Director, Supplier Quality

Job description

QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future. About the team : The Quality & Reliability organization is a five-pillar team – Quality Systems, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing Quality, Product Quality & Reliability, and Customer Quality – built to drive end-to-end quality ownership from supplier through process to product to customer. We are a tightly integrated group of quality engineers, reliability engineers, auditors, and methodologists working alongside Manufacturing Operations, Microscopy & FA, and Facilities to enable QuantumScape’s transition from R&D to high-volume commercial production. The team prides itself on bottoms-up accountability, prevention over detection, and surfacing problems early so they get fixed once. What we need: The Quality & Reliability organization is seeking a Director, Supplier Quality to own the Supplier Quality pillar and push quality upstream – to the source. Today, supplier quality at QuantumScape is largely limited to incoming inspection (IQC) at our dock; this role exists to change that. This leader will build a supplier base that ships first-time-right material, drive incoming defects toward zero, and eliminate the material and labor waste that comes from catching problems at our dock instead of at the supplier’s line. The core mandate is to move quality left: qualify suppliers rigorously, transfer clear defect and acceptance requirements to them, and hold them accountable for meeting those requirements before material ever reaches QuantumScape. As we move from R&D into high-volume commercial production and bring on strategic manufacturing partners, this leader will own a seamless quality handoff with those partners. We are looking for a proven track record applying lean principles to supplier quality – someone who thinks in terms of waste elimination, flow, and prevention, not inspection. If you have driven measurable supplier quality improvements at scale in regulated, high-volume manufacturing, we’d like to hear from you. As Director, Supplier Quality, you will own the supplier quality function end-to-end – from supplier selection and qualification through PPAP, incoming quality control, and ongoing supplier performance management. You will bring lean and waste-elimination discipline as the operating logic of the function: every dollar of scrap, every hour of sort and rework, and every incoming inspection we can retire because a supplier owns quality at its source is a direct unlock for getting more shippable output from the same headcount and infrastructure. You will partner tightly with Manufacturing Quality – whose Product Quality & Reliability characterization and specs define what good looks like – to translate those specs into supplier and floor requirements, and with Supply Chain to make quality a first-class criterion in sourcing decisions. Critically, you will be a culture leader who installs operational discipline at our suppliers and inside your own team, shifting from detection to prevention and from status reporting to problem solving, and you will do it through clear, concise, direct communication that drives alignment and makes ownership unambiguous at every handoff. What You’ll do: Own the Supplier Quality pillar end-to-end – supplier qualification and approval, supplier PFMEA, APQP and PPAP execution, supplier audits and scorecards, and supplier excursion / corrective-action (8D) management – driving incoming defects toward zero at the source Set and continuously improve IQC strategy and dock-to-stock qualification – deploying a risk-based verification model that reduces non-conforming material escapes while retiring redundant incoming inspection as supplier capability is proven Embed and co-locate supplier development engineers at key suppliers to drive APQP, PPAP, and supplier PFMEA at the source before parts arrive – moving QuantumScape from inspection at the dock to capability at the supplier, consistent with battery-industry best practice that particle and contamination control starts with raw-material suppliers Drive “quality left” to suppliers – transferring clear defect definitions, acceptance criteria, and control requirements (defined with Manufacturing Quality from Product Quality & Reliability characterization) so suppliers own conformance before material ships, not QuantumScape at receiving Apply lean and waste-elimination discipline across the supplier base – attacking material and labor waste (scrap, sort, rework, expedites, over-inspection) and giving suppliers and the floor clear, real-time guardrails on which defects matter and which levers move the needle Lead upstream particle and contamination control at the source – critical for solid-state cell manufacturing – and hold suppliers to zero-defect expectations on critical characteristics Own a seamless supplier and manufacturing-partner quality handoff as QuantumScape scales into high-volume commercial production and IFM/partner transitions – ensuring continuity of quality acceptance and clear ownership through every transition Partner with Supply Chain to make quality a first-class criterion in supplier selection and strategic sourcing, and with Manufacturing Operations on the planned transition of IQC execution into the line organization Establish and report supplier quality metrics (PPM, cost of poor quality, supplier scorecards, containment and 8D closure) that connect to corporate priorities (Reliability, Product, Gen 2 Readiness, Commercial, Finance) and tie directly to yield, scrap, and shippable output Build, develop, and lead a high-performing team of supplier quality engineers – creating clear ownership at every handoff and growing people through the work Skills You’ll Need: B.S. required in Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or related technical discipline; advanced degree (M.S. or MBA) and ASQ CQE / CQA / Lead Auditor / Six Sigma certifications strongly preferred 12+ years of progressive quality experience in regulated, high-volume manufacturing – with at least 3 years in supplier quality management or equivalent leadership Proven track record applying lean principles to supplier quality – waste elimination, flow, and prevention over inspection – with measurable results in scrap, rework, and incoming PPM reduction Strong supplier quality background – APQP, PPAP, supplier PFMEA, supplier audits, IQC strategy, dock-to-stock qualification, and supplier excursion management with measurable results at the source Hands-on expertise driving supplier corrective action and development – 8D, root cause analysis, containment, and closing the loop so problems get fixed once Demonstrated proficiency with core quality tools – FMEA, SPC, MSA, control plans, gage R&R – and the discipline to deploy them at suppliers, not just internally Working knowledge of ISO 9001 / IATF 16949 supplier requirements, customer-specific requirements (CSR), and how supplier quality integrates with the broader QMS Highly developed written and verbal cross-functional communication skills – able to engage credibly with executives, suppliers, and shop floor teams, and to surface problems clearly without softening the message Proven leadership track record – building and leading supplier quality teams of 8+ engineers across multiple suppliers/sites, and developing emerging leaders Nice to have: Direct experience in battery, semiconductor, automotive, aerospace, or medical device supplier quality – or another industry where particle control, contamination control, and zero-defect supplier expectations are non-negotiable Experience standing up supplier quality for new manufacturing partners or contract manufacturers, and managing quality through supplier and site transitions Familiarity with the transition from R&D-stage supplier management to high-volume commercial supplier quality systems ONSITE: This position is required to work onsite 5 days per week to meet the minimum essential duties and requirements of this position. As an on-site R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in-person face to face interaction is essential to building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration. Compensation & Benefits: Expected salary range for this role is from $179,100 to $250,700, and a final salary will be determined by the candidate's experience and educational background. QuantumScape also offers an annual bonus and a generous RSU/Equity package as part of its compensation plan. In addition, we do offer a tremendous benefits plan including employee paid health care, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and other benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.