Virgin Galactic - Tustin, CA
posted 5 months ago
The Supplier Quality Engineer will be assigned to the Delta spaceship program and will be tasked with addressing and solving the most difficult engineering challenges on the design and analysis of the spaceship components and assemblies of the vehicle. This role is critical in ensuring that the quality of the components and assemblies meets the high standards required for space travel. The Supplier Quality Engineer will work closely with suppliers to ensure that they understand and meet the quality requirements set forth by Virgin Galactic. This position requires a strong focus on quality, as the SQE will be the focal point for both internal and external supplier quality activities. The SQE will advocate for the supplier within the business and represent business interests when working with suppliers, ensuring that the day-to-day operations run smoothly and that any supply chain-related quality issues are resolved promptly. The SQE will be responsible for planning and conducting audits and assessments of suppliers' systems, special processes, and products. They will document and report audit results, ensuring that product requirements are effectively communicated both internally and to sub-tier suppliers. The SQE will represent quality during review boards that cover changes to supplier designs, process changes, qualification tests, and procedure reviews. Analyzing supplier performance and developing improvement plans for identified problem areas will be a key responsibility, as will using Six Sigma and Lean concepts to drive supplier improvement of quality and delivery metrics. The SQE will also assist with assessments of supplier capability and capacity to perform current and potential future work, driving supplier performance to meet or exceed quality goals established by the business. In addition to these responsibilities, the SQE will provide supplier education and coaching on quality systems, regulatory compliance issues, and company initiatives. They will analyze non-conformance trends to evaluate the effectiveness of corrective actions or other supplier quality improvement tools and assist in the development of supplier scorecard criteria. Travel to suppliers may be required as part of this role, emphasizing the need for strong communication and organizational skills to manage these relationships effectively.