Are you a hands-on quality or manufacturing professional who excels at rapid supplier containment, root-cause problem solving, and protecting assembly line flow in a fast-paced heavy equipment facility? Do you bring strong technical blueprint reading skills (GD&T), experience utilizing quality management software/databases, and the cross-functional communication drive to collaborate with suppliers, engineering teams, and shop-floor operations? As Cerebral Staffing , we are seeking a dedicated Tactical Supplier Quality Engineer to join our team supporting our client, John Deere Tractor Cab Operations , in Waterloo, IA . Whether you bring 1+ years of supply quality/manufacturing experience or are a motivated recent Engineering/Technology graduate eager to build a career with an industry leader, we want to hear from you. Tactical Supplier Quality Engineer

•John Deere Tractor Cab Operations (Waterloo, IA) This is a high-visibility, long-term 2+ year contract opportunity paying up to $38/hr , including 1 week of PTO and full health benefits. Operating 100% onsite on 1st Shift (7:00 AM

•3:30 PM) within Tractor Cab Operations in Waterloo, IA, this role serves as a crucial line of defense—driving 24-hour containment on supplier defects, managing non-conformances in SAP, initiating robust corrective actions, and protecting First Pass Yield (FPY) across assembly operations.

Position Details & Compensation Pay Rate:

Up to $38/hr (W2) .

Location:

100% Onsite at John Deere Waterloo Works

•Tractor Cab Operations ( Waterloo, IA ).

Duration:

2+ Years (Providing excellent contract stability).

Shift & Hours:

1st Shift (7:00 AM

•3:30 PM, Monday

•Friday, with overtime scheduled at the end of shifts as needed).

Benefits:

1 Week PTO , Health, Dental, Vision, Life, 401k, and Referral Bonuses.

Workplace Environment:

Active factory floor and office environment; comfort working on the shop floor and occasional intra-facility travel required.

Safety Gear:

Metatarsal safety boots strictly required on Day 1 .

Visa Sponsorship:

Not available now or in the near future for this position.

Note:

Candidates previously submitted to JP44370 cannot be re-considered.

Core Responsibilities Rapid Supplier Containment:

Partner directly with external suppliers to enforce 24-hour containment on quality defects, coordinating major containment initiatives for quality and design issues to keep production running.

Corrective Action & FPY Protection:

Initiate, execute, and close corrective actions for component recurrences that impact First Pass Yield (FPY), prevent assembly downtime, or cause significant rework.

SAP Data Management & Disposition:

Oversee data entry, tracking, non-conformance records, and proper disposition of supplier quality data using SAP and quality databases.

Financial & Administrative Execution:

Identify, create, and process purchase orders to reimburse suppliers for containment services provided.

Process Standardisation:

Document and continuously improve quality processes pertaining to supplied parts while serving as a tactical subject matter expert on TQE procedures.

Required Qualifications & Technical Skills Education:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technology, or Science discipline, or equivalent related work experience. Open to motivated Recent Engineering Graduates!

Experience & Domain Knowledge:

1+ years of experience in related engineering disciplines (quality, industrial, manufacturing, design, reliability) with a solid technical background and manufacturing process understanding.

Quality Systems & Databases:

1+ years of hands-on experience navigating quality tools, databases, and enterprise software (SAP, Windchill, RECON, Excel, MS Office Suite).

GD&T & Drawing Literacy:

1+ years of experience reading and interpreting complex engineering drawings, schematics, product models, and GD&T principles.

Communication & Time Management:

Proven ability to communicate professionally across cross-functional teams in written and verbal forms, paired with strong organizational skills.

Onsite & PPE Requirements:

100% onsite availability in Waterloo, IA ( 1st

Shift:

7:00 AM

•3:30 PM ); required PPE ( Metatarsal safety boots Day 1 ).

Preferred / Standout

Qualifications Prior experience utilizing John Deere systems:

JDSN , MC20 , PDM

Link , Creo View , Windchill , or Stratawise . Hands-on experience operating precision measurement equipment (Calipers, Micrometers, Profilometers). Familiarity with basic data analytics tools (Pareto charts, histograms, control plans) and executing closed-loop Corrective/Preventive Actions (CAPA). Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.

APPLY NOW

to direct 24-hour supplier containment, safeguard tractor cab assembly quality, and advance your engineering career with John Deere!

Pay:

Up to $38.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Referral program Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person