Quality Engineer in Leicester

The Quality Engineer ensures that manufactured products meet all internal standards and external regulatory requirements. This role focuses on optimising manufacturing processes, preventing defects, conducting root-cause analysis, and driving continuous improvement on the production floor.

Problem Solving

• Lead problem solving within all manufacturing areas to improve item yields and reduce the cost of poor quality.
• Monitor, track and report on COPQ and Yield, initiating 8Ds where appropriate.
• Implement robust Corrective and Preventive Actions to eliminate recurring issues.
• Manage both internal and external quality issues with suppliers, production teams and customers.
• Manage and lead daily reject reviews to help drive problem containment and correction.

Advanced Product Quality Planning

• Follow the Advanced Product Quality Planning framework to help coordinate the manufacturing launch of new and revised products, including establishing and managing FMEA’s, Control Plans, introduction plans, goals, training of team members in inspection techniques and methods and evaluating results, ensuring all manufacturing processes exhibit consistent and aligned compliance to all agreed formats.
• Understand process and measurement capability (Gauge R&R) and advise of issues when necessary, including maintaining and managing the calibration system for all inspection devices.
• Assess and manage risks using the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) framework, ensuring improvement plans are created, and process improvements are implemented.
• Ensure critical and Key characteristics are known and monitored via process auditing at the different stages of new product introduction.
• Ensure final product quality through performing first article inspection reports.
• Promote and produce templates for problem-solving opportunities with the production technicians, sharing continuous Improvement knowledge, skills and techniques to continually increase the levels of understanding with the production technicians.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead and participate in CI projects, and in conjunction with project team members, clearly communicate project outcomes so that the production technicians can implement and sustain process and operational changes.
• Attend each CI workshop as either facilitator or team member; taking ownership of all team inputs as required.
• Assist with the implementation of all CI actions by area, communicating results, allocating and requesting resources, or determining further expectations.
• Support the team members with consistent, clear and engaging communication of project outcomes and supply consistency of audit systems to maintain results.
• Ensure lessons learned from all aspects of the role are effectively communicated to the relevant areas of the business to ensure companywide process improvements are known, understood, and acted upon.

For this role there will be a close working relationship with the Engineering and Manufacturing Departments as well as acting as both customer and supplier liaison for quality related issues.

Quality Systems

• Work closely with the Quality Systems Engineer to audit and improve business and production processes.
• Have a deep knowledge of ISO 9001 (or AS9100) as well as industry-specific standards.

Skills Required:

• An Engineering Degree in a STEM subject.
• Proven Knowledge of New Product Introduction processes.
• Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP).
• Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) for Risk Management.
• Control Plans.
• Measurement System Analysis (MSA).
• First Article Inspection Reports.
• Strong Problem-solving skills using the 8D Methodology (or Similar).
• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings and GD&T specifications.
• Competent in Project Management.
• Proven Knowledge of Lean practices.
• Knowledge and understanding of ISO 9001.
• Ability to audit business and production processes.
• Assist and/or lead training of quality standards and expectations to production staff.
• Be self-driven to learn new skills and take on responsibilities.
• Competent in the use of computer systems.

Essential:

• Competent user of Microsoft Office.
• Highly analytical mindset with the ability to visualise complex data sets.
• Clear technical writing skills for reporting and confident presentation skills when speaking to stakeholders or customers.
• Ability to influence shop floor operators, engineering teams, and executive management without direct authority.
• Keep up with current and developing manufacturing and engineering trends that concern product quality.
• Occasional Travel to suppliers and customers will be required in this role.