Principal Supplier Quality Special Process Engineer

The Supplier Quality Special Process Engineer plays a pivotal role in safeguarding product integrity and regulatory compliance across the supply chain by ensuring that all suppliers meet rigorous quality standards for special processes including welding, heat treating, plating, painting, non-destructive testing (NDT/NDE), shot peening, and brazing within a manufacturing, aerospace, and defense environment.

This position functions at the intersection of engineering, quality assurance, and procurement, requiring both deep technical expertise and strong collaborative skills to qualify, audit, and continuously improve supplier special process capabilities.

Working cross-functionally with internal engineering teams, procurement, and supplier organizations, the engineer serves as the authoritative technical liaison who ensures that supplier processes, controls, and certifications align with applicable industry standards and contractual requirements.

This is a mission-critical role in which the engineer's diligence and expertise directly determine the quality, safety, and reliability of the finished product delivered to the customer.

Responsibilities and Tasks


* Lead supplier qualification and approval activities for special processes, including welding, brazing, heat treating, plating, painting, and NDT/NDE, ensuring all processes meet applicable specifications and standards prior to production use.


* Conduct on-site supplier audits and assessments to evaluate process controls, equipment calibration and maintenance, facility conditions, and personnel certifications documenting findings and tracking closure of identified gaps.


* Review and approve supplier Process Control Plans, Control Plans, Failure Mode and Effects Analyses (FMEAs), and work instructions specifically related to special processes.


* Issue Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) in response to nonconformances or audit findings and drive timely root cause analysis and implementation of effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).


* Collaborate with internal engineering teams to develop, interpret, and update special process specifications, drawing requirements, and acceptance criteria to reflect current standards and lessons learned.


* Monitor and analyze supplier performance metrics including parts per million (PPM) defect rates, on-time delivery (OTD), and audit scores and facilitate structured continuous improvement initiatives with underperforming suppliers.


* Ensure supplier compliance with relevant industry standards and accreditation programs, such as NADCAP, AS9100, ISO 9001, and applicable customer-specific requirements.


* Support new product introduction (NPI) programs by engaging and qualifying special process suppliers early in the development cycle, reducing downstream quality risk.


* Maintain accurate and complete documentation and records related to supplier approvals, audit reports, corrective actions, and proce...