Cobham is seeking a Supplier Quality Engineer that will be responsible for coordinating monitor and control with assigned suppliers and verifying quality standards in accordance with the requirements of their organization. They are in charge of performing supplier audits to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and processes driving product realization, review and approval of supplier Fist Articles as well as actively participating in strategic supplier development based on quality control plans driven to meet performance expectations. They manage the supply chain, serve as the technical liaison for suppliers, suggest structural quality and process improvements, and collaborate with other engineering, purchasing, operations, continuous improvement organization, and IT in a team environment. This position is located in Davenport, IA.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain and update critical supplier audit systWork with Purchasing and Quality to ensure supplier performance is regularly reported and that appropriate and timely corrective actions are implemented and scheduled.
• Conduct supplier audits to drive process standardization, waste elimination, and continuous improvement. Compile data and write associated SCARs.
• Monitor, communicate and improve key supply chain KPI’s, including Supplier OTD (Past due), Quality DPPM, process performance yield, and waste. Investigate supply chain disruptions caused by suppliers, typically systemic in nature, to determine a strategic course of action required to initiate root cause. Direct cause can be technical, administrative, or process. This includes coordinating and collaborating with required technical knowledge experts such as: Design Engineering (DE), Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE), Manufacturing Engineering (ME), Procurement, Material Planning, Assembly line, etc., and OEM suppliers responsible for providing an optimal solution.
• Establish specific short / long term supplier quality and OTD goals
• Collaborate with suppliers and extended Manufacturing teams regarding performance of product and support the technical team to determine process improvements required to eliminate waste.  Drive to improve Quality and On-Time Delivery supplier performance metrics.
• Lead or Co-lead problem solving and root cause analysis activities with suppliers and customers to eliminate recurrence of non?conformances.
• Work to resolve supplier technical issues in a timely manner to ensure continuity of supply of goods and services for our customer’s value streams and product development.
• Develop long?term supplier relationships and generate and implement cost reduction ideas.
• Aide manufacturing and engineering in the evaluation and qualification of new supplier materials following a defined new product development process.
• Lead or co-lead supplier performance improvement projects in an effort to increase the supplier capability of consistently meeting Cobham requirements. Projects may include: process analysis, value stream mapping, process capability and throughput analysis, 6?Sigma, 5S drive error proofing for sustainable results and Kaizen events.
• Drive “Zero Defect” mentality within the supply base.
• Assist the Quality & Supply Chain Organizations in the creation and maintenance of a Cobham Quality Management System (QMS) and Supplemental Purchase Order Conditions (SPOC) that will be used to establish and flow out qualify requirements, assess suppliers, and measure all suppliers providing product or services. This will include forms, documents, and correspondence necessary to communicate between Cobham and the suppliers in regards to supplier quality, approved supplier list, supplier risk mitigation, and supplier consolidation.
• Assist supplier with First Articles Inspections Reports and how to complete an FAI to comply with AS9102
• Assist suppliers as a communication conduit between Management, Design Engineering, SQEs and Suppliers when all other modes of communication have failed to deliver acceptable results.  Such as systemic problematic items including: product form, fit, and function, compliance documentation, and process error proofing driving manufacturability issues.
• Augment effective communication by interfacing with Cobham’s ASL Suppliers, Procurement, Quality, Engineering, Continuous Improvement (Lean), and Value Stream organizations.
• Train Suppliers in basic Root Cause/Corrective Action, Process Mapping error proofing and Problem solving. Communicate / train engineering and manufacturing specifications to supplier technical teams. Conduct supplier training on quality, process, and on-time delivery topics.
• Actively manage suppliers to ensure there are no regressions with the implementation of new processes and corrective actions.
• Aide in the new, probationary and rejected supplier transition processes.  May include movement of work from poor preforming supplier to on-boarding a new or existing ASL supplier.
• Support the Cobham commodity managers and Quality Organization to consolidate suppliers based on performance indicators, strategic supply chain requirements, and approvals from commodity managers and other stakeholders.  Update business systems to reflect supplier status; Approved Vendor List in Oracle (AVL) and Approved Supplier List (ASL) addendums.
• Provide technical input on quality and contractual issues to internal stakeholders and external customers.  Includes review of customer contracts to assure supplier flow downs are in compliance.
• Interprets engineering drawings and specifications, customer quality requirements, and company quality requirements to ensure compliance with the customer's expectations.
• Review design concepts and technical documentation; collaborate with suppliers to assure their understanding.
• Develop error proofing (poka yoke) strategies collaborating with suppliers. Work with design engineering and operations to develop producibility and testability strategies / techniques.   Perform necessary tests with equipment and effectively document test results.
• Perform all operations according to prescribed safety and environmental principles.
• Travel up to 50% (typically 20% to 35%) and Ability to obtain and hold a passport.