Engineer, Senior

BorgWarner•Bellwood, IL

10d

About The Position

The Senior Supplier Quality Engineer leads supplier quality assurance and improvement from supplier selection and product development through series production and ongoing performance management. The role ensures suppliers meet customer, engineering, quality, delivery, and regulatory requirements, and serves as the primary quality interface with assigned suppliers. It leads cross-functional resolution of supplier concerns, including containment, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and prevention using structured methods such as 8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa, and statistical analysis. Working closely with Purchasing, Engineering, Program Management, Manufacturing, Logistics, and plant Quality, the position supports new product introduction through APQP and supplier PPAP approval, manages supplier changes, conducts supplier audits, and monitors supplier performance throughout the product life cycle. The incumbent exercises independent judgment, influences suppliers without direct authority, communicates with supplier and internal management, and provides technical guidance to less-experienced engineers and quality team members.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Materials Science, or a related technical field; equivalent directly related experience may be considered.
Typically 7 or more years of progressive experience in supplier quality, manufacturing quality, process engineering, or a related automotive manufacturing discipline.
Demonstrated experience leading supplier APQP, PPAP, corrective action, supplier audits, and launch-readiness activities.
Strong working knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 9001, AIAG core tools (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, and SPC), control plans, GD&T, and structured problem solving.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, inspection results, capability data, and manufacturing-process controls.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and quality-data systems.
Effective written, verbal, negotiation, presentation, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to manage conflict and drive accountability.
Ability to travel to supplier locations, including occasional short-notice travel, as business needs require.

Nice To Haves

Experience with machining, stamping, heat treat, coatings, plastics, friction materials, assembly, or other relevant manufacturing processes.
Experience with statistical-analysis software.
ASQ certification, certified auditor credentials, Six Sigma, Shainin RED X, or similar advanced problem-solving training.

Responsibilities

Lead supplier quality planning for new programs, product changes, resourcing activities, and supplier transfers through APQP.
Review and approve supplier PPAP submissions, including process flow diagrams, PFMEAs, control plans, measurement system studies, capability studies, dimensional results, material certifications, and supporting records.
Develop, communicate, and monitor supplier quality requirements aligned with drawings, specifications, customer-specific requirements, and applicable quality-management-system requirements.
Lead containment, investigation, and disposition of supplier nonconforming material to protect production and customers.
Issue and manage supplier corrective action requests, verifying root cause, corrective-action effectiveness, recurrence prevention, and timely closure through the 8D process.
Plan and conduct supplier process, system, capacity, and special-process audits; document findings and drive closure of identified gaps.
Monitor supplier quality, delivery, responsiveness, and improvement metrics; identify risks and lead recovery or improvement plans for underperforming suppliers.
Partner with Purchasing and Engineering on supplier selection, technical reviews, feasibility assessments, supplier development, and sourcing decisions.
Lead supplier readiness reviews and production-launch activities, including safe launch, early production containment, and escalation when performance does not meet requirements.
Coordinate supplier deviations and engineering-change implementation, ensuring validation, documentation, and approval before production use.
Apply AIAG core tools, statistical methods, and problem-solving techniques to reduce variation, improve process capability, and prevent defects.
Maintain supplier-quality records and provide reports, risk assessments, and escalation updates to management and cross-functional stakeholders.
Assess and monitor suppliers’ management of critical sub-tier suppliers, including flow-down of technical, quality, regulatory, and customer-specific requirements and management of sub-tier risk.
Lead supplier development to improve manufacturing process capability, process controls, error proofing, measurement systems, preventive maintenance, material flow, and process robustness.
Establish and maintain supplier quality risk assessments using supplier performance, process capability, audit results, launch status, technical complexity, capacity, change activity, and business continuity considerations.
Plan and execute supplier capacity verification and run-at-rate assessments to confirm equipment, tooling, labor, cycle time, scrap assumptions, material flow, and quality controls support required production volumes.
Track and drive reduction of supplier-related Cost of Poor Quality, including scrap, rework, sorting, production disruption, premium freight, containment, customer impact, and other recoverable costs.
Support IATF 16949 and QMS compliance, internal and external audits, warranty or field investigations related to purchased components, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
Mentor engineers, technicians, inspectors, and suppliers in APQP, PPAP, problem solving, auditing, and quality-tool application.
Perform other quality and supplier-development assignments as directed by Quality leadership.
Travel to supplier locations, including occasional short-notice travel, as business needs require.