SQE Senior Engineer at WesternDigital

Key Roles & Responsibilities • Own end-to-end supplier quality performance, including qualification, onboarding, monitoring, and continuous improvement across assigned commodity or suppliers. • Act as the primary quality interface between suppliers and internal teams including Engineering, Procurement, Operations, and R&D. • Define and deploy robust supplier quality strategies aligned with business goals, focusing on risk mitigation, cost of poor quality (COPQ) reduction, and supply continuity. • Establish, track, and continuously improve supplier KPIs (e.g., defect rate, yield impact, responsiveness, audit scores), and drive accountability through regular business reviews (QBRs/MBRs). • Lead supplier qualification activities, including technical capability assessment, process audits, and quality system evaluation • Define and optimize incoming inspection strategies based on risk assessment and supplier performance. • Drive continuous improvement in incoming quality control processes to reduce inspection cost while maintaining quality standards. • Drive structured problem-solving with suppliers using methodologies such as 8D, DMAIC, and root cause analysis (RCA), ensuring effectiveness and prevention of recurrence. • Manage Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCAR), including issuance, follow-up, verification of root cause, and validation of corrective/preventive actions • Conduct regular on-site and remote audits (process, system, layered process audits), identifying gaps and driving closure of findings. • Evaluate and approve supplier change requests (process, material, location, sub-tier suppliers) and ensure proper change control, risk assessment, and validation prior to implementation. • Partner with suppliers to improve process capability (Cp/Cpk), yield, and overall manufacturing robustness through data-driven improvement initiatives. • Drive early detection and containment of quality issues through implementation of effective incoming quality controls, supplier self-inspection, and FMEA . • Lead escalation management for critical supplier issues impacting production, ensuring rapid containment, cross-functional alignment, and executive-level communication when needed. • Develop supplier capability through training, technical coaching, and joint improvement projects to elevate maturity in quality systems and manufacturing processes. • Ensure compliance with regulatory, environmental, and customer-specific quality requirements across the supply base. • Drive digitalization and automation of supplier quality processes, leveraging data analytics tools (e.g., Minitab, Spotfire, Power BI) to enhance visibility, predictive insights, and decision-making. • Translate complex data into actionable insights for both internal stakeholders and suppliers • Drive IMS activities within departmentContamination Control & Cleanliness Management • Define and enforce contamination control requirements across the supply base, particularly for critical components  • Assess and qualify supplier cleanroom environments, including classification, airflow design, gowning protocols, and material handling practices. • Conduct contamination-focused audits at supplier sites, covering: • Cleanroom discipline and behavior • Equipment cleanliness and maintenance • Packaging and transportation controls • Drive implementation of contamination prevention controls such as: • Poka-yoke for handling and storage • Controlled packaging (vacuum, nitrogen, double-bagging) • Cleaning and bake processes validation • Drive supplier capability improvement in contamination control through training, benchmarking, and joint improvement programs. • Establish data-driven monitoring using analytics tools (Minitab, Spotfire, Power BI) to identify trends in contamination-related defects and proactively mitigate risks. • Ensure compliance with industry standards and internal specifications related to cleanliness and environmental control.