Senior Supplier Development Engineer

Description

About Barber-Nichols:

Barber-Nichols (BN) is a premier provider of custom turbomachinery solutions serving the Defense, Aerospace, Cryogenics, and Energy industries. Our team consists of industry leaders who collaborate closely with equally accomplished customers to deliver technologies that advance their markets and establish enduring partnerships. At BN, we foster a results-driven environment that values professional growth, rewards achievement, and supports innovation. From designing the blower for NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan to engineering critical components for the U.S. Navy’s MK-48 program, BN’s portfolio spans some of the most exciting and impactful projects in the world. For those seeking to contribute to impactful projects alongside a highly skilled team, BN offers an exceptional place to build your career. 

Position Summary:  

The Senior Supplier Development Engineer performs strategic sourcing/supplier-related analysis, assesses supplier capabilities throughout program lifecycle, and works closely with procurement to evaluate and approve/disqualify suppliers through data analysis and auditing.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

1. Establish a supply base that meets the needs of the business by working cross-functionally across Operations, Engineering, Program Management, and other departments at Barber-Nichols as needed.

• Develop, implement, and maintain a supplier onboarding plan, based on supplier type, that include customer & program-specific quality requirements, as well as internal standards.
• Visit current and potential suppliers to build relationships, assess capabilities, and assist in driving sustainable solutions to quality issues.
• Report out to company leadership, across all functions, the current status of the supply base (e.g. supply chain risks, supplier performance, status of supplier for internal use, etc.)

2. Direct management and/or assist in Procurement through Strategic Sourcing initiatives such as supplier selection (RFQ through PO placement), “right-part, right-shop”, supplier consolidation, growing strategic partners, and disqualifying suppliers over time through data-analysis & risk assessments.

• Drive changes in supply base through data analysis and supplier interviews.
• Driving continuous product / process improvements using statistical / analytical improvement tools such as Six Sigma and lean methodologies.
• Supports the First Article Verification and Source Inspection (as needed).
• Participating in supplier design, process change, qualification test, and procedure reviews.
• Leading supplier assessments/visits, audits, and reviews.
• Establish process, guidelines, and drive outsourcing vs. insourcing discussions across the org.

3. Accountable, in partnership with Supplier Quality, to plan, monitor, and assess supplier performance to ensure continual ability to meet company needs and expectations which are measured by defect rates, countermeasure closure per plan, Corrective and Preventive Action closed per plan, source inspection and on-site audits performed per plan.

• Perform required supplier risk assessments and audits to ensure compliance to purchase order requirements and the supplier’s quality management system. Communicate supplier-specific, job-specific, and part-specific risks and risk mitigation recommendations to the source selection authority, program manager, and procurement.
• Identify supplier risks and development initiatives to drive improved quality and delivery standards at the supplier.
• Issue, monitor, evaluate, and implement Supplier Corrective Actions as required and report the results to Procurement, Quality, Program Management and Engineering as required.

4. Accountable to continuously improve internal procedures, processes, and methods.

• Execute upon areas for improvement in processes and product relating to safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Act as a leader of continuous improvement teams to help drive company-wide improvements.
• Own supplier scorecards and/or dashboards at the frequency required for each metric.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, an individual must possess the knowledge, training, experience and abilities required.

Education and Training

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Supply Chain Management or other Engineering discipline or combination of education and experience.

Experience

• 7-10 years’ experience in Procurement, Sourcing, Quality Assurance or Manufacturing Engineering.
• 5+ years’ experience with recognized quality systems (ISO9001, AS9100, QS, TS).
• Proficiency in auditing (inte