Senior Supplier Quality Engineer at Axon - Remote Vietnam — Columbus
Traveler-Friendly Insight
This role is nominally listed as "remote in Vietnam," but the reality is important to understand: travel is required up to 80% of the time to APAC supplier factories. This is effectively a field-based quality engineering role, not a laptop-from-a-café position. Candidates must be physically present at supplier sites across the APAC region the vast majority of their working time.
Location flexibility is very limited: you must be based in Vietnam (Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, or Ho Chi Minh City). The role is tied to supplier factory locations, meaning your "home base" in Vietnam serves as a logistics hub rather than a true remote setup.
- Timezone: ICT (UTC+7) — aligns well with APAC manufacturing hubs (China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia).
- Visa: Candidates must have the right to work in Vietnam. Foreign nationals should explore Vietnam's long-term business visa (DN visa) or work permit options; digital nomad visas are not applicable here given the employment nature.
- Cost of living advantage: A senior engineering salary from a US-listed tech company (Axon, NASDAQ: AXON) in Vietnam offers strong purchasing power — Ho Chi Minh City costs are roughly 60-70% lower than US cities, meaning even a mid-range USD salary would provide a premium lifestyle locally.
For true digital nomads seeking location independence, this role is not suitable. However, for professionals already based in Vietnam who enjoy frequent APAC travel as part of their lifestyle, this offers an exciting combination of regional mobility and a US-tech-company employer brand.
Join Axon and be a Force for Good.
At Axon, we're on a mission to Protect Life. We're explorers, pursuing society's most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other.
Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful. Here, you'll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.
Your Impact
As Axon's Senior Supplier Quality Engineer I, you will be responsible for providing Quality Engineering support for all Axon products including Conducted Electrical Weapons (CEW), Cartridges, Body Worn Cameras and accessories. You will work with suppliers in cooperation with Axon Design Engineering, Quality and Supply Chain. Other significant impacts include collaborating on the selection of qualified suppliers, leading efforts to quantify and improve supplier performance, and providing a positive impact on the quality of new and existing products through a global footprint.
What You'll Do
Location: Remote in Vietnam (open for candidates from Hanoi / Bac Ninh / Hai Phong / HCM) at our APAC supplier factories with travel up to 80%
Reports to: Supplier Quality Manager
- New supplier assessment and supplier audit. Engage in selection and evaluation activities of new potential suppliers and conduct onsite auditing to assess quality and/or process-related requirements. Audit supplier critical manufacturing & inspection processes, policies and procedures to ensure performance and quality standards conform to established Axon Quality requirements.
- Ensure New Product Introduction (NPI) takes place in accordance with criteria and inspection plans set up and managed by Axon Program Management, Design and Quality. Review product validation with supplier NPI yield, Jira ticket, OQC, FAIR/PPAP, DFM/DFx, PFMEA and Quality Control Plan (QCP).
- Working in close collaboration with supplier partners, facilitate the development and maintenance of PFMEA to quantify supplier process risks and design processes to prevent the production of defects. Effect robust assembly operations and manufacturing processes through manufacturability assessment and error-proofing methods to prevent operator errors.
- Assess supplier inspection capabilities onsite as needed (IQC/OQC/IPQC); assist in generating appropriate inspection plans and evaluate any inspection and process capability studies provided by suppliers (Cpk, Ppk, Gage R&R).
- Set up quality goals and quality improvement projects, monitor yield rate at suppliers, and drive suppliers to produce high quality parts consistently with yield improvement month to month.
- Continuously monitor supplier quality performance and facilitate periodic quality/business reviews to drive continual improvements in DPPM, NCMRs and SCARs. Develop, implement, and monitor supplier quality improvement initiatives, including supplier performance management forums, supplier certification, process improvements, cost reduction, and continuing assessment and process audits of suppliers.
- Through Quality Control Planning, ensure Critical to Quality (CTQ) product characteristics and key process parameters within the supplier's manufacturing processes are monitored for process capability and capable of repeatedly producing parts to specifications.
What You Bring
- Minimum 10 years of experience in problem solving related to manufacturing of mechanical parts (e.g., cast metal parts, molded rubber or plastic parts, cast ceramic parts, machined and stamped parts).
- Very experienced in the NPI process and milestones, the role of SQE for NPI, and the key activities in the NPI stages.
- Good knowledge of quality management system (QMS) requirements (ISO9001, ESD20.20, IATF16949, IPC-1602, IPC-A-610 or comparable); minimum 5 years' experience in audits utilizing ISO9001, IATF16949, VDA 6.3 or a comparable quality management system.
- Excellent data analysis, root cause analysis, problem resolution and decision-making skills with thorough working knowledge of QC tools, methods and practices (PPAP, SPC, DOE, PFMEA, Control Plans, GR&R, Lean Manufacturing concepts, DMAIC, 8D Methodology, etc.).
- Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills; able to communicate with all levels of the organization, build relationships with suppliers, and influence across supplier and internal groups.
- Ability to operate in a highly dynamic environment, juggle multiple priorities, and react quickly to emergencies. Excellent time management and ability to methodically manage project milestones.
- Excellent written and oral communication in English.
- Experience working with statistical software (e.g., QI Macros, Minitab, JMP).
- Willingness to travel frequently (domestic and international).
Preferred Education & Certifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Material Engineering.
- Green/Black Belt, CMQ/OE, CQE, and CSSBB certifications preferred.
Don't meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long-term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they check every box in the job description. If you're excited about this role and our mission to Protect Life but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed here, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Important Notes
The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. The job description may change or be supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.
Some roles may also require legal eligibility to work in a firearms environment.
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Axon's mission is to Protect Life and is committed to the well-being and safety of its employees as well as Axon's impact on the environment. All Axon employees must be aware of and committed to the appropriate environmental, health, and safety regulations, policies, and procedures. Axon employees are empowered to report safety concerns as they arise and activities potentially impacting the environment.
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