Plant SQD Principal Engineer in Woking

We are currently recruiting for a Plant SQD Principal Engineer at our site in Woking. You will be part of the Series Vehicle Line team within the Supplier Quality and Development department. Work-related experience with automotive systems, manufacturing processes and quality control is a must. Any previous practical application in a quality or manufacturing engineering environment is essential. This role is based primarily at the McLaren Production Centre, where you will be assigned a deck of suppliers and be expected to collaboratively work with them to assure McLaren Quality requirements are met.

Support the technical team with effective design of experiments to find the real root cause of the issues that arise on a day-to-day basis. Establish and maintain control of the supply base supporting all change management, part quality and concern resolution to support McLaren's business objectives. Develop strategic supply base improvement initiatives that underpin the McLaren continuous improvement ethos.

What You'll Do

• Production Sustaining through effective design of experiment creation and root cause analysis of day-to-day supplier quality concerns.
• Responsible for the direct coordination of all Supplier Part Quality service activities, including performance management, invoices, purchase orders and service audits.
• Represent the Supplier Quality department and coordinate departmental Quality Escalation Process/actions (Level 3/Executive escalations).
• Lead response to 'Stop Ship'/'Gate Hold' for Supplier liable issues.
• Lead Cost of Poor-Quality analysis and cost recovery for supplier liable quality concerns.
• Support the Senior Manager on the department quality strategies to support McLaren's long-term deliverables, consolidating the supplier performance metrics and liaising with other departments to support procurement strategies.
• Ensure SQM compliance at strategic/commodity level internally and externally.
• Report out on supplier quality concerns and supplier performance into Executive and Senior Leadership forums.
• Coordinate with the Development technical lead the concern resolution process.
• Act as a mentor to the engineering team and process owner, auditing the engineering team and using the six sigma tools to foster process continuous improvement internally and externally.
• Competent at conflict resolution and relationship management, supporting whenever required to achieve McLaren business objectives.
• Understanding of supply chain and value stream map.
• Knowledgeable on automotive OEM manufacturing processes, especially within McLaren Production Centre.
• Ability to interrogate control plans and evaluate supplier's ability to deliver quality, on time to meet company production needs.
• Must be capable of planning manufacture of their components at the supplier from goods-in to goods-out, if required.
• Capable of carrying out effective scenario planning to establish potential mitigation actions, if required.
• Understanding of Total Quality Management and cost of non-quality management.

Essential Functional / Technical Skills

• Technical Engineering qualified to Degree standard; Master preferred.
• Six Sigma certified to green belt; black belt preferred.
• Demonstrate leadership competence and ability to motivate the team.
• Must have a minimum of 10 years' experience in quality, manufacturing or similar in a production environment.
• Literate in Quality Core tools: Control Plan, PPAP, MSA, FMEA, SPC, APQP.
• Knowledgeable of DMAIC tools application: VSM, Pareto and Measles Chart, RCA, Design of Experiment, Poka-Yoke.
• Expert on Problem Solving (8D) technique.
• Practical use of Microsoft Office and Office 365 apps, SAP, CATIA and Minitab.
• High literacy of GD&T and tooling concept.
• Highly motivated, team player who can lead by example and act with integrity.
• Good communication and presentation skills, able to report and interact with senior management and comfortable to elaborate and present technical presentations at both McLaren and externally.
• Well organised and delivery focused, with a demonstrable track record of on-time delivery in a high-pressure environment.
• Self-sufficient with ability to prioritise workload and request help when needed.
• No hybrid working allowed.
• Capable of representing a world-class automotive brand.

McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars. It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.

What We'll Do for You

• Structured career development framework.
• 25 days' holiday, plus bank holiday.
• Annual buy & sell up to five days.
• Enhanced company pension scheme.
• Discretionary annual bonus award.
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan.
• Life assurance benefit.
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service.
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping.
• Generous parental leave policies.
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice.