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Supplier Development Engineer Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Staff Engineer, Supplier Quality Engineering Employment Type: 18-month contract Work Location ... Collaborate with auditing and supplier development groups to understand supplier capabilities and ...

Supplier Quality Development Engineer (SQDE) Electronics ensures process standardization with respect to launch programs by supporting SQDE projects principally in Magna Powertrain (MPT) North ...

Supplier Quality Development Engineer - Seals (SQDE Seals) focuses on rubber, plastic, or metal sealing components to prevent leakage and failures. Ensures process standardization with respect to ...

Supplier Quality Development Engineer - Seals (SQDE Seals) focuses on rubber, plastic, or metal sealing components to prevent leakage and failures. Ensures process standardization with respect to ...

Engineering; Technical Development Career Level: Professional Contract Type: Permanent/Full-time ... Supplier Assessment: Assist in the technical assessment of suppliers. * Quality Compliance: Ensure ...

The Supplier Quality Development Engineer (SQD) for Propulsion Systems at Stellantis is accountable for leading and managing suppliers through critical issue recovery such as quality spills, supply ...

As a Marine Development Engineer at Ilmor, you will play a key role in the development of next ... Interface directly with suppliers regarding quality and supply chain management * Document all ...

Product Development Engineer

Warren, MI ยท On-site

$50 - $53/hr

The Product Development Engineer will lead cross-functional teams to support the design ... Collaborate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure program timing and targets are met.

Product Development Engineer

Detroit, MI ยท On-site

$110K - $120K/yr

Experience working with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, or automotive engineering organizations. * Strong knowledge of automotive product development, vehicle launch processes, APQP, body structures, crash ...

Showing results 21-40

Supplier Development Engineer information

See Michigan salary details

$44K

$79.4K

$113.3K

How much do supplier development engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for supplier development engineer in Michigan is $79,395.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $69,700.00 and $90,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some typical challenges that a supplier development engineer may face in their daily work?

Supplier Development Engineers frequently encounter challenges such as identifying root causes of supplier quality issues, aligning diverse vendor processes with organizational standards, and managing timelines for corrective actions. You may also need to work across time zones and cultures if dealing with international suppliers, which requires strong coordination and communication skills. In this role, balancing proactive improvement initiatives with urgent problem resolution is common. Successfully overcoming these challenges contributes directly to smoother production processes, improved product quality, and stronger supplier partnerships.

What is a supplier development engineer?

A Supplier Development Engineer (SDE) is responsible for improving and managing supplier performance to ensure quality, cost, and delivery requirements are met. They work closely with suppliers to implement process improvements, ensure compliance with industry standards, and resolve production issues. SDEs often conduct audits, provide technical support, and collaborate with internal teams to optimize the supply chain. Their goal is to enhance supplier capabilities and drive continuous improvement in manufacturing and procurement.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a supplier development engineer?

To thrive as a Supplier Development Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering, supplier quality management, and process improvement, often supported by a degree in engineering or a related field. Familiarity with quality management systems (QMS), statistical analysis software, and certifications such as Six Sigma or APQP is highly valued. Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and cross-functional communication skills help drive effective supplier collaboration and problem-solving. These competencies are vital for ensuring suppliers consistently meet quality, cost, and delivery standards critical to organizational success.

Infographic showing various Supplier Development Engineer job openings in Michigan as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 16% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,395 per year, or $38.2 per hour.

Staff Supplier Quality Engineer

WilsonCTS

Kalamazoo, MI โ€ข On-site

$60 - $65/hr

Other

Posted 11 days ago


Job description

Job Title: Staff Engineer, Supplier Quality Engineering
Employment Type: 18-month contract
Work Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Work Arrangement: Onsite, with travel required
Hours: 40 hours per week
Pay Rate: $60.00-$65.00 per hour

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Staff Supplier Quality Engineer to support supplier quality engineering activities within a highly regulated environment.

The Staff Supplier Quality Engineer will serve as a key liaison between suppliers and internal teams to drive supplier quality performance, continuous improvement, and quality system effectiveness. This role will support supplier quality issues, supplier audits, supplier performance evaluations, quality improvement projects, and supplier quality system assessments.

