Plant Materials Engineer
About The Position
The Plant Materials Engineer supports supplier quality and operational excellence by ensuring suppliers meet OEM requirements, customer-specific standards, and Drive Automotive supplier quality expectations. The role leads supplier quality planning and documentation for new launches, engineering changes, and process updates, including PPAP, ISIR, Control Plans, FMEAs, and engineering change activities. It drives supplier performance through audits, corrective actions, root cause analysis, scorecards, and KPI management, and partners with manufacturing, quality, and cross-functional teams to resolve concerns and reduce risk through continuous improvement and lessons learned. The position also conducts supplier visits and audits, provides technical leadership and independent decision-making, communicates with OEMs and suppliers, and applies hands-on problem solving to support quality objectives.
Requirements
- Four-year degree in Materials Engineering, preferably Materials Science, Metallurgy, or a related field.
- Working knowledge of metallurgical techniques and a competent understanding of them.
- Working knowledge of steel and aluminum making processes.
- Knowledge of DMAIC, 8D, Six Sigma, or another problem-solving methodology.
- Strong, data-driven root cause analysis ability with clear and concise conclusions.
- Ability to read technical drawings and standards as they relate to manufacturing processes.
- Familiarity with metallurgical laboratory equipment, including metallographic sample preparation polishers and mounting equipment, optical microscopes, stereo scopes, metallography machines, tensile testers, and hardness testers.
Responsibilities
- Ensure supplier compliance with OEM requirements, customer-specific standards, and Drive Automotive supplier quality expectations.
- Lead supplier quality planning and documentation for new launches, engineering changes, and process updates, including PPAP, ISIR, Control Plans, FMEAs, and engineering change activities.
- Drive supplier performance through audits, corrective actions, root cause analysis, supplier scorecards, and KPI management, including PPM, incident rates, and quality metrics.
- Partner with manufacturing, quality, and cross-functional teams to resolve supplier quality concerns and minimize risk through continuous improvement and lessons learned initiatives.
- Conduct supplier visits and audits to address quality issues, verify compliance, and ensure adherence to Drive Automotive requirements and standards.
- Provide technical leadership and independent decision-making to support quality objectives, communicate effectively with OEMs and suppliers, and drive operational excellence through ongoing development and hands-on problem solving.
Benefits
- Health insurance, including telemedicine, FSA, HSA, and other benefits
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) with match
- Employee Profit Sharing Plan
- Employee Assistance Program
- Tuition reimbursement
- Referral program with up to $1,000 per hired referral
- Onsite cafeteria with fresh-cooked options and salad bar, and stocked breakrooms
- Annual events, including a summer cookout and Christmas party
- Onsite nurses' office
- Onsite mother's room
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
