The Senior Supplier Quality Engineer will provide dedicated quality engineering support for DDN's manufacturing and component supplier base. The Sr. SQE will work closely with suppliers and DDN Quality, Engineering, Manufacturing, NPI, Test, and Supply Chain teams to improve supplier performance, prevent quality escapes, and ensure effective implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
The position will initially have significant focus on DDN's primary manufacturing partner and key platform products while supporting supplier quality activities across the broader supply base.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Monitor and drive supplier quality performance, production yield, defect trends, DMRs, SCARs, and recurring quality issues.
2. Lead supplier corrective-action activities, including 8D/SCAR review, root-cause validation, containment, corrective-action
implementation, and effectiveness verification.
3. Lead and conduct routine, risk-based, and issue-driven supplier/process audits.
4. Work with supplier Quality and Engineering teams to investigate manufacturing and field failures and prevent recurrence.
5. Support supplier NPI, FAI, qualification, production ramp, and manufacturing-readiness activities.
6. Evaluate manufacturing, inspection, and test processes and drive improvements for defect prevention and continuous
improvement.
7. Analyze supplier quality data to identify systemic trends and emerging risks.
8. Coordinate cross-functional resolution of significant supplier quality issues and support focused Tiger Team activities as needed.
9. Partner with Receiving and Production Quality to improve incoming inspection and containment strategies.
10. Drive improvements in supplier traceability, process controls, workmanship, inspection/test coverage, and change-control
discipline.
11. Conduct supplier performance reviews and escalate significant quality concerns as appropriate.
Skills and Qualifications:
1. Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline preferred.
2. 5+ years of experience in Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, Quality Engineering, or a related engineering role.
3. Strong knowledge of root-cause analysis, 8D, CAPA/SCAR, supplier auditing, manufacturing process controls, FAI/NPI, and
corrective-action effectiveness.
4. Experience with electronics manufacturing, contract manufacturers, PCBA, server/storage systems, or complex
electromechanical products preferred.
5. Strong technical problem-solving and data-analysis skills.
6. Ability to independently evaluate supplier RCA/FA findings and challenge unsupported conclusions using objective technical
evidence.
7. Demonstrated ability to lead supplier corrective-action and continuous-improvement activities.
8. Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across suppliers, Engineering, Operations,
and management.
9. Ability to travel to supplier manufacturing locations as required.
10. Experience supporting supplier quality for HPC, enterprise data storage, AI infrastructure, or server-class hardware is highly
desirable
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline
- 5+ years of experience in Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, Quality Engineering, or a related engineering role
- Strong knowledge of root-cause analysis, 8D, CAPA/SCAR, supplier auditing, manufacturing process controls, FAI/NPI, and corrective-action effectiveness
- Experience with electronics manufacturing, contract manufacturers, PCBA, server/storage systems, or complex electromechanical products
- Strong technical problem-solving and data-analysis skills
- Ability to independently evaluate supplier RCA/FAI findings using objective technical evidence
- Demonstrated ability to lead supplier corrective-action and continuous-improvement activities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally
- Ability to travel to supplier manufacturing locations as required
- Experience supporting supplier quality for HPC, enterprise data storage, AI infrastructure, or server-class hardware
What We Do
DDN is the world’s largest private data storage company and the leading provider of intelligent technology and infrastructure solutions for Enterprise At Scale, AI and analytics, HPC, government and academia customers. Through its DDN and Tintri divisions, the company delivers AI, Data Management software and hardware solutions, and unified analytics frameworks to solve complex business challenges for data-intensive, global organizations. DDN provides its enterprise customers with the most flexible, efficient and reliable data storage solutions for on-premises and multi-cloud environments at any scale. Over the last two decades, DDN has established itself as the data management provider of choice for over 11,000 enterprises, government, and public-sector customers, including many of the world’s leading financial services firms, life science organizations, manufacturing and energy companies, research facilities, and web and cloud service providers.
