The Principal Supply Chain Quality Engineer is a recognized technical leader responsible for developing and executing quality strategies that ensure products, suppliers, and manufacturing processes consistently meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, compliance, and customer satisfaction. This role serves as a key advisor across Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, Product Development, and Customer Operations organizations, driving enterprise-level quality initiatives and shaping long-term quality roadmaps.
This role provides leadership for complex quality challenges across the product lifecycle, from supplier selection and new product introduction through manufacturing, fulfillment, and field performance. This individual drives systemic improvements, establishes best practices, and influences strategic decisions that improve operational performance, reduce risk, and enhance customer outcomes.
Internal Responsibilities
Strategic Quality Leadership
- Define and drive enterprise-level quality strategies aligned with business objectives, customer requirements, and operational goals.
- Establish quality frameworks, governance models, and metrics that drive continuous improvement across the global supply chain.
- Serve as the technical authority for quality systems, methodologies, and risk management practices.
- Partner with executive leadership to identify quality risks and opportunities that impact business performance.
Manufacturing & Operational Excellence
- Lead quality initiatives across manufacturing operations to improve process capability, yield, reliability, and operational efficiency.
- Drive implementation of advanced process controls and data-driven quality monitoring systems.
- Establish quality requirements and validation strategies for new manufacturing processes and technologies.
- Provide technical leadership during critical manufacturing escalations and quality containment events.
Supplier Quality & Supply Chain Management
- Develop supplier quality strategies for critical and strategic suppliers.
- Lead supplier qualification, performance management, and risk assessment activities across the supply chain.
- Drive resolution of complex supplier quality issues and systemic corrective actions.
- Partner with Sourcing, Procurement, and Supply Chain leadership to improve supplier performance, resilience, and quality maturity.
- Influence supplier development roadmaps and long-term quality improvement initiatives.
Complex Problem Solving & Risk Management
- Lead investigation and resolution of high-impact quality issues affecting manufacturing, suppliers, customers, or field performance.
- Utilize advanced statistical analysis, structured problem-solving methodologies, and risk assessment techniques to identify root causes and drive sustainable corrective actions.
- Establish escalation frameworks and risk mitigation strategies for critical quality events.
- Mentor engineering teams on effective problem-solving and quality improvement methodologies.
Customer & Business Engagement
- Serve as the primary quality representative for strategic customer engagements and high-visibility programs.
- Partner with customers to understand quality requirements, reliability expectations, compliance obligations, and operational needs.
- Lead customer quality reviews, audits, corrective action responses, and executive-level communications.
- Translate customer requirements into actionable quality plans across manufacturing and supply chain operations.
New Product Introduction (NPI)
- Provide quality leadership for new product introductions, manufacturing transfers, and product lifecycle transitions.
- Lead development of quality strategies, PFMEAs, Control Plans, validation plans, and risk management activities.
- Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Quality (DFQ), and Design for Reliability (DFR) initiatives.
- Ensure product launches meet quality, reliability, and operational readiness objectives.
Continuous Improvement & Operational Transformation
- Lead enterprise-level Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence initiatives.
- Identify opportunities to reduce defects, warranty costs, scrap, rework, and customer quality incidents.
- Champion implementation of advanced quality tools, automation, and predictive analytics.
- Drive standardization of quality processes and best practices across manufacturing sites and supplier networks.
Technical Leadership & Mentorship
- Serve as a mentor and coach for Quality Engineers and cross-functional technical teams.
- Lead development of quality engineering standards, methodologies, and training programs.
- Influence organizational quality culture through technical leadership and knowledge sharing.
- Act as a recognized subject matter expert across the organization.
Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing quality engineering, supplier quality, or quality systems leadership.
- Significant experience within electronics, hardware, semiconductor, high-tech manufacturing, or complex supply chain environments.
- Demonstrated success leading enterprise-scale quality initiatives and cross-functional programs.Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, or a related technical discipline required.
- Master's degree preferred.
Technical Expertise
Expert-level knowledge of:
- Statistical Process Control (SPC)
- Design of Experiments (DOE)
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA)
- Process Capability Analysis
- Reliability Engineering
- Root Cause Analysis Methodologies
- CAPA Systems
- Quality Management Systems (QMS)
- Advanced Statistical Analysis
Additional experience with:
- Global manufacturing operations
- Supplier quality management systems
- Product lifecycle management
- Regulatory and industry quality standards
- Data analytics and quality reporting platforms
Preferred Certifications
- ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
- ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE)
- Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt
- Reliability Engineering Certification
External Responsibilities
Strategic Quality Leadership
- Define and drive enterprise-level quality strategies aligned with business objectives, customer requirements, and operational goals.
- Establish quality frameworks, governance models, and metrics that drive continuous improvement across the global supply chain.
- Serve as the technical authority for quality systems, methodologies, and risk management practices.
- Partner with executive leadership to identify quality risks and opportunities that impact business performance.
Manufacturing & Operational Excellence
- Lead quality initiatives across manufacturing operations to improve process capability, yield, reliability, and operational efficiency.
- Drive implementation of advanced process controls and data-driven quality monitoring systems.
- Establish quality requirements and validation strategies for new manufacturing processes and technologies.
- Provide technical leadership during critical manufacturing escalations and quality containment events.
Supplier Quality & Supply Chain Management
- Develop supplier quality strategies for critical and strategic suppliers.
- Lead supplier qualification, performance management, and risk assessment activities across the supply chain.
- Drive resolution of complex supplier quality issues and systemic corrective actions.
- Partner with Sourcing, Procurement, and Supply Chain leadership to improve supplier performance, resilience, and quality maturity.
- Influence supplier development roadmaps and long-term quality improvement initiatives.
Complex Problem Solving & Risk Management
- Lead investigation and resolution of high-impact quality issues affecting manufacturing, suppliers, customers, or field performance.
- Utilize advanced statistical analysis, structured problem-solving methodologies, and risk assessment techniques to identify root causes and drive sustainable corrective actions.
- Establish escalation frameworks and risk mitigation strategies for critical quality events.
- Mentor engineering teams on effective problem-solving and quality improvement methodologies.
Customer & Business Engagement
- Serve as the primary quality representative for strategic customer engagements and high-visibility programs.
- Partner with customers to understand quality requirements, reliability expectations, compliance obligations, and operational needs.
- Lead customer quality reviews, audits, corrective action responses, and executive-level communications.
- Translate customer requirements into actionable quality plans across manufacturing and supply chain operations.
New Product Introduction (NPI)
- Provide quality leadership for new product introductions, manufacturing transfers, and product lifecycle transitions.
- Lead development of quality strategies, PFMEAs, Control Plans, validation plans, and risk management activities.
- Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Quality (DFQ), and Design for Reliability (DFR) initiatives.
- Ensure product launches meet quality, reliability, and operational readiness objectives.
Continuous Improvement & Operational Transformation
- Lead enterprise-level Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence initiatives.
- Identify opportunities to reduce defects, warranty costs, scrap, rework, and customer quality incidents.
- Champion implementation of advanced quality tools, automation, and predictive analytics.
- Drive standardization of quality processes and best practices across manufacturing sites and supplier networks.
Technical Leadership & Mentorship
- Serve as a mentor and coach for Quality Engineers and cross-functional technical teams.
- Lead development of quality engineering standards, methodologies, and training programs.
- Influence organizational quality culture through technical leadership and knowledge sharing.
- Act as a recognized subject matter expert across the organization.
Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing quality engineering, supplier quality, or quality systems leadership.
- Significant experience within electronics, hardware, semiconductor, high-tech manufacturing, or complex supply chain environments.
- Demonstrated success leading enterprise-scale quality initiatives and cross-functional programs.Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, or a related technical discipline required.
- Master's degree preferred.
Technical Expertise
Expert-level knowledge of:
- Statistical Process Control (SPC)
- Design of Experiments (DOE)
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA)
- Process Capability Analysis
- Reliability Engineering
- Root Cause Analysis Methodologies
- CAPA Systems
- Quality Management Systems (QMS)
- Advanced Statistical Analysis
Additional experience with:
- Global manufacturing operations
- Supplier quality management systems
- Product lifecycle management
- Regulatory and industry quality standards
- Data analytics and quality reporting platforms
Preferred Certifications
- ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
- ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE)
- Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt
- Reliability Engineering Certification
