Supplier Development & Quality Engineer (Welding / Machining)

Location:

Haag, St. Gallen, CH

Employment Type: Permanent

About VAT Group
At VAT, we change the world with vacuum solutions. As the world’s leading supplier of high-performance vacuum valves, we have been driving innovation for more than 60 years. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, we operate from our headquarters in Haag, Switzerland, with manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia and Romania, as well as sales and service hubs around the world. We are guided by our passions integrity, teamwork, customer centricity, and innovation – always working together as #oneVAT.

Joining us means becoming part of a passionate, international team where your voice is heard, your ideas matter, and your career growth is supported.

Supplier Development & Quality Engineer (Welding / Machining)
Purpose of the role

• Ensure supplier product and process quality for machining, welding in line with VAT specifications, standards and customer requirements.
• Drive supplier qualification, industrialization, ramp up, risk mitigation and recovery actions to support VAT's growth strategy and stable material availability.

KPI's

• Supplier quality performance for assigned suppliers, including QPPM target achievement
• Timely supplier and process qualification for relocations and second sources
• Effective closure of complaints, audits, corrective actions and escalation recovery activities

Responsibilities

• Own supplier qualification and development for machining and welding suppliers globally
• Assess supplier capability, process maturity, production capacity and readiness for serial production
• Drive supplier development, industrialization and ramp up activities with clear action ownership
• Support relocations, second source implementation and qualification projects
• Train suppliers in VAT requirements, standards, technologies and process expectations
• Lead supplier complaints, root cause analysis and corrective actions using 8D methodology
• Review and approve ISIR, PPAP and process qualification documentation
• Monitor supplier KPIs, process capability and risk trends; define improvement actions with suppliers and procurement
• Plan and perform system and process audits for machining, welding and manufacturing controls
• Audit CNC turning, milling, grinding, multi axis machining, TIG, orbital, laser and vacuum soldering processes
• Drive closure and effectiveness verification of audit findings
• Support supplier related Change Requests, customer escalations and shortage prevention with technical risk assessments
• Lead supplier recovery actions, including capability assessments, material risk assessments and top management escalation support
• Define and drive actions to secure material availability in close alignment with Engineering, Operations and Strategic Sourcing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or similar
• 5 to 10+ years of experience in supplier quality, manufacturing engineering or supplier development
• Strong quality management, engineering or manufacturing background in machining and welding
• Experience in supplier audits, process qualification, ramp up and corrective action management
• Practical experience with supplier relocations, second sources or supplier recovery situations
• Good understanding of ISO 9001, ISO 3834 and semiconductor customer requirements
• Ability to work in international matrix organizations with regular supplier travel
• Strong communication, negotiation, project management and stakeholder management skills
• High level of resilience, ownership and flexibility
• CNC machining technologies including turning, milling, grinding and multi axis machining
• Welding technologies including TIG, orbital, laser and vacuum soldering
• Technical drawing interpretation, GD&T and specification review
• ISIR, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, Control Plans and process validation
• Root cause analysis, 8D, 5 Why and corrective action effectiveness verification
• Process validation and capability analysis including Cp, Cpk and KPI monitoring
• Supplier auditing, process assessments and risk based supplier development
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001, ISO 3834 and manufacturing process control
• Project management, stakeholder management and escalation handling
• Fluent German and English skills (written and spoken)

Our commitment to inclusion, fairness and equal opportunities
We believe in meaningful careers, continuous learning, and equal opportunities for everyone to drive our innovation and success. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. If you have concerns, our compliance channel is available at our website. All reports are handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with our Code of Conduct.