What does a supplier quality engineer do?
A Supplier Quality Engineer ensures that the supplier's quality standards are in accordance with the requirement of the organization. They also report supplier performance and quality to management.
Supplier quality engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real supplier quality engineer resumes:
- Manage manufacturing processes to ensure compliance with TS16949 and ISO9001 requirements.
- Lead a team of cross function business units into defining a new PCB fabrication spec.
- Lead the effort with all quality engineers to collect all code coverage during a full regression pass.
- Program manage inter-departmental NPI activities.
- Manage automated SPC programs and perform periodic system maintenance.
- Manage quality and performance for precision investment casting products manufacture for aerospace customers.
- Work with supply chain & design team for supplier development & prevent defective parts using PFMEA.
- Review PPAP's including PFD, PFMEA, control plans, material certification, dimensional analysis.
- Contribute towards the standardization and deployment of PPAP methodology, including FMEA analysis.
- Perform process validations and maintain validation procedures that conform to GMP and ISO requirements.
- Deliver supplier savings of $500K, using lean six sigma tools.
- Maximize quality, cost, logistics, delivery and management at the supply base.
- Respond to and resolve all issues with customer production products, provide PCN, RMA support.
- Support improvement teams by analyzing quality, test, RMA and scrap data to identify improvement opportunities.
- Create and implement QMS processes and procedures to ensure all suppliers are qualified and performing to require levels.
Supplier quality engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 6% of Supplier Quality Engineers are proficient in Sigma, ISO, and PPAP. They’re also known for soft skills such as Creativity, Listening skills, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Supplier Quality Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sigma, 6%
Facilitated redesign, automation and scale up of manufacturing processes using Six Sigma tools; managed project schedule and communications.
- ISO, 6%
Conducted internal audits to support the companies ISO certification / accreditation process and helped coordinate corrective action responses.
- PPAP, 5%
Contributed towards the standardization and deployment of PPAP methodology, including FMEA analysis.
- Product Quality, 4%
Established and implemented applicable measurements / metrics for monitoring system effectiveness and to enable managers/employees to make sound product quality decisions.
- SPC, 4%
Institutionalized Layered Audits o Performed error-proofing verification / reduced variation within processes through Measurement Analysis, SPC and Problem-solving Techniques.
- APQP, 4%
Partnered with Supply Chain on APQP for supplier performance quality metrics on purchased material qualification baseline.
Common skills that a supplier quality engineer uses to do their job include "sigma," "iso," and "ppap." You can find details on the most important supplier quality engineer responsibilities below.
Creativity. The most essential soft skill for a supplier quality engineer to carry out their responsibilities is creativity. This skill is important for the role because "industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings in order to reduce the use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal." Additionally, a supplier quality engineer resume shows how their duties depend on creativity: "managed the return of vendor inventory to acceptable levels as well as management of supply corrective action requests. "
Listening skills. Another essential skill to perform supplier quality engineer duties is listening skills. Supplier quality engineers responsibilities require that "these engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff." Supplier quality engineers also use listening skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "communicated with suppliers to drive continuous improvement. "
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of supplier quality engineers is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday supplier quality engineer duties, as "industrial engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "conducted doe techniques for spc inspected quality of supplied materials reported statistics of product quality"
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what supplier quality engineers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to supplier quality engineer responsibilities because "in designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical supplier quality engineer tasks: "initiated and resolved internal, suppliers & customers related rejects and issued corrective/ preventive actions to relevant department. "
Speaking skills. A commonly-found skill in supplier quality engineer job descriptions, "speaking skills" is essential to what supplier quality engineers do. Supplier quality engineer responsibilities rely on this skill because "industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available." You can also see how supplier quality engineer duties rely on speaking skills in this resume example: "carry out with customer specifications, which may be represented in iso ts16949. "
Writing skills. Another skill commonly found on supplier quality engineer job descriptions is "writing skills." It can come up quite often in supplier quality engineer duties, since "industrial engineers must prepare documentation for other engineers or scientists, or for future reference." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day supplier quality engineer responsibilities: "developed supplier corrective action request (scar) system to track supplier performance; utilized 8d approach to writing scars. "
The three companies that hire the most supplier quality engineers are:
- Xometry52 supplier quality engineers jobs
- Raymond33 supplier quality engineers jobs
- General Electric21 supplier quality engineers jobs
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Compare different supplier quality engineers
Supplier quality engineer vs. Manufacturing engineering internship
A manufacturing engineering intern is responsible for assisting the manufacturing engineers on the plant's daily operations, analyzing the manufacturing process and procedures, and recommending strategic solutions to maximize productivity and minimize costs. Manufacturing engineering interns shadow the production staff, inspect the tools and equipment of the manufacturing, analyze the quality control documentation, and perform related administrative tasks to familiarize themselves with the plant structure. A manufacturing engineering intern must have excellent communication and organization skills, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to a fast-paced environment.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, supplier quality engineer responsibilities require skills like "quality system," "as9100," "lean six sigma," and "sqe." Meanwhile a typical manufacturing engineering internship has skills in areas such as "cad," "solidworks," "assembly line," and "pallets." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Manufacturing engineering interns tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $49,245. In contrast, supplier quality engineers make the biggest average salary, $87,103, in the professional industry.manufacturing engineering interns tend to reach similar levels of education than supplier quality engineers. In fact, manufacturing engineering interns are 4.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Supplier quality engineer vs. Process engineer internship
A process engineering intern performs various tasks for an organization. These include collaborating with the technical team on cost savings, process efficiency improvements, and technology advancement, attending meetings with leadership teams, and participating in customer trials. Additionally, they may assist with the leadership or management teams in creating standard operating procedures. They are responsible for coordinating with engineers and work on projects assigned by the leadership. Ideal candidates for this role must have a degree in mechanical or industrial engineering, excellent communication skills, and knowledge and experience in process observation.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, supplier quality engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "ppap," "spc," "apqp," and "gd." Meanwhile, a process engineer internship has duties that require skills in areas such as "process engineering," "data analysis," "powerpoint," and "data collection." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, process engineer interns achieve similar levels of education than supplier quality engineers. They're 3.2% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Supplier quality engineer vs. Packaging engineer
A Packaging Engineer plans and implements packaging designs to ensure product integrity and appeal. Their primary duties include supervising and managing the complete packaging development process, analyzing engineering drawings, and conducting periodic vendor reviews.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a supplier quality engineer is likely to be skilled in "ppap," "product quality," "spc," and "apqp," while a typical packaging engineer is skilled in "cad," "project management," "solidworks," and "astm."
Packaging engineers earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $100,934. Supplier quality engineers earn the highest pay from the professional industry, with an average salary of $87,103.packaging engineers typically earn lower educational levels compared to supplier quality engineers. Specifically, they're 6.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Supplier quality engineer vs. Manufacturing engineer
Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.
Types of supplier quality engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
