Sr Supplier Quality Engineer, Inverter and Battery Technology

Nextpower • Nashville, TN

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Nextpower is seeking a technically strong Senior Supplier Quality Engineer to lead supplier quality performance for inverter and battery technologies supporting its utility-scale solar tracking and energy infrastructure products. The role owns quality execution across supplier selection, design transfer, qualification, production ramp, sustaining operations, and field performance. It combines power electronics, energy storage, manufacturing, reliability, and commercial execution, with an emphasis on preventing defects, building supplier capability, and driving fact-based corrective action.

The role establishes repeatable quality controls across suppliers, factories, contract manufacturers, and project sites for safety-, reliability-, and performance-critical inverter and battery systems. It provides technical leadership by identifying risks early, creating alignment, and closing the loop between supplier processes and field outcomes. The position is based in Nashville, Tennessee, requires domestic and international travel, and is a full-time exempt role.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, manufacturing, mechanical, or quality engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• At least 8 years of progressive supplier quality, manufacturing quality, product quality, or quality engineering experience, with meaningful work in power electronics, inverters, batteries, energy storage, EV, industrial controls, or related technology.
• Demonstrated experience leading supplier qualification, APQP/PPAP, process audits, production readiness, and corrective action with global suppliers or contract manufacturers.
• Strong working knowledge of control plans, PFMEA, MSA, SPC, capability analysis, sampling plans, nonconformance systems, and change control.
• Experience reading electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, mechanical drawings, specifications, test requirements, and manufacturing documentation.
• Ability to interpret reliability, validation, electrical safety, and end-of-line test data and convert it into risk-based decisions.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, typically 20–30%, for supplier, factory, and project-site visits.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with utility-scale solar, battery energy storage systems, power conversion systems, industrial automation, electric vehicles, or grid-connected equipment.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Supplier Quality Professional, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, or comparable certification.
• Experience with battery cell/module/pack manufacturing, BMS, inverter test systems, thermal management, high-voltage safety, or energy storage commissioning.
• Working knowledge of UL, IEC, IEEE, UN 38.3, EMC, grid interconnection, battery transport, and environmental requirements.
• Experience with ERP, QMS, PLM, supplier portals, Power BI, or similar systems.

Responsibilities

• Own supplier quality strategy and performance for assigned inverter, battery, power conversion, and related electrical/electronic commodities.
• Segment suppliers by technology, risk, volume, and business impact, and establish surveillance, audit, inspection, and improvement plans.
• Serve as the primary quality interface to strategic suppliers, contract manufacturers, internal engineering, operations, sourcing, and project teams.
• Define supplier quality objectives, scorecards, escalation criteria, and executive-level reporting.
• Lead supplier quality deliverables through APQP, PPAP, design transfer, pilot builds, production readiness, and ramp-up.
• Review and approve process flows, PFMEAs, control plans, inspection plans, work instructions, test methods, and reaction plans.
• Translate product requirements into CTQs, special characteristics, acceptance criteria, and traceability requirements.
• Plan supplier qualification, process audits, run-at-rate, first article inspection, validation builds, reliability testing, and capability studies.
• Evaluate manufacturing and test processes for inverter assemblies, battery modules and packs, BMS hardware, power electronics, thermal management, enclosures, harnesses, busbars, sensors, and controls.
• Assess electrical safety, insulation resistance, dielectric withstand, grounding, creepage and clearance, thermal performance, EMC/EMI, vibration, ingress protection, and battery abuse risks.
• Review validation evidence for capacity, performance, reliability, environmental durability, and end-of-line test coverage.
• Ensure traceability at unit, lot, serial number, and component level as needed for warranty, regulatory, and field-failure investigations.
• Lead supplier NCR, SCAR, 8D, and root-cause activities, including disciplined containment and verified effectiveness.
• Drive measurable improvement in DPPM, first-pass yield, PPAP timing, NCR cycle time, supplier escapes, field failures, and cost of poor quality.
• Use 8D, DMAIC, fault tree analysis, DOE, SPC, and other structured problem-solving methods.
• Audit suppliers against ISO 9001 requirements, customer requirements, internal standards, and applicable electrical, battery, and product safety expectations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior