Supplier Quality Engineer

ESSENTRA PLC•Louisville, KY

63d•Onsite

About The Position

Essentra is a leading provider of essential components and solutions. Every day we produce and distribute millions of small but essential products. Our international network extends to 28 countries, with headquarters in the United Kingdom and includes 14 manufacturing facilities, 24 distribution centers and 33 sales & service centers. At the center of everything is our purpose, to responsibly provide the products and services our customers need to succeed. Put simply, our purpose is why we exist as a company. Many companies claim to be changing the world; we don't. But we do make a powerful difference to our customers. We make it work. Every one of us. Every day. Essentra is seeking a proactive full-time Supplier Quality Engineer for the Louisville, KY location to strengthen supplier performance and ensure compliance with industry standards. This role is critical to driving continuous improvement, reducing defects, and supporting our commitment to delivering high-quality products to customers. The hours are 8:00am-5:00pm and this is an on-site position. At this time, we are only considering local candidates and relocation is not being provided.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Supply Chain strongly preferred (or equivalent experience).
Experience: Minimum 5 years in a manufacturing environment.
Strong knowledge of automotive quality standards and tools is strongly preferred (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, GD&T, SPC, MSA).
Skilled in ERP systems and MS Office applications.
Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
Familiarity with ISO-9001 and IATF-16949 standards (application or auditing experience preferred).
Positive attitude, good teamwork skills, ability to work well with all levels of employees and vendors.

Nice To Haves

Experience with injection molding and vinyl dip molding is a plus.

Responsibilities

Act as the primary technical contact for quality-related issues with internal teams and external suppliers.
Lead supplier development initiatives to improve performance and minimize inspection requirements.
Define and implement quality requirements for purchased components and assemblies.
Develop, implement, and maintain Quality Management Systems (QMS) aligned with ISO-9001 and IATF-16949 standards.
Collaborate with leadership and third-party auditors to ensure system effectiveness.
Plan and conduct supplier audits and process validations to verify compliance.
Perform root cause analysis and lead problem-solving teams using 8D methodology.
Issue and track Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) to ensure timely resolution.
Act as a Material Review Board (MRB) member to address non-conformance issues.
Establish and monitor supplier performance metrics.
Partner with suppliers on process improvement initiatives to enhance quality and efficiency.
Build strategic relationships with key suppliers to drive long-term reliability.