Supplier Quality Development

MANN+HUMMEL•Portage, MI

About The Position

The Supplier Quality Development (SQD) Engineer – Die Casting identifies, evaluates, and develops die-casting suppliers to strengthen MANN+HUMMEL's North American supply base. The role uses hands-on die-casting expertise to provide technical guidance on component design, manufacturing processes, and supplier capabilities, and leads supplier qualification and development activities, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement to ensure reliable, cost-effective, high-quality components. The engineer monitors supplier performance, prioritizes significant quality complaints, manages improvement programs, and ensures immediate and sustainable resolution of supplier-caused failures. The position plans and executes supplier potential analyses and process audits according to VDA 6.3, monitors resulting actions, and may stop a process or product delivery when customer expectations are not met or safety or environmental risks arise, in alignment with the responsible Material Group Manager and affected MANN+HUMMEL sites. The role also coordinates Top Focus Supplier Meetings with Purchasing, supports supplier relocation and APQP activities, contributes to Material Group Strategy, identifies cost-saving opportunities, and shares lessons learned and training across the organization. Die-casting technical work includes assessing supplier capability in relevant processes and equipment, reviewing die and casting-system designs and simulations, and leading root-cause investigations and corrective actions for casting defects and dimensional issues.

Requirements

Technical education at Bachelor's, Master's, Dipl.-Ing. level, or equivalent, in Mechanical, Process, or Industrial Engineering, Material Sciences, or a related field.
At least 15 years of direct experience in die-casting manufacturing, supplier quality, process engineering, operations leadership, and/or supplier development.
Extensive practical experience in supplier development and die-casting manufacturing within the automotive industry.
Certified process auditor according to VDA 6.3 (A, BII, C).
Deep knowledge of problem-solving tools and quality and statistical methods, including 8D, PDCA, 5W2H, Ishikawa, FTA, APQP, PPAP, and FMEA.
Professional knowledge of IATF 16949.
Knowledge of ISO 14001.
Understanding of Customer Specific Requirements and ability to interpret technical drawings and specifications.
Fluent business-level English.
Mastery of MS Office tools and good knowledge of SAP (QM/MM).
Practical experience moderating, presenting, and conducting training activities.
Good communication skills, conflict-management ability, strong cost awareness, assertiveness, and an analytical approach.
Flexibility for a substantial amount of national and international business travel.

Responsibilities

Review assigned supplier performance at least monthly using Vendor Rating System results and supplier KPIs.
Use the pareto rule with SQE employees at affected MANN+HUMMEL plants to prioritize and act on the highest complaints by rejected parts or ppm.
Initiate and manage continuous-improvement programs for assigned suppliers.
Ensure immediate and sustainable elimination of supplier-caused failures during escalations.
Plan and execute VDA 6.3 potential analyses to evaluate new suppliers, locations, and technologies, and monitor defined actions.
Plan and execute VDA 6.3 process audits at external suppliers during serial production, and monitor defined actions.
Stop processes or product deliveries when non-conformance with customer expectations or safety or environmental risks warrant it, in alignment with the responsible Material Group Manager and concerned MANN+HUMMEL sites.
Organize Top Focus Supplier Meetings with Purchasing and ensure agreed supplier actions are implemented.
Support Technical Change Management for supplier relocation activities.
Support Advance Supplier Quality Engineers with supplier APQP processes.
Support Material Group Managers with Material Group Strategy.
Identify potential serial-production cost-saving projects and initiate their implementation.
Ensure experience sharing and professional training for Supplier Quality Assurance employees at MANN+HUMMEL sites.
Communicate lessons learned to relevant functions within the MANN+HUMMEL group.
Improve Supplier Development processes, methods, and tools, including training within MANN+HUMMEL and at suppliers.
Assess supplier capabilities in melting, alloy handling, shot control, vacuum systems, die thermal management, trimming, machining, impregnation, and leak testing.
Lead technical reviews of dies, gates, runners, cooling circuits, venting systems, and die-filling and solidification simulations.
Drive root-cause investigations and corrective actions for casting defects and dimensional issues.