Overview

With support from other Thorlabs departments, engage and collaborate with Thorlabs supply chain to implement best practices that eliminate waste, emphasise defect prevention, reduce component variation, ensure on-time delivery and nurture an environment of continuous improvement.

Working Hours: Monday to Friday 8.00 am - 4.30 pm

Who we are? Thorlabs is a global, industry leading optical technologies company. We design and manufacture a range of innovative photonics products used in manufacturing and research, from fibre optics to piezo motors. We are the gold standard with optics laboratories worldwide. There are 22 facilities across the world in 9 countries. Here in Ely, we are responsible for the Motion Control and Optical Tables product line.

Where you will be working? Our purpose-built facility is just 12 miles from Cambridge, within the medieval city of Ely. There are train and bus links to Ely from Kings Cross and Liverpool Street London, and our site is within distance of Ely train station and Ely Bus station.

Responsibilities

• Support strategically selected suppliers by performing on-site supplier visits, going to the Gemba, to undertake root cause analysis and implement corrective action plans to reduce supplier Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) and improve supplier quality.
• Engage in supply chain improvements by active and collaborative supplier engagement to eliminate waste, emphasise defect prevention, reduce component variation and nurture an environment of continuous improvement.
• Develop understanding and utilise continuous improvement tools such as Lean, Six Sigma, Poka-Yoke (Error Proofing), Measurement System Analysis and PFMEA to enhance supplier performance.
• Collaborate with Thorlabs Purchasing, Planning and Quality Engineering teams to monitor and critique key supplier quality data to identify process improvement opportunities within the supply chain.
• Rehabilitate underperforming suppliers with unresolved or repeat quality issues, going to the Gemba and coaching the supplier to develop true corrective and sustainable actions.
• Collaborate with Thorlabs Engineering teams (R&D, NPI, Quality, and Manufacturing) to define critical component/process characteristics (PPAP) to ensure supplier process capabilities are matched to requirements.
• Produce and present concise supplier action plan summaries with internally agreed KPIs to monitor and track impact of supplier quality improvements on cost, quality, and on-time delivery.
• Develop a supplier audit programme to ensure corrective actions are maintained by periodic verification of supplier correction action plans and to verify that agreed manufacturing standards are adhered to.
• Participate in internal cross-departmental initiatives to develop a holistic and comprehensive quality management system.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified in Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, Quality Engineering or equivalent
• Minimum 3 years' experience in an equivalent Supplier Quality Engineering role
• Basic to intermediate understanding of Lean principles and their practical implementation within the supply chain, with the ability to coach suppliers to adopt lean principles (including SMED, PFEP, EPEI, and pull)
• Basic to intermediate experience in Supplier quality development and working with suppliers to meet agreed quality standards
• Appreciation of PPAP & FMEA; APQP would be beneficial
• Ability to understand and interpret high precision engineering drawings (down to micron level tolerances would be beneficial)
• Experience in a low volume, high mix manufacturing environment
• Ability to build strong working relationships with suppliers to partner in their pursuit of zero defects
• Experience in working with a multidisciplinary project team to drive improvement projects through to completion
• Ability to multitask, time manage and work independently
• Ability to identify and resolve problems quickly
• Adherence to core values and a positive attitude
• Positive contribution to multi-departmental initiatives and process improvements
• Receptive to new challenges and expanding current knowledge
• Desirable: CNC machining prototype work
• Desirable: Programming Fanuc systems

What you will do / See

• Support strategically selected suppliers by performing on-site supplier visits, root cause analysis and corrective action plans to reduce NCRs and improve supplier quality.
• Engage in supply chain improvements by collaborative supplier engagement to eliminate waste and emphasise defect prevention, reduce component variation and nurture an environment of continuous improvement.
• Utilise continuous improvement tools to enhance supplier performance.
• Collaborate with Purchasing, Planning and Quality Engineering to monitor supplier data and identify process improvements.
• Assist in rehabilitating underperforming suppliers with corrective and sustainable actions.
• Collaborate with Engineering teams to define critical characteristics to ensure supplier process capabilities meet requirements.
• Produce supplier action plans with KPIs to monitor impact on cost, quality, and on-time delivery.
• Develop a supplier audit programme with periodic verification of corrective actions.
• Participate in cross-departmental initiatives to develop a holistic quality management system.

What will you get?

Thorlabs offers opportunities for in-house customised training and development. Benefits include free onsite parking, free refreshments, and an entertainment area in our large canteen.

And the benefits

Competitive salary with a comprehensive benefits package including pension, health care, 25 days holiday plus public holidays.

Job Reference: THOR-VC-1311

This is a rolling campaign; we will actively interview applicants. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications. Please submit your application as early as possible. We welcome applications from persons who are over 18 years old.

This is a legal requirement, further information is here: School leaving age - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We would encourage all internal applicants to inform their line managers of their interest in this position.

Benefits: Contributed Pension Scheme - Group Life Cover - Private Health Care - Group Income Protection & more.

Please apply through the Apply for this job button or send a copy of your CV along with a covering letter and your salary expectations to: Human Resources at Thorlabs Ltd, 204 Lancaster Way Business Park, Ely, Cambs, CB6 3NX or e-mail recruitment@thorlabs.com.

We are Disability Confident Committed

In line with the requirements of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, all applicants must have a valid permission to enter or remain in the UK with no condition that prevents them from working in the UK. Documented evidence of such permission will be required from candidates as part of the recruitment process.

We would encourage all internal applicants to inform their line managers of their interest in this position.