Vishut Dhar
Senior Supplier Quality Engineer at General Motors
EV battery and propulsion quality Warren, MI
Trust the data not your gut.
About Me
Data-Driven Quality Excellence
Senior Supplier Quality Engineer at General Motors and US citizen with over 8 years in automotive quality. I turn production data into actionable strategies using Six Sigma methodologies, SPC, and Power BI to identify failure patterns, reduce scrap, and drive cost savings.
How I work
I start with the data, not the story. A supplier escalation, a scrap target, or a launch readiness call is argued from measurements first, so the room debates evidence instead of opinions. Then I close the loop in person: I go to the line or the supplier, verify the fix myself, and call it done only when the numbers hold.
Key Skills
Professional Experience
Sr. Supplier Quality Engineer - Propulsion
General Motors - Warren, MI
- Led the turnaround of critically at-risk suppliers, including suppliers on the verge of losing IATF 16949 certification, restoring certification standing and good standing with GM assembly plants
- Resolved long-standing disputes between assembly plants and suppliers by leading recurring cross-functional meetings across plant quality, engineering, purchasing, and supplier leadership, influencing outcomes without direct authority and working every open issue to closure
- Conduct on-site supplier workshops and visits for root cause analysis, corrective action verification, and quality system development; escalate and present critical issues and resolution status to leadership
- Selected to conduct Manufacturing Quality Readiness Review (MQRR) audits at GM manufacturing locations, an assignment beyond the core supplier quality engineering scope, based on demonstrated audit expertise
- Led Run at Rate events on-site at supplier locations to qualify production processes and validate capacity ahead of launch; approve supplier Control Plans, PFMEAs, and PPAP submissions through launch, changeover, and ongoing production
- Lead supplier quality for a RESS supplier portfolio that grew from 4 to 12 suppliers at peak, bringing every supplier to green status on all open quality items from a starting state where several were deeply red
Sr. Plant Supplier Quality Engineer
General Motors - Spring Hill, TN
- Managed day-to-day Quality Operations at the Spring Hill Battery Cell, Module, and Pack (RESS) facility, delivering on safety, quality, cost, and environment metrics within budget
- Executed GMS work to Built-In-Quality (BIQ) principles in daily operations and participated in the plant's successful GMS BIQ audits
- Led problem-solving, risk reduction (PFMEA), capability monitoring, TIP implementation, PPAP support, internal quality audits, and quality standards development across the production floor and Quality Group
- Influenced the organization to adopt new concepts, practices, and approaches without the benefit of defined procedure; key contributor to new product launches with Product Engineering and Program Quality
Quality Engineer
General Motors - Spring Hill, TN
- Managed day-to-day Quality Operations at a Battery Cell, Module, and Pack (RESS) facility, delivering on safety, quality, cost, and environment metrics within budget
- Executed GMS work to Built-In-Quality (BIQ) principles and participated in the plant's successful GMS BIQ audits
- Led problem-solving, risk reduction (PFMEA), capability monitoring, TIP implementation, PPAP support, and internal quality audits across the production floor and Quality Group
- Developed new products, processes, standards, and operational plans supporting business strategies
- Collaborated with Product Engineering and Program Quality to develop and implement operational plans for successful product launches
- Launched module and pack assembly from start to finish, brought assembly plant up to rate and met all manufacturing targets
Quality Engineer - APQP
Continental AG - Culpeper, VA
- Directly supervised APQP technicians, the gage control lab, and lab personnel supporting production process checks: assigning work, balancing workload, and developing team capability
- Served as the hub for plant problem-solving and continuous improvement: assembled and led cross-functional teams on the plant's biggest quality problems, triggered by internal and external customers
- Owned APQP/PPAP execution for new programs and revisions, and all Quality Assurance documentation (PFMEA, Control Plans, Process Flow, Work Instructions)
- Led external audits across multiple processes with no major findings; conducted monthly internal audits to production and customer-specific requirements
- AIAG IATF 16949:2016 Lead Auditor with Supplier Auditor Certification, Plexus International, 2022; ISO 9001 Certified Lead Auditor
Quality Engineer
Continental AG - Auburn Hills, MI
- Mentored interns on quality testing strategies and assessment techniques, developing an effective team delivering validation and quality assurance for OEM programs
- Cut client response turnaround 20% through prioritized root cause analysis using quality scorecards, PPM, C/1000, and IPTV metrics; saved a week of labor by streamlining warranty claim analysis
Key Projects & Achievements
EV Battery Plant Launch
Successfully launched battery module and pack assembly operations from start to finish, ensuring all quality standards were met.
- Brought assembly plant up to full production rate
- Met all manufacturing targets
- Established quality control processes
IATF 16949 Certification
Led external audits as an IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 Certified Lead Auditor, ensuring complete compliance with international standards.
- Conducted monthly internal audits
- Developed comprehensive documentation
- Trained cross-functional teams
Education
Master of Science
Lawrence Technological University
Automotive Engineering
2017 - 2019
Bachelor of Science
Chandigarh Engineering College
Mechanical Engineering
2011 - 2015
What Colleagues Say
“He has done a great job managing and executing New Product Development testing, as well as showing excellent technical skills to diagnose part issues and identify root cause/corrective actions. Vishut is a hard working individual and I am glad to have him as a part of our team.”
“Vishut has a high degree of passion and is committed to excellence. He is able to navigate through complex situations with focus and determination, exhibiting a high level of confidence. Vishut exemplifies all the traits and qualities necessary in an excellent engineer, and it was my pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with him.”
“Vishut was eager to learn new skills, especially in leadership and personal development. He adapted quickly to changes and kept a positive attitude through challenging situations. He was also proactive in problem solving, bringing solutions before problems populate.”
“Not only is he managing the Quality System on one of the off-shifts, he has not waivered in his commitment to establishing working relationships with our Supplier base. Because of Mr. Dhar’s energy and expertise, the Spring Hill BAB team has benefitted greatly from open lines of communication, prompt breakpoints, punctual sorting activity and detailed data report-outs. Great addition to our Team!”