Job Description

Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first — developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year. Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact.

A Day in the Life

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Location: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Work Arrangement: Full Time

Travel: Approximately 20-40% regional and international travel as required

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior or Principal Supplier Quality Engineer to act as a hands-on technical expert and manufacturing problem solver within our supplier network. Rather than serving primarily in an oversight capacity, this role will partner directly with suppliers to identify process weaknesses, troubleshoot complex manufacturing and quality issues, and implement practical, data-driven solutions that improve quality, capability, and operational performance. Working side-by-side with supplier teams on the manufacturing floor, the successful candidate will apply expertise in process validation, Gage R&R, test method validation, process capability analysis, control plans, Six Sigma methodologies, and root cause investigation to resolve chronic issues, prevent recurrence, and elevate suppliers toward best-in-class manufacturing and quality performance.

The successful candidate will within approximately one hour commuting distance of the Sanmina Guadalajara facility to enable frequent on-site engagement with strategic suppliers and manufacturing partners., and will serve as a key technical quality leader responsible for supplier qualification, process validation, manufacturing controls, root cause investigations, process capability improvement, and sustainable quality system implementation. This position requires a hands-on engineering professional capable of independently assessing manufacturing processes, identifying risk, driving corrective actions, and improving supplier performance through disciplined application of statistical and quality engineering methods.

Candidates should possess a proven track record working within the automotive industry and/or manufacturers of complex industrial equipment, capital equipment, electromechanical systems, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.

The role may be filled at the Senior SQE or Principal SQE level based on demonstrated experience, technical expertise, leadership capability, and business impact.

Key Responsibilities

Supplier Qualification & Development

• Lead new supplier assessments, qualification activities, and supplier approval processes.
• Lead Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) for new components and suppliers.
• Conduct on-site supplier audits focused on manufacturing excellence, process controls, quality systems, and risk management.
• Evaluate supplier readiness for new product introduction and production transfer activities.
• Partner with suppliers to establish robust measurement and manufacturing processes, and sustainable quality controls.
• Drive supplier quality improvement initiatives resulting in measurable improvements in quality, delivery, and manufacturing capability.

Manufacturing Process Validation

• Develop and review process validation strategies for supplier manufacturing processes.
• Lead and evaluate:
  • Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (Gage R&R)
  • Test Method Validation (TMV)
  • Measurement System Analysis (MSA)
  • Process Capability Studies
  • Statistical Process Control (SPC)
  • Process Validation Protocols
• Assess manufacturing risks and implement appropriate controls to assure product quality.

Quality Engineering & Continuous Improvement

• Utilize Six Sigma and statistical methodologies to identify variation, reduce defects, and improve process performance.
• Develop and review:
  • Control Plans
  • Process Flow Diagrams
  • PFMEAs
  • Inspection Strategies
  • Sampling Plans
• Analyze manufacturing and field performance data to identify systemic quality issues.
• Lead cross-functional process improvement projects with suppliers and contract manufacturers.

Root Cause Investigation & Corrective Action

• Lead supplier investigations related to escapes, nonconformances, field failures, and customer complaints.
• Drive effective use of:
  • 8D Methodology
  • DMAIC
  • Fishbone Analysis
  • 5 Whys
  • Fault Tree Analysis
  • Statistical Problem Solving Techniques
• Verify effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions through objective evidence and sustained performance improvement.

Supplier Performance Management

• Establish quality performance expectations and reporting mechanisms.
• Monitor supplier quality metrics and capability indicators.
• Participate in or co-lead supplier business reviews and quality performance discussions.
• Escalate critical supplier quality risks and drive resolution plans with management visibility.
• Support supplier recovery efforts when significant quality or delivery issues arise.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with:
  • Supplier Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Design Engineering
  • Operations
  • Quality Assurance
  • Program Management
  • Supply Chain
• Provide technical leadership regarding supplier quality risks and manufacturing process capability.
• Support strategic sourcing decisions through technical evaluation of supplier quality and manufacturing competency.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree (minimum) in:
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Equivalent engineering discipline

Experience

Senior SQE:

• Minimum 5 years of Supplier Quality Engineering experience.
• Demonstrated success within automotive, industrial equipment, heavy manufacturing, or comparable industries.

Physical Job Requirements

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position. 

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Recruitment Fraud Alert

We are aware of phishing scams targeting job seekers. Please keep the following in mind:

Apply only through official Medtronic channels. All legitimate Medtronic recruiting communications come from approved Medtronic platforms and official @medtronic.com email addresses.

Medtronic will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information (such as bank account or Social Security details) during early stages of the hiring process. Any such requests are not legitimate.

If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from Medtronic, do not respond, click links, or open attachments.

If you have any questions, concerns regarding the authenticity of a communication alleged to have been made by or on behalf of Medtronic, please contact us immediately at AskHR@medtronic.com

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Benefits & Compensation

Medtronic offers a competitive Salary and flexible Benefits Package
A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values. We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help to create.We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every career and life stage.

This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP).