Sr. Supplier Quality Engineer - Huntsville, AL | leidos Job

The Leidos Mission Assurance organization is seeking a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer (Sr. SQE) to support the Defense/Land/Aerospace Sector. This position offers the opportunity to join a diverse team dedicated to delivering innovative solutions to complex challenges across defense, aerospace, cyber, space, and commercial markets.

With operations throughout the United States, Leidos provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific, and information technology solutions to government and commercial customers.

The Sr. SQE will support programs, product lines, and suppliers across the Defense/Land/Aerospace portfolio. This role requires the ability to balance competing priorities while ensuring supplier quality performance, compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement across development, production, and sustainment efforts.

Primary Responsibilities:

Supplier Oversight & Audits

• Conduct on-site supplier audits, assessments, capability evaluations, and readiness reviews.
• Interface directly with suppliers, performing quality engineering functions that support aerospace and defense manufacturing operations.
• Review supplier manufacturing processes and partner with suppliers to improve process capability, efficiency, quality performance, and overall value.
• Participate in supplier selection, qualification, and ongoing oversight to ensure quality requirements, on-time delivery expectations, Qnote clauses, Statements of Work (SOW), and contractual obligations are effectively flowed down and implemented.

Quality Investigations & Corrective Action:

• Perform detailed investigations and root cause analyses of quality issues, identify risks, facilitate containment actions, and drive effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Review supplier inspection and test documentation, including First Article Inspections (FAIs), source inspection records, material certifications, and test reports.
• Apply lessons learned, performance data, and industry best practices across programs to drive improvement and prevent recurring issues.

Metrics & Reporting:

• Develop and maintain supplier performance metrics, including nonconforming material trends, defect rates, on-time delivery performance, corrective action responsiveness, and improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain and Program teams to monitor and communicate supplier performance through detailed, data-driven reporting.
• Provide cross-program visibility into supplier performance, quality risks, corrective actions, and continuous improvement efforts for program leadership and key stakeholders.
• Monitor industry and supply chain developments that could impact product quality, availability, or supplier performance, and communicate potential impacts to stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Lead supplier quality activities to ensure compliance with program requirements, schedules, contractual obligations, and customer expectations.
• Prioritize and coordinate quality initiatives across a diverse portfolio spanning both development and production environments.
• Collaborate closely with Procurement, Program Managers, Supplier Program Managers, Program & Manufacturing Quality Engineers, Business Area Quality Managers, and Receiving Inspection to resolve supplier quality issues.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally, while serving as a liaison between suppliers, customers, government representatives, and internal stakeholders.
• Partner with fellow Supplier Quality Engineers and cross-functional teams to build organizational knowledge, standardize processes, and share best practices across programs.
• Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assess supplier process capabilities and identify opportunities to strengthen and diversify the supply base.
• Support Supplier Quality Analysts with supplier qualification activities, GIDEP evaluations, and other technical assessments.
• Ability to resolve conflicts, drive supplier corrective action reports, and build strong vendor partnerships.

General:

• Perform additional quality assurance and supplier quality responsibilities as assigned by management.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with 8–12 years of relevant experience in a manufacturing environment, including at least 5 years of Supplier Quality Engineering experience within an AS9100-certified or similarly rigorous Quality Management System (QMS)

OR

High School Diploma/GED with a minimum of 15 years of manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years in Supplier Quality and/or Quality Engineering within an AS9100 environment or equivalent experience supporting DoD, aerospace, automotive, or other highly regulated manufacturing industries.

• Demonstrated experience supporting multiple projects, programs, or product lines simultaneously within a complex aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or government-contracting environment.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, balance program demands and effectively communicate with stakeholders across multiple organizations and program teams.
• Experience conducting supplier audits, assessments, capability evaluations, and readiness reviews aligned with contractual and program requirements.
• Ability to work effectively with Program Managers, Quality Engineers, Design Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, and suppliers to ensure quality requirements are clearly understood and implemented.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently and collaboratively in team environments.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, CAD models, specifications, contractual quality requirements, and AS9102 First Article Inspection documentation.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office applications, and technical report writing.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50%.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting supplier quality initiatives across multiple defense, aerospace, or government programs with diverse technical, contractual, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience developing and implementing standardized supplier quality processes, metrics, dashboards, and reporting systems across multiple programs and business areas.
• Working knowledge of industry standards and workmanship requirements, including J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, and IPC/WHMA-A-620, with experience ensuring supplier compliance and supporting receiving inspection activities
• Experience with one or more special processes, including welding, painting, chemical conversion coating (Chem Film), anodizing, heat treating, counterfeit material prevention, or other NADCAP-related processes, with the ability to assess and audit suppliers against applicable requirements.
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP), AS9100 Lead Auditor, or equivalent quality certifications.
• Experience with GIDEP, DCMA interactions, source inspection activities, and government quality assurance requirements.
• Experience utilizing quality management and ERP systems to analyze supplier performance, drive corrective actions, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

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