Supplier Quality Engineer - Defence Sector

A Supplier Quality Engineer is needed for an established supplier of engineering solutions for the defence sector. They specialise in the design, manufacture and support of control systems, and power systems for defence platforms within the safety critical and harsh environment domain. The Supplier Quality Engineer will be a self-starter and prepared to take complete ownership of all aspects of supplier quality.

The Supplier Quality Engineer will have Quality Assurance experience in the defence, aerospace or automotive manufacturing industry or experience within a similar engineering environment. The Supplier Quality Engineer will be supporting the project teams by ensuring that key suppliers deliver critical parts on time, in full and to the required quality.

Key Duties for the Supplier Quality Engineer:

• Communicate and ensure suppliers understand, acknowledge, and adhere to contract specific requirements.
• Monitor supplier’s performance, recording and analysing performance data.
• Ensure suppliers abide by flowed down requirements and similarly flow these down into their supply chain.
• Other tasks may include internal audits, quality investigations and raising non-conformances.
• Utilise 5-why or 8D investigations, creating reports or necessary quality related documents.
• Help with general and quality related improvements across the business, supporting our production/test departments.
• Ensure that key suppliers deliver critical parts on time, in full and to the required quality.
• Monitoring progress of orders and manage suppliers to ensure these are scheduled to ensure on time delivery.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks minimising delays to bring supplier production back on schedule.
• Monitor and ensure adherence to agreed processes, procedures, and controls.
• Undertake gate inspections, process witnessing and first article inspections (FAI).
• Carry out new supplier assessments, quality audits and maintaining supplier accreditation records.
• Develop supplier KPIs and metrics to monitor supplier performance, quality, and drive improvements.
• Undertake failure analysis, conducting root cause analysis (RCA) using tools such as 5 why, 8D and Ishikawa.
• Support the QM across a range of quality, health and safety and environmental matters.
• Assist with improvement of internal inspection processes for supplier goods.
• Identify weaknesses in systems and processes and proposing improvements.

Key Skills/Experience Required for the Supplier Quality Engineer:

• Quality assurance experience in a defence, aerospace, or automotive manufacturing or from a similar environment.
• Knowledge of ISO9001 / AS9100 Rev D and Supplier auditor / internal auditor training would be an advantage.
• Experience with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
• Experience and familiarity with machining and manufacturing practices and Experience with PFMEA is an advantage.
• Familiarity with both destructive and non-destructive inspection techniques.
• Knowledge of Lean methodologies, 5S, Six Sigma etc and ideally a recognised qualification in quality management.
• A Degree or HND in an Engineering discipline or Quality Management.
• Good attention to detail, methodical and analytical with excellent communication skills.
• Expert user of Microsoft Office Suite and ability to compile and analyse data and create high quality reports.
• Good practical skills, ideally from low volume electro-mechanical production.
• Ability to interpret engineering and electrical drawings and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing GT&D.
• Knowledge of defence and technical standards and requirements.
• Ability to propose viable technical and production solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions and set own priorities in a dynamic business environment.
• A self-starter with effective time management skills and ability to work with high level of autonomy.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to analyse defects and implement long-term quality improvements.
• Ability to take initiative, by being creative and developing improvement ideas.

Candidates must be British Nationals as full UK Security Clearance (SC) may be required, and this is due to the nature of the Defence products involved. Demand for this role will undoubtedly be high, and interviews will be arranged very soon. If you have the right experience and you want to be considered, please apply today.

If you have any questions about the Supplier Quality Engineer role, please contact Peter Heap at Jonathan Lee Recruitment on 01384 446127 or send suitable CV’s to peter.heap@jonlee.co.uk.

Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978.