Supplier Development Engineer

New Today

About Vital Lyfe Vital Lyfe is building modular, desalination systems for off-grid deployment in the most extreme environments on Earth.
From disaster zones to defense missions, our hardware helps people generate clean water wherever infrastructure is limited or doesn’t exist.
We’re a fast-moving, mission-driven team tackling one of the planet’s most urgent challenges.
Position Mission Build the supplier network behind a field-deployable water system.
Architect quality and reliability into the supply chain from day one and help turn a prototype into a product that can scale anywhere.
What You’ll Do Architect and implement core supplier management systems to ensure traceability, accountability, and quality control Develop and scale a high-performing, resilient supplier network aligned with cost, capacity, delivery, and quality targets Lead supplier qualification, onboarding, and technical assessments, including DFM reviews, process flow validation, and QMS audits Define and enforce technical and quality standards across new product introduction (NPI) and production Partner with internal engineering teams to ensure suppliers fully understand and can meet tight part, assembly, and metrology requirements Own the lifecycle of supplier issues from non-conformance reports (SDRs) to CAPAs, RTVs, and production quality investigations Collaborate directly with vendors to solve recurring issues and drive process-level improvements Conduct performance audits and risk reviews, implementing corrective actions where needed Provide on-site technical support as needed to ensure supplier processes are dialed for manufacturability, stability, and spec compliance Monitor supplier metrics and trend data to proactively mitigate risks and improve operational performance Source and evaluate new suppliers with unique capabilities in materials, fabrication, and metrology Build and enforce scalable supplier governance and escalation frameworks from scratch Thrive in ambiguity build process where none exists, and push for excellence where it does What You Bring A builder’s mindset and a systems-level view of manufacturing Experience in supplier quality, NPI, or manufacturing engineering in hardware, climate tech, or industrial systems Familiarity with QMS tools and standards (e.g., ISO 9001, PPAP, FAI, Cpk, PFMEA) Excellent communication and problem-solving skills in fast-paced, cross-functional environments A track record of owning hard problems end-to-end and getting things done under real-world constraints Powered by JazzHR
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Location:
Hawthorne

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