Component Engineer 4

Primary Function of the Position:
Responsible for ensuring suppliers meet ISI requirements for quality,
service, delivery, and cost. Drive suppliers to continuously improve business
and manufacturing processes specifically related to wire harness and cable
assembly
Evaluate and select suppliers within copper cables/harness industry. Guide
Engineering in choosing suppliers for new products and provide DFM input
to new designs. Supports both NPI and on-going production, monitors and
works with suppliers to improve supplier performance. Executes detailed
projects with suppliers to implement changes and improvements affecting
quality, cost, capacity, risk, and sub-supplier management.
Essential Job Duties:
 Work with NPD to procure custom cables ensuring DFM to achieve quality
and cost targets
 Support NPD with proto builds and track material readiness at Supplier
 Drive supplier rootcause analysis for cable harness failures
 Mitigate risks and ensure supply continuity by evaluating capacity, lead
times and quality issues
 Develop and maintain harness standards, specifications, and design
guidelines.
 Work with Strategic sourcing to evaluate new suppliers and new supplier
manufacturing sites
 Complete project/ part qualification deliverables including Supplier pFMEA,
Process Validations (IQ/OQ/PQ), Inspection Reports, Gage R&R, and Process
Capability Analysis
 Work with suppliers to execute cost reductions, capacity improvements, and
risk mitigation.
 Select the right process and supplier for the part, considering long-term fit
and total cost of ownership.
 Manage supplier changes including manufacturing process changes,
production optimization, facility changes, new equipment qualification, and
new line validations.
 Drive changes to ISI requirements as necessary by initiating and managing
changes to specifications and drawings through the engineering change
order process.
 Own and drive to closure supplier variances from symptom through root
cause analysis to corrective action, including careful CAPA documentation.
 Effectively prioritize and advance multiple concurrent projects and tasks
 Clearly communicate project status to key stakeholders
 Build, own, and relentlessly pursue a vision for developing suppliers.
 Understand proper level of documentation detail for tracking of actions and
justification of decisions.
 Generate key metrics for the team and suppliers, and continually drive for
timely achievement of those metrics.
 Drive suppliers to continually improve their business and manufacturing
process performance to meet Intuitive’s requirements for supplier
excellence using a collection of best practices in project management, Six
Sigma, Lean, SPC and negotiation. Lead these efforts without managerial
guidance at several suppliers simultaneously.
 Implement corrective and preventive actions for supplier process by driving
supplier’s investigations and root cause analysis.
 Provide effective and timely supply base health information and
recommendation to management by creating and delivering data-driven
supply base information to any level of management at ISI with little or no
guidance.
 Prepare and deliver supplier communications as required by independently
working with suppliers on scorecard creation.
 Work with suppliers and ISI engineering for the new product introduction
to:
 Create product supplier landscapes to determine launch readiness
and report to management.
 Develop supplier ramp readiness plans by judging business risk based
on forecast, supplier capacity, quality performance, and process
capability.
 DFM by engaging suppliers early in development cycle to feedback
manufacturability improvements in the designs prior to production.
 Influence and guide Engineering in choosing suppliers by determining
selection criteria for preferred suppliers and leading the team effort
to evaluate preferred suppliers.
 Review, analyze and close customer complaints, manufacturing variance
requests, and first article inspections by judging risk analyses and
justifications.
Required Skills and Experience
 Minimum 7 years related experience with an BS Engineering degree or 5
years’ experience with MS in Engineering.
 Excellent written and verbal communication skills including presentations to
executive level management.
 Excellent Interpersonal skills and team building skills.
 A proven history of implementing Lean/6 Sigma/SPC Programs at suppliers.
 Excellent Project Management skills.
 Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills along with good judgment.
 Demonstrable knowledge in evaluating and challenging supplier technical,
quality, and business capabilities.
 Demonstrable knowledge of a wide range of manufacturing processes
including understanding of key input variables for quality, cost, and capacity
(specialization can be in cable assembly, wire cutting , termination,
crimping, Soldering, overmold )
Working Conditions
 Ability to travel to suppliers on an as-needed basis – domestic and
international.
Preferred Skills and Experience
 4-7 years of engineering experience in cable assembly, wire harness
production, or electromechanical manufacturing.
 The ideal Candidate possesses broad and deep hands-on cable assembly
experience along with wire cutting, stripping, crimping , soldering,