Supplier Development Engineer

Career Area:

Job Description:

Job Title: Supplier Development Engineer (SDE)

Location: To be based close to a Caterpillar Facility - Peterborough, Peterlee, Stafford

Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 (depending on level of experience)

Benefits:

25 days annual leave

Up to 12% Bonus

Contributory pension scheme - Caterpillar will double the employee's contribution Up to 10%

Contributory share scheme - Caterpillar will match 50% of the employee's contribution

Optional Flexible Benefits including, health and dental care plans, EV car leasing, holiday purchasing etc

Sponsorship: Not Supported with this role

Flexible working arrangements will be considered for this role, in-line with the needs of the business.

Who is Caterpillar?

With 2020 sales and revenues of $41.7 billion , Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Services offered throughout the product life cycle, cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise set Caterpillar apart, providing exceptional value to help our customers succeed. The company principally operates through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment.

This role sits within our Resource Industry Division within Caterpillar Inc. supporting Material Handling & Underground (MH&U) and Surface Mining & Technology (SM&T) divisions.

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a motivated Supplier Development Engineer to join our team, to provide on-site assistance & leadership to Caterpillar’s supply base in the execution of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), the implementation of process control and the deployment of a continuous quality improvement processes.

You will ensure that suppliers can meet corporate and business unit requirements for certification and quality of purchased material.

Job Responsibilities and Duties:

To provide on-site assistance & leadership to Caterpillar’s supply base in the execution of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), the implementation of process control and the deployment of a continuous quality improvement processes. To ensure that suppliers can meet corporate and business unit requirements for certification and quality of purchased material.

You will work with suppliers to ensure that robust process controls are in place to prevent nonconformities, to continuously monitor supplier’s key manufacturing processes and quality management system for improvement opportunities and to assist suppliers with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) activities to ensure production readiness for New Product Introduction (NPI). Up to 50% travel may be required.

The SDE is responsible for the supplier’s processes from design concept to the end of product life (cradle to grave), including the following activities:

• Ensuring the adequacy of the supplier’s quality management system and the capability of people, training, tooling, fixturing and equipment.

• Providing technical support during start-up activities.

• Lead Rough Cut Capacity Plans (RCCP)

• Collaborate with Buyers to improve supplier cost, quality and throughput.

• Ensuring that APQP activities related to process control are being performed by the supplier.

• Monitoring of supplier adherence to Process Change Notification (PCN) (for changes driven by Supplier and Caterpillar) on a timely and cost-effective basis.

• Helping suppliers extract value from the APQP process.

• Managing supplier’s project plans and activities to ensure product meets Caterpillar expectations, ensuring all relevant requirements and related changes are thoroughly documented.

• Reviewing APQP documentation (e.g., Process FMEA {failure mode & effects analysis), Process Control Plans, Gage R&R (repeatability & reproducibility).

• Participating in process FMEA for suppliers manufacturing processes.

• Auditing overall supplier capability and process control implementation and effectiveness to validate process capability.

• Ensuring PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) completion and approval prior to delivery of new parts. Additionally, the SDE ensures resolution and implementation of robust solutions for quality problems associated with purchased materials and engineering issues. Reviewing, approving and validating 8D permanent corrective action plans, along with determining whether cost of poor-quality charges should be levied.

• Performing quality management system audits and Supplier Evaluation Surveys (SES), including assessments of potential new suppliers.

• Where supplier quality performance is unacceptable, coordinating the supplier response and improvement plans.

• Develop target supplier’s capabilities to attain SQEP (Supplier Quality Excellence Process) certification.

• Deploys Lean Processes to ensure Built in Quality in the Supplier Network

• Participating in the development of Supplier quality metrics and in Supplier Performance Management Reviews (SPM).

Skills and Experience:

Candidates will have gained the following skills and experience through previous roles:

• Degree in Engineering or Equivalent experience.

• Ability to read engineering drawings

• Experience executing quality processes with engineering suppliers.

• Sound knowledge and experience of APQP, including the PPAP process, FMEA’s, control plans, process flow, GR&R, and capability studies.

• Experience of applying 8D process or other structured problem-solving techniques in a manufacturing environment.

• Industry experience in Manufacturing, Industrial, Automotive, or Aerospace.

• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office applications

• Experience working with suppliers.

Candidates may have gained the following skills and experience through previous roles:

• Project management experience.

• Material metallurgical experience

• Experience of working with CNC machining (milling and turning)

• Measurement techniques

• Knowledge of tool design

• Knowledge of hydraulic systems and components

NB. The panel cannot make assumptions when shortlisting therefore please demonstrate your qualifications and experience on your CV relevant to the criteria outlined.

Pending the number of applications, the criteria for the position may be enhanced to facilitate shortlisting. #LI

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO).

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