Senior Supplier Quality Engineer

About the role

Lincoln Electric is a high-performance industrial machinery and technology leader who helps customers manufacture and maintain vital equipment and infrastructure. Lincoln Electric’s innovative solutions enable higher quality and productivity across a variety of processes including welding, cutting, brazing, machining, process automation, and field repair. The Company leverages proprietary technologies and expertise in materials science, power electronics, automation, and intelligent software to help customers build better and achieve resilience in their operations. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric is the essential ‘Linc’ that keeps the economy running. The Company operates 71 manufacturing and automation facilities across 20 countries and serves customers in over 160 countries. For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company’s website at https://www.lincolnelectric.com .

 

Location: Euclid - 22801   Employment Status: Salary Full-Time   Function: Supply Management/Purchasing   Pay Range: $111,115.00- $138,894.00 Target Bonus: 15.0% Req ID:  29513  

 

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Purpose

The Senior Supplier Quality Engineer (SSQE) owns quality outcomes, supplier risk posture, and recovery execution for Lincoln Electric’s strategic, high‑impact suppliers. This role acts as the quality decision authority for suppliers that directly affect production continuity, customer experience, regulatory compliance, and total cost of ownership.

This is not an audit or support role. The SSQE is accountable for preventing supplier‑driven disruption, exercising judgment under pressure, and making escalation, containment, launch‑gate, and supplier exit recommendations when risk is unacceptable.

Supplier Mapping & Ownership

Primary Ownership

Strategic / Tier‑1 suppliers defined by one or more of the following:

High annual spend (top ~20–25% of supplier spend)

Direct impact to production continuity (line‑down risk)

Sole‑source or constrained‑capacity suppliers

Safety‑critical, regulatory‑critical, or customer‑visible components

Secondary / Oversight Role

Regional or global suppliers with multi‑plant exposure

New suppliers through APQP and first production approval

Explicit Exclusions

Commodity, low‑risk, fully qualified suppliers with stable performance

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise & Risk Ownership

Act as quality decision authority for assigned suppliers, including:

Stop‑ship and controlled release decisions

Deviation approval

Supplier exit and resourcing recommendations

Lead supplier risk assessments covering process capability, capacity, financial health, and geographic exposure

Define and drive mitigation plans aligned with Global Sourcing strategy

APQP Leadership & Launch‑Gate Authority

Lead and govern APQP and PPAP for strategic suppliers and high‑risk launches

Approve or block launch readiness based on demonstrated capability, not intent

Has authority to delay or stop launches when supplier risk is unacceptable

Escalate unresolved launch risks to executive leadership with clear business impact

Key Responsibilities (Continued)

Supplier Performance, Escalation & Recovery

Own supplier quality performance outcomes (PPM, COPQ, OTIF) for assigned suppliers

Lead cross‑functional escalation and recovery when performance degrades

Validate root cause and corrective action effectiveness; reject superficial or non‑systemic fixes

Drive permanent countermeasures (process redesign, tooling changes, error‑proofing, automation)

Sourcing & Commercial Influence

Serve as primary quality advisor to Commodity Managers for:

Supplier nomination and award decisions

Dual‑sourcing and exit strategies

Translate quality risk into financial impact (downtime, warranty, COPQ, recovery cost)

Influence sourcing decisions through total cost of ownership, not piece price

Capability Building & Governance

Mentor Supplier Quality Engineers and define escalation thresholds

Establish standard work for APQP rigor, audit depth, and supplier recovery

Act as senior quality representative in cross‑functional and executive reviews

Measures of Success (12–24 Months)


Reduced severity and duration of supplier‑driven production disruptions

Sustained improvement in strategic supplier PPM, COPQ, and recovery cycle time

Predictable, on‑time APQP/PPAP approvals with minimal post‑launch escapes

Earlier, data‑driven supplier exits or resourcing decisions

Requirements


Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline

7–10+ years of experience in Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, or Operations Engineering

Demonstrated experience exercising judgment in supplier escalation and launch decisions

Strong working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, SPC, and structured problem solving

Proven ability to influence sourcing and operations without direct authority

Lincoln Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting equal employment opportunity for applicants, without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.