Lead Supplier Quality Engineer

Rocket Lab Corporation•Long Beach, CA

11h•Onsite

About The Position

Based out of Rocket Lab's Long Beach, CA facility, the Lead Supplier Quality Engineer is responsible for ensuring that the quality requirements for procured parts and processes are consistently met. Leading a team of highly capable Supplier Quality Engineers, you will act as a key liaison between internal stakeholders and suppliers, translating complex technical requirements into clear, achievable specifications. Your exceptional leadership, communication, and negotiation skills will inspire suppliers to continuously improve, implement robust quality processes, and drive cost reduction and process efficiency, all while balancing the priorities of internal teams and external partners. This role also involves overseeing the creation of non-conformance reports, conducting supplier audits, managing supplier concessions, and identifying opportunities for improvement to reduce risk, cost, and lead time for Rocket Lab.

Requirements

5+ years in a quality role, preferably in regulated industries such as Aerospace, Medical, Automotive, or Industrial.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Mechatronic Engineering, or a related field.
Strong knowledge of quality systems, engineering drawings, GD&T, and specialized manufacturing processes like fabrication, CNC, PCBAs, and 3D printing.
Proficiency in root cause analysis tools (8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams, etc.) and practical problem-solving methodologies.
Proven ability to lead projects, manage supplier relationships, and drive quality improvements across the supply chain.

Responsibilities

Proven ability to lead high-performing teams by fostering collaboration, driving accountability, and empowering team members to achieve exceptional results in dynamic and challenging environments.
Develop and implement robust supplier quality systems and processes to ensure consistent delivery of quality components and services.
Utilize tools and metrics to monitor supplier performance, providing visibility into quality trends and driving accountability.
Lead initiatives to improve purchased product quality, reduce non-conformances, and enhance supplier processes through root cause analysis and corrective actions.
Support suppliers in scaling production processes to meet future quality, cost, and delivery targets while introducing new products into production (NPI, APQP, PPAP).
Act as a bridge between suppliers, internal teams, and senior management to ensure alignment on technical requirements, production goals, and quality standards.