Quality Engineer - Manufacturing in Portsmouth

Salary £42,000 - £47,000 – plus 33 days holiday, pension, life assurance, employee assistance programme, wellbeing support, and benefits scheme.

Please note that the working pattern is 8.00am - 4.00pm.

About the Job

• Responsible for developing processes to ensure incoming materials meet required quality standards.
• Identifying and raising quality issues and for speedily resolving them to ensure zero impact to the customer.
• Supporting new product introductions to ensure the robustness of product builds.
• Work in a team environment to develop and implement best practices that emphasise defect prevention, reduction in variation and waste and provide for continuous improvements in meeting all customer requirements.
• Review and manage the customer specific requirements in specifications, CAD data and drawings, ensuring they are correctly applied and integrated into the manufacturing processes via core tools such as PFMEA and Control Plans.
• Co‑ordinating measurement activity for customer submissions such as ISIR, Capability Studies and MSA.
• Supporting pre‑production trials to validate a production process with a high quality output.
• Customer facing on quality issues, measurement reports and concessions.
• QMS interaction (NCR, concessions, change management, audit etc.).
• Main Quality contact for select customers.

Principal Accountabilities

• Accountable to the Head of Operations and Program Management functions for ensuring new programmes are introduced to the required standard (PPAP) within the defined project timings.
• Supporting the Head of Operations to ensure the effective quality performance of the team.
• Identifying, defining and implementing opportunities for process and resource improvements.
• Ensuring problem solving tasks are completed to IATF & AS requirements, ensuring efficient and robust closure and employing Unipart Way problem solving methodologies.
• Support project and DFM reviews with achievable feasibility and quality directives.
• Supply comprehensive production support for quality issues impacting the ability to manufacture and supply goods.
• Ensuring Process and Product audits are being completed and acted upon in line with the annual audit plan.
• Any other task as agreed by your manager/supervisor.

About You

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in quality engineering within the automotive or manufacturing sector.
• Hands‑on experience with quality tools (e.g., PPAP, APQP, FMEA, SPC, MSA).
• Familiarity with IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 quality standards, AS9100 experience also fine.
• Proven track record in managing supplier quality issues and customer complaints (e.g., 8D, 5 Whys, Ishikawa diagrams).
• Experience with auditing (internal and external), root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive action processes.
• Proficient in using quality management systems (QMS), ERP systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings (GD&T knowledge preferred).
• Competency in statistical analysis and use of statistical software (e.g., Minitab, JMP).
• Understanding of metrology and hands‑on experience with measurement tools (CMM, calipers, micrometers, etc.).
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Detail‑oriented with a high level of accuracy.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with teams, suppliers, and customers.
• Proactive, self‑motivated, and capable of working independently and in a team environment.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment.

Equal Opportunities

Our recruitment and selection process has been developed to ensure that it is consistent, fair and provides equality of opportunity - all selection decisions are based solely on technical and behavioural competencies. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, religion or belief, age or any other current or future protected characteristic as defined in the current Equality Act of England and Wales. As an organisation we also promote an environment which encourages diversity of characteristics and thought, where you feel included, safe and confident to be the best version of yourself and do your best work every day.