As a member of the Digital Data Networks (DDN) business in TE Connectivity you will play a key role in the design of products for high-speed products in the connector, cable assembly, and/or radio system industrytargeting high-speed communications and connectivity within datacenters and wireless infrastructure.
The Advanced Quality Engineering (AQE) Leader (Sr. Manager) is responsible for deploying the overall global new product introduction program for a Strategic Product Line Portfolio within the Digital Data Networks (DDN) business unit within TE. This role drives Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) from start of a new program through successful Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) and Safe Launch Containment and Engineering Change Notices.
You and your teams will utilize APQP methodologies to capture past failure modes from lessons learned and new modes related to innovations in new technologies, designs and manufacturing equipment and processes. You will work jointly as a liaison between Engineering and the Plants, Program Managers, Supply Chain, and other internal/external staff to drive launch excellence and customer satisfaction.
Key responsibilities include partnering with functional counterparts in Product Development Engineering (PDE), Manufacturing Process Development Engineering (MPDE), Project Management, Factory/Production Quality Engineering (PQE) and Reliability & Testing Engineering (R&T) to execute advanced quality activities for new product development and introduction, support customer interface and miscellaneous projects as assigned. The AQE role requires an extremely strong understanding of the product design, the associated manufacturing processes and equipment, the customer's end application, and the risks associated with design (DFMEA) and processes (PFMEA).
The role of the AQE is to work with a cross functional team to implement a new parts, product, or process with a turnkey sustainable quality process at product launch for the factory to agree to and take ownership of executing the quality agenda.This position will report directly to the Sr. Director of Global Quality for DDN.
The AQE's reporting to the AQE Leader will facilitate the AQP tools, manage and mitigate project risk, manage customer initial requirements, and audit NPI projects. They will collaborate with the final manufacturing location, facilitate training, and share best practices and lessons learned; and will be involved in NPI complaint investigations, collecting documents and in-process records, conducting postmortem review, and ensuring effective implementation of a control plan for NPI shipments, supplier development and management.
Job Responsibilities:
- Lead a global team of Advanced Quality Engineers in support of all new product introductions for a Strategic Product Line Portfolio within the Digital Data Networks (DDN) business unit. Lead all AQE activities from project inception to product launch and introduction.
- Participate in the project Kick-off Meetings, support project team development for internal requirements, customer specific requirements, Risk Priority Number (RPN) reductions, analyze SPC data, etc.
- Serve as the liaison between engineering and the plants on new product introductions to ensure robust process capability on all programs.
- Attend project meetings and APQP driven events with the customers and the Project/Program Management Team.
- Document the results for specific program characteristics and ensure the internal and external requirements are met including deviations.
- Accountable for developing and driving on time delivery of Control Plans, Capability Studies, Part drawings, Inspection Instructions, Gage design and R&R, DFMEAs, PFMEAs, AFMEAs for all assigned projects. Ensure the products developed are Designed for Manufacturing & Assembly (DfMA) and are launched capably of meeting internal requirements and customer requirements.
- Understand product requirements and define/approve Design Validation Test (DVT) and quality plans to ensure products meet the product specifications.
- Authorize and approve that all Design Validation Test (DVT) results meet product specifications and customer requirements.
- Actively participate in early product Concept Reviews and Design Review meetings with the Product Development Engineering (PDE) for the assigned product, related tooling and fixturing, and overall quality plans.
- Generate and/or champion 8-Ds for the prototype process including 8-Ds for problem solving, test failures, and prototype failures.
- Complete the Change Control process and identify special characteristics for projects/programs.
- Work in conjunction with the Manufacturing Process Development Engineering (MPDE) teams to ensure the manufacturing process and equipment meets the product's defined quality level and that the process also meets the capability levels identified for the product and project.
- Assemble and submit PPAP package on time to the customer specific requirement.
- Team with Supplier Quality Engineers to conduct and analyze process capability studies in support of Final Tool Approval (FTAR) for all tools and production lines associated with the project using the Comprehensive Tool Approval Report (CTAR), support completion of Supplier PPAPs.
- Perform Six Sigma Capability Analysis of new equipment/processes to reduce variation.
- Regularly reports to executive management on the overall performance and effectiveness of the Global Supplier Quality Program.
- Drive high performance organization by providing your team routine coaching and feedback, holding your team accountable to meet performance objectives, and providing meaningful development to increase individual/team capability.
- Manage employee well-being by prioritizing work, effectively managing resource loading, and providing flexibility to enable employees to successfully balance their work and personal lives.
- Drive organization effectiveness by structuring your organization in a way that best enables the BU strategy, maximizes resource efficiency and productivity, and provides role clarity and clear lines of accountability.
- Manage the talent in your organization to support the business now and to proactively prepare for the future by identifying organization skillset/role gaps, implementing plans to fill any skillset/role gaps, and assessing current talent fit to ensure the right talent is matched to the right roles to best meet the needs of the business.
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor/ Master's degree in technical discipline (Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Mechatronics)
- 10+ years of Experience in Quality, Advanced Quality Engineering, and working in global organizations.
- Experience managing engineering teams in cross-functional, multi-site global organizations to drive effectiveness across geographical boundaries and deliver projects with multiple dependencies and constraints.
- Demonstrated ability to forge strong internal working relationships with senior functional counterpart leaders.
- Experience in the use of Lean, Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), Design for Manufacturability & Assembly (DfMA), Kaizen, 8D and other advanced statistical methods including Design of Experiments (DoE), Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Process Capability (CpK) analysis techniques.
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of departmental, company, and corporate procedures and systems, i.e. ISO9000, ISO9001, IATF16949, ISO14001, VDA, PPAP, DFMEAs, PFMEAs, APQP Gate Reviews, GD&T.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with customers, leadership, stakeholders, cross functional teams and subject matter experts.
- Proven track record of being able to work on multiple demanding programs in parallel while maintaining on-time completion of all defined project tasks and deliverables.
- Ability to prioritize responsibilities in a fast-paced dynamic work environment.
- Willingness to travel as required, 30%
We Value:
- DFSS Blackbelt or DFSS Green Belt Certified
- Standards Knowledge - EIA-364 1000B, TIA 942, IPC Standards for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Assemblies, UL Standards for Data Center Component Level Certifications (i.e. UL 1977, UL 444, UL 817, UL 2416).
- Knowledge in data center architecture, connectors, wire harnesses, busbars, high speed connectivity products, high voltage, electronics, measurement & signal processing.
- Experience in product development for data center applications
