Staff Supplier Engineer

Intuitive•Sunnyvale, CA

About The Position

Primary Function of Position: Responsible for ensuring suppliers meet ISI requirements for cost, quality, delivery and service. Drive suppliers to continuously improve business and manufacturing processes. Evaluate and select suppliers. Guide Engineering in choosing suppliers for new products and provide DFM input to new designs. Monitor supplier performance.

Requirements

BS degree in Engineering or equivalent
Minimum 12 years related experience in Supplier Quality and/or Supplier Development or related field
Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of manufacturing processes including understanding of key input variables for quality, cost and capacity (specialization can be in PCBA, electronics, Cable harness and/or contract manufacturing)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills including presentations to executive level management
Excellent Interpersonal skills and team building skills
A proven history of implementing Lean/6 Sigma/SPC Programs at suppliers
Excellent Project Management skills
Excellent analytical and problem solving skills along with good judgment
Demonstrable knowledge in evaluating and challenging supplier technical, quality, and business capabilities
Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of manufacturing processes including understanding of key input variables for quality, cost and capacity (specialization can be in metal fabrication, plastics, electronics, and/or contract manufacturing)
Excellent knowledge of 21 CFR part 820 and ISO 13485 (experience in auditing suppliers to these standards)
Significant computer experience using Windows, Word, Excel, Access and ERP Information Systems, preferably SAP
Ability to read and interpret detailed mechanical drawings and communicate technical information
Ability to travel to suppliers on an as needed basis – domestic and international

Nice To Haves

CAD experience with 3D modeling tools is a plus
Familiarity with key certifications such as RoHS , CE Marking, UL, and ISO standards.
Proven ability to motivate suppliers
Experience in a high-volume medical device company is a plus

Responsibilities

Select and evaluate suppliers by leading efforts to find new suppliers in an existing or new commodity and works with Engineering to maximize use of the production supply base.
Create strategies to effectively optimize the supply base by leading efforts to optimize supply networks.
Provide technical expertise in electrical and electronic components to support supplier development and troubleshooting.
Select the right process and supplier for the part, considering long-term fit and total cost of ownership.
Drive suppliers to continually improve their business and manufacturing process performance to meet Intuitive Surgical’s requirements for supplier excellence including ship to stock programs using a collection of best practices in project management, Six Sigma, Lean, SPC and negotiation by leading these efforts without managerial guidance at several suppliers simultaneously.
Develop and influence using metrics for supplier part cost, delivery, quality, capacity and capability by creating metrics to measure real improvement and judge required intervention or change at the supplier or in a commodity.
Drive corrective actions for supplier process by driving suppliers to true root cause analysis and corrective and Preventive actions.
Drive changes to ISI specifications through influencing and educating resulting in changing specifications and drawings including driving the ECO process to implementation.
Provide effective and timely supply base health information to management by creating and delivering data-driven supply base information to any level of management at ISI with little or no guidance (including QRB) and provide recommendations.
Prepare and deliver supplier communications as required by independently working with suppliers on scorecard creation of QBRs, Supplier Summits, etc.
Work with suppliers and ISI engineering for the new product introduction to: DFM by engaging suppliers early in development cycle to feedback manufacturability improvements in the designs prior to production.
Influence and guide Engineering in choosing suppliers by determining selection criteria for preferred suppliers and leading the team effort to evaluate preferred suppliers.
Ensure the suppliers understand the product design requirements and design intent for their sub-assembly or part and determine if the supplier can meet requirements and develop a robust manufacturing process can scale with volume.
Design testing at the supplier part or subassembly level that can be used to test out product level requirements.
Create product supplier landscapes to determine launch readiness and report to management
Develop supplier ramp readiness plans by judging business risk based on forecast, supplier capacity, quality performance, and process capability
Deliver the following Quality deliverables: PPQP, pFMEA, Special Process Validations, FAI, and Cpk by leading, training and mentoring suppliers through the pFMEA development, judging process validation requirements and signing-off on protocols as ISI rep, judging process capability with supplier as well as judging FAI suitability.
Develop the supplier business continuity / disaster recovery plans by managing suppliers to create plans, judge plans for risks and negotiate with suppliers to reduce risks.
Identify and investigate opportunities for cost reduction and/or quality improvement by judging opportunities and creating strategies to seize those opportunities, completes research and provides data-driven plans to management.
Review, analyze and close customer complaints, manufacturing variance requests, and first article inspections by judging risk analyses and justifications, determining corrective and preventive actions at suppliers, looks for opportunities with suppliers to eliminate recurrence.