Supplier Quality Engineer

Brunswick Boat Group•Saint Cloud, FL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) provides both strategic and tactical leadership to manufacturing by ensuring the quality, reliability, and continuous supply of electronic and plastic injection molded components. This role is responsible for executing Advanced Product Quality Planning in support of the High-Performance Product Development (HPPD) process, driving supplier development, leading corrective action resolution and delivering performance reporting. The SQE serves as the primary owner of supplier quality performance and acts as the first line of defense against supplier-related production risk, ensuring rapid containment, root cause validation, and sustainable corrective actions. Through direct engagement with the global supply base, the SQE ensures all materials consistently meet engineering specifications and process capability requirements, protecting manufacturing operations from line disruptions, quality escapes, and warranty exposure while driving supplier capability and continuous improvement across the supply base. With a strong emphasis on electronics manufacturing (e.g., PCB/SMT processes) and plastic injection molding (e.g., tooling and dimensional control), the SQE ensures suppliers meet technical and process requirements critical to product quality and production continuity. This role plays a key part in supporting Mercury Marine’s broader Plant 7 strategy to expand internal manufacturing capabilities, strengthen supply chain resilience, and drive standardized, scalable quality practices across electronics and plastic injection molding operations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, quality, manufacturing, or related technical field required
3 – 5 years of prior experience in supplier quality, manufacturing, or quality engineering within a production environment required
Experience managing supplier quality, including corrective actions (SCAR), root cause analysis, and supplier performance improvement required
Strong knowledge of Supplier Quality core methodologies, including APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and structured problem-solving (8D, 5 Why)
Ability to interpret and apply engineering drawings, specifications, and GD&T requirements to validate supplier conformance
Understanding of process capability and statistical methods (Cp/Cpk) to evaluate supplier performance and process stability
Demonstrated ability to manage supplier quality issues end-to-end, including containment, root cause analysis, corrective action, and verification of effectiveness
Experience driving supplier development and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance process capability, control effectiveness, and overall supplier performance
Ability to assess and validate supplier process controls, quality systems, and compliance to engineering and regulatory requirements
Strong understanding of material traceability, nonconformance management (MRB, NCM), and quality system documentation requirements
Effective communication skills with the ability to influence suppliers and collaborate cross functionally with Manufacturing, Engineering, and Procurement
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret supplier performance data (PPM, trends, repeat issues) and drive data-based decisions
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and experience with quality and ERP systems for tracking supplier performance and quality data
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with a high level of accountability, attention to detail, and focus on operational execution
Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, process standardization, and driving long-term supplier capability and performance

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting new product development and supplier readiness activities (APQP / PPAP) preferred
Experience working with supplier manufacturing processes, including electronics (e.g., PCB/SMT) and/or plastic injection molding environments preferred
Experience conducting supplier audits (process, product, or quality system) and driving corrective actions preferred
Working knowledge of supplier manufacturing processes, including electronics manufacturing (e.g., PCB/SMT processes, ESD controls) and plastic injection molding (e.g., tooling, material behavior, and dimensional control)

Responsibilities

Lead and execute supplier quality activities to support production operations, ensuring timely identification, containment, and resolution of supplier-related quality issues while maintaining clear communication and accountability across the supply chain.
Own supplier nonconformances from identification through containment, root cause validation, and closure, ensuring issues are resolved in a timely and effective manner.
Drive corrective actions (SCAR / 8D) with suppliers, ensuring robust root cause analysis, verification of effectiveness, and prevention of recurrence.
Coordinate and communicate supplier quality issues, risks, and status updates to internal stakeholders to support informed decision-making and production continuity.
Escalate repeat, high-risk, or systemic supplier issues based on defined thresholds to ensure appropriate visibility and resolution support.
Ensure linkage between supplier defects, lot traceability, and production impact to enable effective containment and root cause analysis.
Collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional teams to address quality issues, improve response time, and strengthen overall supplier performance.
Serve as the first line of defense in protecting manufacturing operations from supplier-related disruptions, ensuring rapid containment, risk mitigation, and continuity of material flow to support production performance.
Lead containment activities (e.g., controlled shipping, sorting, certified stock) in coordination with suppliers to mitigate production risk and prevent line disruptions.
Own and drive timely response to supplier-related quality issues impacting production, ensuring rapid containment and recovery actions.
Partner with Manufacturing and Quality to assess, disposition, and control nonconforming material (MRB) to protect production flow.
Ensure only conforming material is released to production through appropriate verification and supplier communication.
Communicate real-time supplier quality risks, material availability constraints, and containment status to internal stakeholders.
Coordinate supplier actions to restore normal production conditions and prevent recurrence of issues impacting manufacturing.
Lead supplier readiness and quality performance across the full product lifecycle from development and launch through sustained production, ensuring components consistently meet design, process, and quality requirements while achieving stable, capable, and repeatable supplier processes.
Review and approve PPAP submissions and supporting documentation to validate supplier readiness for product launch and ongoing production.
Ensure supplier processes are capable, controlled, and aligned to engineering specifications, control plans, and risk mitigation requirements defined through the HPPD / APQP process.
Validate supplier process controls to ensure supplier process capability, control effectiveness, and consistent delivery of conforming product to specification.
Drive identification and closure of supplier readiness gaps through APQP activities, including process capability, control effectiveness, and documentation compliance.
Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Procurement, and Manufacturing to support new product development, ensuring supplier capability, risk mitigation, and quality requirements are defined, validated, and achieved prior to production release.
Plan, conduct, and lead supplier audits (process, product, and quality system) to assess capability, identify risks, and drive corrective and preventive actions aligned with APQP and ongoing production requirements.
Maintain standardized supplier quality processes and system integrity to ensure traceability, compliance, and accurate communication across the supply chain.
Ensure accurate documentation, tracking, and closure of supplier nonconformances, corrective actions, and quality-related communications.
Maintain material traceability and data integrity across supplier, quality, and inventory systems to support containment, root cause analysis, and audit requirements.
Verify supplier compliance to engineering drawings, specifications, control plans, and defined quality requirements.
Ensure adherence to supplier quality standards, internal procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements to maintain audit readiness.
Support internal and external audits by validating supplier documentation, process controls and quality records.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance supplier performance, reduce defects, and strengthen overall supply chain quality and process capability.
Analyze supplier performance metrics (e.g., PPM, repeat issues, defect trends) to identify root causes, systemic gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
Lead or support supplier improvement initiatives that reduce defects, improve process capability, and minimize cost of poor quality.
Drive reduction in inspection reliance through improved supplier performance, robust process controls, and progression toward dock-to-stock readiness.
Improve supplier processes, controls, and quality systems to ensure long-term capability, stability, and repeatable performance.
Collaborate with suppliers and cross-functional teams to implement corrective and preventive actions that address systemic issues and prevent recurrence.
Contribute to the standardization of supplier quality requirements, inspection strategies, and best practices across the supply base.