Job Title
Supplier Quality Engineer (SQE) – Sheet Metal
Purpose of the Role
To ensure consistent quality, compliance, and capability of sheet metal suppliers by controlling processes, preventing defects, reducing COPQ, and ensuring on‑time, right‑first‑time supply.
Key Roles & Responsibilities 1. Supplier Qualification & Development
- Evaluate and approve sheet metal suppliers through process audits (laser cutting, bending, welding, powder coating, painting).
- Assess supplier capability for capacity, tooling, fixtures, and manpower.
- Drive supplier development plans for quality, cost, delivery, and safety.
- Support new supplier onboarding and localization initiatives.
2. Incoming Quality Assurance
- Define and implement incoming inspection plans (AQL, first‑off, layout inspection).
- Ensure PPAP / ISIR approval before SOP for all new or changed parts.
- Monitor incoming rejection trends and take preventive actions.
- Ensure proper material traceability (CRCA, HR, GI, SS grades).
3. Process Control at Supplier End
- Ensure process control plans for:
- Laser / turret punching
- Bending (angle, spring back control)
- Welding (spot, MIG/TIG)
- Surface treatment (phosphating, powder coating, painting)
- Verify fixture adequacy, poka‑yoke, and in‑process checks.
- Ensure adherence to special process requirements (welding qualification, coating parameters).
4. Non‑Conformance Management
- Lead supplier NCRs, 8D / RCA, and closure within agreed timelines.
- Drive root cause elimination, not containment‑only actions.
- Ensure horizontal deployment of corrective actions across similar parts.
- Escalate repeat issues and trigger Stop & Correct culture.
5. Change Management
- Control engineering changes (ECO/ECN) at supplier end.
- Ensure re‑PPAP / re‑qualification for:
- Material change
- Process change
- Tooling or source change
- Prevent unauthorized changes at supplier end.
6. Supplier Performance Monitoring
- Track and review:
- PPM
- COPQ
- On‑time delivery impact due to quality
- Conduct monthly supplier quality reviews.
- Drive continuous improvement projects (Kaizen, VA/VE).
7. Audit & Compliance
- Conduct supplier audits:
- ISO 9001 / IMS compliance
- Process & product audits
- Ensure compliance to:
- Drawings & specifications
- Surface finish, thickness, flatness, burr control
- Support customer and third‑party audits.
8. Cross‑Functional Coordination
- Work closely with:
- Engineering – for DFM, tolerances, ECOs
- SCM/Purchase – supplier performance & sourcing decisions
- Production – fitment, assembly issues, damage feedback
- Support new product development (NPDI) activities.
9. Packaging & Logistics Quality
- Approve packing standards to avoid transit damage.
- Ensure handling, stacking, and protection of sheet metal parts.
- Drive improvements for rust prevention, scratch & dent control.
10. Documentation & Reporting
- Maintain:
- Supplier quality records
- Audit reports
- PPAP / ISIR documents
- Provide management dashboards for supplier quality status
Skills Required
- Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship
- Experience with supplier quality for sheet metal processes (laser cutting, bending, welding, coating)
- Ability to conduct supplier process and product audits (ISO 9001 / IMS)
- Knowledge and use of PPAP and ISIR for new or changed parts
- Experience defining incoming inspection plans (AQL, first-off, layout inspection)
- Root cause analysis and corrective action experience (8D, RCA)
- Familiarity with process control tools: poka-yoke, fixture validation, welding qualifications, coating parameters
- Experience with supplier performance metrics and reporting (PPM, COPQ, on-time delivery impact)
- Experience driving continuous improvement projects (Kaizen, VA/VE)
- Change control experience (ECO/ECN) and re-qualification / re-PPAP management
- Capability to manage packaging and logistics quality to prevent transit damage
What We Do
Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to ensure its customers’ vital applications run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs approximately 20,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries. For more information, and for the latest news and content from Vertiv, visit Vertiv.com.
