Principal Specialist, Supplier Quality Engineer (Remote)
About The Position
The Principal Specialist, Supplier Quality Engineer supports supplier quality, development, and continuous improvement across aerospace and defense operations, with a focus on machining commodities. The role partners with suppliers and cross-functional teams to ensure manufacturing processes, products, and materials meet quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. It leads supplier quality initiatives, resolves complex quality issues, drives corrective actions, and strengthens supplier capabilities to improve quality and delivery performance. As an individual contributor, the position applies advanced knowledge of supplier quality engineering, manufacturing processes, and quality methodologies to identify supplier risks, lead problem-solving, and implement sustainable improvements. It collaborates with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Program Management, and other stakeholders on supplier qualification, production readiness, work transfers, and process changes. The mission is to prevent quality escapes, improve supplier manufacturing capabilities, and strengthen product quality, operational performance, and customer satisfaction. This is a remote U.S.-based position, with a preference for candidates located in Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; or Los Angeles, California. Approximately 50% travel is required. U.S. citizenship is required to access information under the program/contract. The salary range is $86,800–$165,200.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related STEM field and at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, or an advanced degree in a related field and at least 3 years of relevant experience.
- Experience in supplier quality engineering, supplier development, manufacturing quality, or a related supply chain operations environment.
- Experience with quality regulations, core tools, and methodologies, including APQP, practical problem-solving, AS9100, ISO 9001, PFMEA, Control Plans, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), and risk management.
- Experience monitoring supplier performance, conducting audits and assessments, and developing corrective actions or recovery plans to mitigate supplier and industrial risks.
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- Approximately 50% travel is required.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in aerospace and defense or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
- Knowledge of machining processes, manufacturing operations, and supplier process capabilities.
- Experience with PPAP, SPC, Gemba walks, and structured problem-solving techniques such as A3 and 8D.
- Experience leading supplier audits, qualification, certification, source inspections, Corrective Action Boards, and supplier recovery initiatives.
- Experience managing supplier relationships and collaborating with cross-functional teams to resolve complex quality issues and improve supplier performance.
Responsibilities
- Lead supplier quality activities for machining commodities, including supplier qualification, certification, development, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement.
- Analyze supplier quality data, identify trends and recurring issues, and develop supplier-specific improvement plans and corrective actions.
- Lead root cause analysis, containment, and corrective action for supplier quality escapes and systemic manufacturing process issues using structured problem-solving methodologies such as A3 and 8D.
- Implement the RTX ZERO program to drive continuous improvement and strengthen supplier processes and sustainable quality performance.
- Coordinate supplier qualification, certification, audits, assessments, source inspections, material release activities, and Corrective Action Boards to ensure compliance with RTX quality requirements.
- Monitor supplier performance through KPIs, identify quality and industrial risks, and develop supplier recovery plans and improvement strategies.
- Evaluate supplier readiness and manufacturing process capability for work transfers and process changes, including Resourcing Gate requirements and PPAP acceptance.
- Collaborate with Engineering, Integrated Product Teams, Program Management, Operations, Supply Chain, and Assembly Lines to align supplier quality and delivery objectives.
- Oversee supplier escape events, Notices of Escapes (NoEs), Supplier Recovery Initiatives (SRIs), and First Article Inspections (FAIs), ensuring timely resolution and compliance with applicable RTX requirements.
- Identify and lead supplier development opportunities, influence cross-functional stakeholders, and drive improvements to supplier capabilities, manufacturing processes, and supply chain performance.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Four weeks of PTO for newly hired employees
- 401(k) plan with employer matching funds and a separate employer retirement contribution
- Tuition reimbursement program
- Student Loan Repayment Program
- Life insurance and disability coverage
- Optional pet, home and auto, additional life and accident, critical illness, group legal, and identity theft coverage
- Birth, adoption, and parental leave benefits
- Fertility and family planning benefits
- Adoption Assistance
- Autism Benefit
- Employee Assistance Plan, including up to 10 free counseling sessions
- Healthy You Incentives wellness rewards program
- Virtual doctor visits
- Child and elder care services
- Medical second-opinion program
- Flexible spending accounts
- Flexible work schedules
- Paid holidays
- Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be available, depending on position level and collective-bargaining coverage.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
