Junior Supplier Quality Engineer – Alajuela

About the role

Join the Supplier Quality Engineering (SQE) team at Smith+Nephew’s Costa Rica site and work directly with component and service suppliers to support manufacturing operations. You will apply data‑driven methods and engineering tools to improve product quality and resolve supplier issues.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with Production, Incoming, Warehouse and suppliers to disposition non‑conforming materials (30%).
• Lead supplier quality initiatives, improve product quality and resolve supplier issues (20%).
• Collect and trend NCRs, corrective actions, deviations and concessions; maintain scorecards and performance reports (20%).
• Investigate raw‑material defects using problem‑solving methodologies and analytical tools (20%).
• Enhance supplier control procedures, qualification, change notifications, audits and risk assessments; modify drawings/specifications as needed (5%).
• Support customer complaints related to suppliers by analyzing root causes and documenting corrective actions (5%).

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree (minimum 50% completed) in Engineering, Sciences or a related technical field.
• At least 1 year of technical (engineering or scientific) experience; medical‑device experience preferred.
• Proficiency in English.
• Preferred certifications: ISO Lead Auditor, Lean Six Sigma.

Required skills

• Six Sigma / DMAIC methodology.
• Statistical analysis and tools.
• Process validation, SPC, DOE, PFMEA, PPM tracking.
• Root cause analysis techniques (A3, 5 Whys, 8D).
• Microsoft Office applications.
• Supplier Relationship Management.