Quality Engineer

To implement a hands-on approach to QHSE Management at PBML, focusing on embedding a quality & safety mindset throughout the company to support its aim of delivery ‘on-time, first time’, and using fact-based analysis to find solutions and make improvements. The primary focus of the role is quality assurance and continual improvement, with support provided to wider health, safety, and environmental activities.

Key job responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with up-to-date ISO 9001 and AS 9100 requirements, making sure accurate records are kept in support of required standards.
• Support compliance with up-to-date ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 requirements, making sure accurate records are maintained in support of regulations.
• Assist with the Business Management System (BMS) maintenance in accordance with set processes, ensuring internal audits are completed to schedule and providing updates and assurances to the QHSE Manager.
• Identify opportunities to update all in-house systems and procedures to meet the needs of external certification bodies, ensuring current knowledge is kept up to date.
• Support a programme of QMS corrective actions and continual improvement activities to ensure best practice; updating, communicating, and implementing process changes in support of continual improvements.
• Support investigation and response activities relating to customer quality concerns and non-conformances.
• Co-ordinate and assist all external ISO quality audits and provide support in relation to quality to teams undergoing customer audits.
• Develop strong working relationships with colleagues at all levels, championing an engagement culture on quality matters and ensuring a positive personal example is set at all times.
• Train others in all relevant aspects of the QMS and in the application of procedures, aiming to help colleagues understand its use as a tool that can help to improve overall outcomes in quality, in departments, and in the wider company.
• Raise concerns around poor adherence to processes and escalate to the Board of Directors if deemed necessary.
• Champion the process for non-conforming parts, liaising with all stakeholders to ensure a timely resolution and that corrective actions and preventative measures are fit for purpose and have been implemented.
• Track NCRs in a method that allows for spotting patterns of recurrence, providing targeted support as necessary and communicating across the company at all levels to raise awareness.
• Support supplier quality assurance activities, including supplier performance monitoring, investigation of supplier non-conformances, and participation in supplier development/improvement activities where required.
• Oversee the calibration management system, working across all teams within the business to ensure equipment is calibrated to set schedules.
• Work with all relevant stakeholders in relation to the ‘employment journey’ at PBML, seeking to help build a supportive culture where colleagues are able to thrive.
• Ensure the provision of training at relevant stages, working with line managers to create development plans and update training matrices.
• Collaborate on designing training sessions that aim to involve colleagues to try to increase engagement with the learning process.
• Collaborate with divisional managers in relation to SQDC measures, assessing the sheets at month end and collating the data for improvement purposes.
• Review the current system and check measures are fit for purpose, and look to research improvement ideas for greater buy in.
• Carry out regular shop floor ‘Gemba’ style walks to observe processes and spot areas where value-added improvements can be made, and to help build engagement and relationships with the teams.
• Seek to engage staff at all levels in safe working practices and other HSE matters.
• Work with the QHSE Manager to promote a safety focused induction process for all sections and roles, so that new starters are assessed and signed off as safe to use specific equipment and machinery.
• Support with risk and COSHH assessments, ensuring that PBML remains compliant.
• Provide technical input within capabilities as requested.
• Carry out additional ad-hoc tasks within capabilities as requested by the QHSE Manager.

Essential skills/characteristics:

• 2+ years’ experience in aerospace quality engineering in a contract manufacturing environment to AS 9100 or equivalent.
• GCSE (or equivalent) in maths and English at C grade or above (4 on current system).
• Experience with Root Cause Analysis (RCA) tools (8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa).
• Knowledge of First Article Inspection (FAI) requirements to AS9102 standards.
• Demonstrable auditing experience.
• Strong attention to detail.
• External training in auditing for either ISO 9001, AS 9100, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001.
• Able to communicate at all levels (internal and external).
• Comfortable working in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
• Able to challenge poor practice professionally and constructively.
• Organised and capable of managing multiple priorities.
• Positive and proactive approach to continual improvement.
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, and geometric tolerancing requirements.
• Strong computer literacy.
• Understanding of precision inspection techniques and standard metrology equipment.

Desirable:

• Level 4 or higher qualification in mechanical engineering or any other engineering discipline.
• Knowledge and experience with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
• Basic understanding of Risk Assessment methodology and COSHH.
• IRCA-level training in lead auditing for either AS 9100, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001.
• Currently holds a professional membership (CQI, IOSH, etc.).
• Knowledge of quality tools such as APQP/PPAP (Advanced Product Quality Planning / Production Part Approval Process), FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) or SPC (Statistical Process Control).