At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage quality across spacecraft production, ensuring compliance and driving a quality-first culture.
- Company: Leading aerospace company specialising in spacecraft manufacturing and engineering.
- Benefits: Competitive pay at £32 per hour, with potential for contract extension and shift work.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for continuous improvement and career growth.
- Why this job: Join a critical role in the space sector and make a real impact on safety and quality.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in Aerospace/Defence quality roles and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 64000 - 80000 £ per year.
Our client operates within the space and defence sector, delivering highly specialised spacecraft manufacturing and engineering programmes. Their Quality Assurance team plays a critical role in ensuring customer requirements are met across manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing, maintaining the highest standards in a complex and safety-critical environment.
As an Operational QA Engineer, you will be fully responsible for managing quality across spacecraft production work areas, ensuring compliance with strict standards and driving a strong quality-first culture. You will play a key role in inspection, non-conformance management, and continuous improvement, working closely with engineering and production teams to maintain product integrity and performance.
- Perform critical inspections and witness key production operations
- Drive cost of non-quality reduction initiatives
- Conduct quality surveillance across production areas
- Manage and track open actions and build reconciliations
- Support root cause analysis (PPS) and internal review boards (IRB)
- Review and improve quality processes, documentation, and procedures
- Review production work instructions and ensure technical integrity
- Collaborate with manufacturing teams to resolve quality issues
Requirements:
- Recognised engineering apprenticeship and/or relevant qualification
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in Production, Quality, or Engineering within Aerospace or Defence
- Strong understanding of Quality Assurance / Product Assurance principles
- Solid hardware inspection experience
- Excellent communication skills – able to influence and drive quality improvements
- Willingness to work shifts, on-call, or off-site when required
- Knowledge of space quality standards
- Experience with 3D drawings (Catia, 3DX)
- Knowledge of composites / carbon materials
Quality Assurance(QA) Engineer in Stevenage employer: Searchability NS&D
Contact Detail:
Searchability NS&D Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Quality Assurance(QA) Engineer in Stevenage
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the aerospace and defence sectors, especially those working in quality assurance. Attend industry events or webinars to make connections and learn about potential job openings.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of quality assurance principles and space quality standards. Be ready to discuss your experience with inspections and how you've driven quality improvements in past roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your hardware inspection experience and any successful projects you've been part of. This will give you an edge when discussing your qualifications with potential employers.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We have loads of opportunities in the QA field, and applying directly can sometimes give you a better chance of landing that interview. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive!
We think you need these skills to ace Quality Assurance(QA) Engineer in Stevenage
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the QA Engineer role. Highlight your experience in aerospace or defence, and don’t forget to showcase your solid hardware inspection skills. We want to see how you can bring value to our Quality Assurance team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about quality assurance in the aerospace sector. Share specific examples of how you've driven quality improvements in past roles – we love a good story!
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on your technical skills! Mention your familiarity with 3D drawings and any knowledge of space quality standards. We’re looking for someone who can hit the ground running, so let us know what you’ve got!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Searchability NS&D
✨Know Your Quality Standards
Familiarise yourself with the specific quality standards relevant to the aerospace and defence sectors. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve applied these standards in your previous roles, especially in inspection and non-conformance management.
✨Showcase Your Technical Skills
Highlight your experience with hardware inspection and 3D drawings, particularly Catia or 3DX. Bring examples of how you've used these skills to improve quality processes or resolve issues in past projects.
✨Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Abilities
Be ready to talk about a time when you conducted root cause analysis or managed open actions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and show how you drive continuous improvement.
✨Communicate Effectively
Since excellent communication is key in this role, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Prepare to discuss how you’ve influenced teams to adopt a quality-first culture and resolved quality issues collaboratively.