Senior Sourcing Quality Inspection Engineer

Requisition ID # 164595 

Job Category: Engineering / Science 

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy

Work Type: Onsite

Job Location: Oakland

Department Overview

The Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) department assures purchased material and substation equipment meets all engineering requirements and that PG&E supplier’s manufacturing processes are capable to produce a safe, reliable, and affordable products that meet or exceed PG&E’s operational requirements. SQA addresses manufacturing  quality issues, continuous improvement, and qualifies all supplier  to an ISO9001 standard.  Suppliers must also undergo a detailed technical review of  their engineering and manufacturing processes. The group carries out source inspection for transmission and substation class equipment for application on PG&E’s high voltage grid.

Position Summary

This job is represented by Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC) and is subject to collective bargaining.

The position is responsible for the factory source inspection of electric substation equipment (power transformers, GIS, modular protection and control buildings, switchgear, capacitors, HV insulated cable, FACTs equipment, etc.)

at domestic and international supplier locations. Inspection results must be reported on and deficiencies documented for corrective action.  This position requires up to 75% travel time (domestic and international).

PG&E is providing the monthly rate range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting.  This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job.  The actual hourly rate paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreements, and internal equity.  This position is subject to collectively bargained hourly wage rates.

The monthly rate for this position ranges from $10,575.00 to $14,784.00, under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, subject to collectively bargained wage increases.

Job Responsibilities

• Using established specifications and inspection processes, perform factory inspections for all types of substation class equipment being procured for installation in PG&E substations.  Identify deficiencies and verify the correction of deficiencies prior to releasing equipment for shipping.  Document and report on all activities.
• Participate in the performance of periodic or targeted surveillance inspections at key supplier factories to identify problems or mitigate risk associated with recent quality problems, changes at the factory since the last surveillance inspection, and the verification of critical processes for the covered products.  These activities are typically done under the guidance of a more senior engineer. Write or contribute to the documentation of the results thorough the surveillance inspection reports.
• Analyzes quality performance data, such as test failure rates, defect trends, and specification deviation trends.
• Provides technical recommendations to Supplier Quality Engineer’s to aid in development of source inspection checklist.
• Provides technical recommendations to Standards engineers to improve PG&E specification and reviews new/revised specification prior to release.
• Assist Quality Inspection Engineers that are new to the Supplier Quality group.
• May represent Supplier Quality on PG&E major equipment teams.
• Ability to work both independently and on teams.  Must possess skills that enable real time manufacturing problems to be identified, documented, solutions negotiated with suppliers along with overseeing implementation of solutions.
• Evaluate specification, standards and drawings and make reasoned judgments on the “quality of the designs”
• Follow safety practices of PG&E and supplier plant locations
• Travel to various material supplier locations to perform inspections with minimum 10 business days inspection notification for North America and 15 business days for international.
• Communicate readily with others both verbal and written toward issue resolution with a sense of urgency.
• Comprehend and apply various industry standard related to equipment being inspected
• Understand and apply PG&E specification as they apply to purchase order requirement.
• A strong mechanical, electrical and manufacturing QA/QC aptitude.

Qualifications

Minimum:

• 5 years of work experience in electrical or gas equipments quality and/or inspection, project engineering, and/or manufacturing environment
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, civil, mechanical, or other related engineering degree as appropriate from an accredited curriculum in the US or the equivalent from outside the US

Desired:

• American Society of Quality - Certified Quality Inspector (CQI) certificate
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment with “hands-on” experience inspecting or dispositioning defective materials. 
• Auditing experience
• Electric utility experience. Knowledge of electrical substation, transmission, and power generation  equipment.
• Lean 6 sigma experience. Knowledge of six sigma quality systems and experience leading Lean Six Sigma events with either internal personnel or with suppliers. Green Belt or equivalent training
• Lead Auditor training
• Experience in building supplier relationships

• Knowledge of a mature ISO-9000 system
• Knowledge of Quality Management Systems and applications in a supplier -customer relationship
• Knowledge to use various gages to verify conformity
• Ability to work with software and databases to pull reports including SAP, Access and Excel
• Ability to make reasoned decisions regarding part and system compliance when drawings are not clear
• Knowledge of variety of non-destructive testing and basic electrical and mechanical inspection techniques.
• Knowledge of a mature Supplier Quality and Procurement systems and processes and the ability to work closely with Engineering and Procurement personnel to achieve supplier qualification and improvements
• Knowledge of a variety of manufacturing processes and good internal business controls and procedures
• Ability to demonstrate application of "root cause analysis" in working with supplier problems.
• Ability to work in a rapid pace environment with incomplete information; making decisions about hardware while juggling multiple problems and tasks.
• Proven ability to pull together and lead cross-functional teams to solve discrete problems and systems problems as they are defined