Supplier Quality Engineer

Whirlpool • Tulsa, OK

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Whirlpool Corporation is seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer to join its Quality organization at the Tulsa, Oklahoma factory, which produces U.S. freestanding and slide-in ranges. Reporting to the Supplier Quality Lead, this role drives a zero-defect mindset, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and problem-solving across the supply base for assigned components, while supporting implementation of the World Class Manufacturing initiative.

The engineer works with suppliers and internal teams to improve component quality, support product launches, address production and test failures, and reduce customer complaints. The role also manages PPAP submittals and the return material authorization process, including finance compliance with SOX and control of quarantined or rejected material. Supplier travel is required as needed for process and quality assessments.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science.
• At least 2 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
• At least 1 year of experience with 8D, Drill Deep Drill Wide, 5 Why, Kaizen, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), or Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).

Nice To Haves

• Certified Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, Quality Engineer, and Auditor.
• Exposure to World Class Manufacturing (WCM), including QA Matrix and S&P Matrix.
• At least 4 years of experience in Supplier Quality or a Quality role in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong familiarity with quality and problem-solving tools.
• Strong people skills and ability to lead, apply critical thinking, and make decisions.
• Self-starter able to work independently and with cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) and Google Suite (Sheets, Docs, and Slides).
• Knowledge of SAP, SAS, and Google Apps.
• Strong analytical orientation, initiative to identify trends and problems, and ability to drive corrective actions, including innovative solutions.
• Ability to work autonomously with little oversight and make prudent, informed decisions quickly and with limited information.
• Strong problem-solving, interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, including ability to communicate effectively with all organizational levels, global team members, and the supply base.

Responsibilities

• Champion root cause analysis, 8D, kaizens, and corrective and preventive actions for common-cause failures, working with design engineers, process engineers, and suppliers.
• Lead cross-functional improvement teams to identify, analyze, and solve problems.
• Set short- and long-term quality goals for assigned suppliers and drive continuous improvement activities.
• Oversee factory disposition of Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) submittals and ensure content meets Whirlpool standards.
• Manage assigned suppliers to support seamless launches of new parts or processes.
• Work cross-functionally to implement No Defect Forwarding strategies with assigned suppliers.
• Provide real-time failure analysis for test failures and assembly issues identified in the factory.
• Travel to suppliers as required and perform process and quality assessments to confirm suppliers can manufacture quality components.
• Drive improvement initiatives for leading component failure modes using Service Incident Rate (SIR), Total Cost of Quality (TCQ), Customer Assurance Lab (CAL), and First Pass Yield (FPY) data.
• Connect the quality department with partners including product design, manufacturing, procurement, and marketing.
• Manage multiple assignments concurrently.
• Manage the return material authorization (RMA) procedure and maintain SOX finance compliance, including control of quarantined material and material rejected from warehouses and production lines.
• Develop strategies to reduce customer field complaints.
• Value diversity of ideas, opinions, experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Benefits

• Generous benefits package.
• Whirlpool employee discount.
• Fitness reimbursement programs.
• Educational reimbursement programs.
• Kitchenettes.
• Always On Flexibility to manage personal, family, and outside-of-work commitments.
• Two weeks of work from anywhere per year, in minimum one-week increments.
• Four weeks of paid sabbatical after every five years of service.
• The Eddy Early Childhood Center access at Saint Joseph/Benton Harbor locations, depending on availability and at additional cost.

What This Job Offers

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