Supplier Quality Engineer
Smiths Group · Morton Grove, IL
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Quality
- Degree
- Required
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 14 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level quality role at Smiths Group (industrial) in Morton Grove, IL.
- They ask for
- degree required
- Tools it names
- Kaizen, 5S, Root cause, FMEA, PPAP, Control plans
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $98k–$146k.
Median of the low and high ends of 36 live postings that list pay, out of 46 quality engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 45 other live quality postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $96k–$132k, from 31 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 50%
- ✓ Root cause 43%
- ✓ Supplier quality 43%
- Team leadership 37%
- SPC 35%
- FDA / GMP 35%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Kaizen, 5S, Power BI / Tableau, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at Smiths Group
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from Smiths GroupAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Reporting to the Operations Quality Manager, the Supplier Quality Assurance Engineer will directly manage external suppliers to resolve quality issues and to improve supplier quality. The Supplier Quality Engineer will be responsible for maintaining and improving supplier performance, analyze non-conformances, conduct supplier audits, and issue and participate in supplier corrective actions
Quality Management System
- •Create and manage an improvement strategy for the United States.
- •Measures and drives supplier performance on quality and delivery.
- •Drives communication with supplier to improve process capability of supplied products.
- •Conducts supplier quality systems audits.
- •Fully understands, interprets, and audits to ISO 9001:2008.
- •Works with supplier on process evaluation and continuous improvement.
- •Leads team with purchasing, Engineering, Plants, and Supplier on root cause analysis for quality issues.
- •Assists supplier with first article submissions.
- •Reviews FMEAs, Control Plans and other supplier documentation for adequacy.
- •Support Supplier Qualification and problem resolution.
- •Additional duties as assigned.
- •Degree in Engineering or related technical field.
- •Must have considerable experience in technical roles preferably in a large multi-location business.
- •Knowledge and understanding of QMS Processes and ISO 9001.
- •Demonstrated experience in quality management tools, such as: Control Plans, Kaizen, 5S, Statistical Analysis, Root Cause analysis tools, Corrective Action Systems, FMEA, IPPAP and Cause and Effect Diagrams preferred.
- •Ability to make good judgments and recommendations by effectively sourcing and analyzing critical information
- •Demonstrated experience in data visualization in Microsoft Excel and/or other data visualization tools such as Power BI.
- •Effective written, verbal and presentation skills.
- •Demonstrated ability to persistently pursue and achieve results. Uses data / analytics to proactively monitor and review plans to hit or exceed targets and drives continuous improvement..
- •Knowledgeable and demonstrated experience in understanding of technically complex problems.