The successful candidate will work closely with internal stakeholders, strategic sourcing, auditing, supplier development teams, and external suppliers to ensure supplier processes, quality systems, and performance meet quality and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities
Supplier Quality and Performance Management
  • Serve as a liaison between suppliers and internal teams to support supplier quality performance and continuous improvement.
  • Support supplier quality issues by providing technical guidance, problem-solving support, and quality engineering expertise.
  • Assess and critique supplier processes, control documentation, and quality management systems.
  • Drive improvements within supplier quality management systems and supplier processes.
  • Support tracking, reporting, and analysis of supplier performance KPIs and quality metrics.
  • Articulate supplier performance results, trends, risks, and improvement opportunities to appropriate levels of management.
  • Maintain and track completion of supplier action plans and corrective actions.

Supplier Audits and Quality System Support
  • Support supplier audits and quality system assessments.
  • Participate in audits required by the organization, including supplier audits that may require travel.
  • Provide support during third-party audits related to supplier quality engineering deliverables.
  • Evaluate supplier compliance with applicable quality standards, regulatory requirements, and internal expectations.
  • Collaborate with auditing and supplier development groups to understand supplier capabilities and competencies.
  • Ensure supplier quality activities align with applicable medical device, regulatory, and quality system requirements.

Continuous Improvement and Problem Solving
  • Propose and develop effective supplier quality improvement plans.
  • Work with suppliers to implement corrective and preventive actions and drive sustainable improvements.
  • Provide problem-solving expertise at company sites and supplier locations as needed.
  • Identify and execute cost-reduction opportunities with suppliers.
  • Transfer lessons learned from the supply base to internal teams for inclusion in future product designs and supplier strategies.
  • Support quality improvement projects focused on supplier performance, process capability, and risk reduction.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with strategic sourcing, supplier development, auditing, engineering, quality, operations, and regulatory teams.
  • Act as a single point of contact for strategic business partners and participate in supplier reviews as needed.
  • Communicate effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders at various levels of the organization.
  • Represent the organization professionally during supplier visits, audits, and quality discussions.
  • Support collaborative team-based work initially, with increasing autonomy once fully trained and aligned on key KPIs.
Technical Leadership and Process Ownership
  • Serve as a subject matter expert for assigned commodities or supplier quality areas.
  • Share supplier quality expertise across the global organization.
  • Serve as a process owner and support standardization of supplier quality-related processes.
  • Train, mentor, and assist in the development of less experienced engineers.
  • Work with a tenured team of supplier quality engineers and assigned mentors.
  • Perform additional supplier quality engineering duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or a related discipline preferred, or equivalent years of relevant experience.
  • Minimum of 4 years of experience in quality, manufacturing, supplier quality, or a highly regulated environment.
  • 3-5 years of experience in a regulated industry required, with preference for medical device, pharmaceutical, or automotive environments.
  • 3-5 years of supplier-facing experience.
  • Lead Quality Auditor qualification required, such as ISO 13485, 21 CFR Part 820, or a comparable standard/regulation.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
  • Ability to represent the organization professionally during supplier visits and audits.
  • Ability to travel for supplier audits, mostly short trips across the Midwest, sometimes with limited notice.
  • Ability to work 40 hours per week.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Active Lead Quality Auditor qualification strongly preferred; expired qualification may be considered with relevant recent audit experience.
  • ASQ certification such as CQE, CMQ/OE, or PE.
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
  • Quality engineering experience.
  • Experience using TrackWise.
  • Working knowledge of FMEA, validation programs, and statistical process control.
  • Knowledge of manufacturing processes, prints, tolerancing, statistics, and project management.
  • Understanding of U.S. and international medical device regulations.
  • Experience influencing supplier quality performance and driving supplier corrective actions.
  • Experience supporting third-party audits or regulatory inspections.
Additional Details
  • Travel is required for supplier audits, primarily across the Midwest.
  • Candidates should be flexible for short trips and occasional limited-notice travel.
  • Preferred candidate locations include Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.
  • The role will begin with collaborative team-based work and training.
  • Once trained, the contractor will have more autonomy while still being supported by the manager to ensure key KPIs are met.
  • The selected candidate will work with a tenured team of approximately 10 engineers and will be set up with mentors.