure of audit findings through follow-up communication and, where warranted, re-audit.

• This role requires occasional domestic travel; supplier visits represent approximately 10% of total annual working time.

 

Behaviors

Behaviors necessary for this role include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Organized, detail-oriented, and methodical in approach to problem-solving and documentation.

• Strong communicator who can build credibility and trust with production teams, engineering, sourcing, and external suppliers.

• Able to manage multiple open issues simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality and timeliness.

• Professional and composed when managing difficult supplier conversations or quality escalations.

• Proactive self-starter who identifies problems before they escalate and takes ownership of resolution.

• Collaborative team player who engages effectively across all levels of the organization.