Supplier Process Development Engineer (Casting)

Job Summary

The Harley-Davidson Motor Company is shaping the next generation of legendary motorcycles and rider experiences. Quality is foundational in everything we do. We are looking for bold leaders ready to join the ride and help us shape the future.  The Supplier Development Quality Engineer (Casting) plays a critical role in H-Ds success as an expert on a team of supplier process specialists within the Quality Organization. 

The role is responsible for ensuring H-D product requirements are translated into capable supplier manufacturing processes through effective APQP, PPAP, risk management, supplier audits, and production readiness activities. The Supplier Development Quality Engineer is accountable for reducing launch risk, improving supplier capability, enhancing customer quality, and enabling world-class product reliability through proactive supplier engagement and process control.              

Beyond the Quality organization, this position collaborates closely with Global Supply Chain, Engineering, Service, Advanced Manufacturing, Manufacturing Operations, and Dealer & Customer Operations.  

Job Responsibilities

For H-D casting designs:  

• Provide oversight and technical direction for die casting designs and manufacturing processes
• Evaluate design concepts using engineering experience and process knowledge to improve casting quality, reduce cycle time, minimize porosity, and enhance overall product quality, tool life, and manufacturing efficiency
• Drive structured supplier quality activities (i.e., Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) while increasing supplier knowledge and accountability to H-D’s Product Development Process (PDP)
• Confirm engineering design readiness by ensuring production quality requirements are clearly and robustly defined through DFMEA, Product Requirement Documents (PRDs), design drawings, and associated validation activities
• Reduce product development rework and ensure successful product launches by developing and validating supplier manufacturing production process and control readiness (e.g., DFMEA to PFMEA connectivity, Control Plans, Gaging, etc.)
• Improve supplier quality performance (e.g., PPM) through risk assessment, capability development, and continuous improvement of manufacturing controls
• Proactively identify risks and assist with the resolution of launch readiness risks and current production quality spills through the execution of supplier VDA, SSE, & escalated control plans
• Measurably improve product quality and organizational performance by establishing, tracking, and driving progress against the metrics that matter most
• Build confidence and improve the health of H-D’s supply base by influencing supplier selection with data-driven Quality assessments

Education Preferences:

Bachelor’s Degree - preference for degrees and experience related to Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, & Quality

Education Requirements

Experience Requirements

This position typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience.  In addition, the successful candidate will have demonstrated the following:

• Strong leadership, analytical, communication, interpersonal, and technical skills with a proven ability to independently work with casting suppliers to mature and derisk casting designs and processes in preparation for serial production; significant travel (50% -75%)  
• Passion and presence to drive a culture of Quality, representing the voice of Quality at all leadership levels and throughout the product development lifecycle
• Deep technical expertise in high pressure die cast manufacturing processes, tool design and tool management; experience with additional manufacturing processes is a plus (e.g, additional casting (low pressure, gravity, permanent/semi-permanent mold, shell, investment); plastics/polymer processing; machining, stamping; forging; welding; etc.)
• Deep expertise experience with Design for Manufacture (DFM) & Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Significant experience with PPAP, particularly DFMEA, PFMEA, PFD, Control Plans, SPC and gaging methods  
• Track record for managing tooling health and preventive maintenance to ensure continual quality of uninterrupted production
• Practical experience with supplier evaluation and selection
• General knowledge of motorcycles and engineering/manufacturing standards

Additional preferences:

• VDA certification