Supplier Quality Engineer

Position Overview:

The Supplier Quality Engineer ensures that all components, materials, and assemblies sourced from suppliers and products sourced from the CM meet Inseego's, and the customer's, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and performance specifications. The Inseego Supplier Quality Engineer will primarily work onsite at one of our (CM) manufacturing partners in India. This role is critical in ensuring production yield and quality for New Product Introduction (NPI), ramp-up, and Mass Production. The engineer will also lead customer complaint management, drive continuous quality improvements, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance supplier performance and product quality. A strong focus will be placed on PCBA manufacturing processes, advanced quality tools, lean methodologies, and smart manufacturing.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with suppliers and R&D teams to ensure production predictability and stability at the supplier (CM) site.
• Support capacity planning and ensure consistent output with high-quality standards at the supplier.
• Manage customer complaints using 8D reporting methodology, ensuring timely resolution and communication.
• Drive the implementation and validation of improvement and corrective actions.
• Conduct risk assessments and provide recommendations for new suppliers and process technologies.
• Oversee sustaining activities and process optimization to ensure long-term efficiency.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive continuous improvement plan.
• Conduct end-to-end audits of PCBA manufacturing processes, including SMT, wave soldering, and selective soldering, to ensure compliance with quality standards.
• Assess and qualify suppliers based on technical capability, quality systems, and production capacity.
• Maintain AVL (approved vendor list) by conducting regular audits, monitoring KPIs, organizing and driving supplier QBRs, and recommending qualification/disqualification.
• Work with the supplier to troubleshoot and resolve manufacturing issues, including root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Collaborate with the supplier and the R&D design teams to ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles are applied to the designs.
• Lead efforts to optimize thermal profiling, soldering processes, and ESD controls in PCBA manufacturing.
• Drive the adoption of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
• Support the implementation of Industry 4.0 (smart manufacturing) initiatives, including process automation, real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and process improvements.
• Collect, maintain and analyze CM quality data including IQC, QC, OQC, FPY, FYR, FAI, RCCA to identify opportunities for improvement or needed corrective actions.
• Travel regularly between CMs and key suppliers to provide on-site support to resolve quality issues based on defined priorities, KPIs, quality data and production demand.
• Ensure adequate inspection process of incoming materials is in place at CM/ODM to ensure that they meet requirements.
• Work with the CM/ODM to ensure that their team of quality engineers, inspectors, auditors, analysts, and technicians are performing their duties as required.
• Analyze factory and field failure data, recommend corrective action(s) and support or lead efforts to improve product quality.
• Conduct failure analysis and correction actions with suppliers utilizing industry-standard failure analysis (FMEA) techniques such as 8D analysis.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 to 7 years of hands-on manufacturing quality experience preferably in the telecom or consumer electronics industry, high-mix, high-volume environments.
• Advanced knowledge of SMT (Surface Mount Technology), wave soldering, and selective soldering processes.
• Familiarity with PCBA testing methods, including ICT (In-Circuit Testing), flying probe testing, and functional testing.
• Familiarity with PCBA manufacturing processes and equipment, including ESD/MSD controls, calibration of test equipment, fixture setup, and handling of sensitive components.
• Familiarity with industry standards, including ISO 9001:2015, IEC 60812 (FMEA), IEC 61000 (EMC), IPC-2221, IPC-A-610, and IPC-J-STD-001.
• Proficiency in quality tools and methodologies, including PFMEA, Control Plans, Process Flow Diagrams, and Statistical Process Control (SPC).
• Expertise in root cause analysis techniques, such as 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams, and Fault-Tree Analysis.
• Strong understanding of DFM and DFA principles.
• Knowledge of process automation tools and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems).
• Familiarity with Industry 4.0 concepts, such as predictive maintenance and real-time production monitoring.
• Proficiency in Lean Manufacturing principles (VSM, Kaizen) to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
• Experience with Six Sigma methodologies (DMAIC, statistical tools) for process improvement and defect reduction.
• Understanding of sustainability practices in PCBA manufacturing.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and tasks; proven strong organizational, problem solving and project management skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, English fluency, including presenting to senior management, suppliers and customers.
• Agile self-starter with an international mindset, with a passion for quality and continuous improvement, who can work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to travel regularly (up to 50%) locally and internationally, as well as to the US 2-3+ times annually.
• Position to be based in Noida, India. Proficiency in the local language required.

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in electrical/electronic, mechanical or industrial engineering or relevant commensurate experience.
• Desirable certifications in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, ASQ CQE, ISO auditor.
• Proficiency in Chinese is a plus.