Senior Quality Engineer – Milton Keynes – £45-50,000 DOE

Senior Quality Engineer

Milton Keynes

£45-50k DOE plus bonuses

About the Role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Quality Engineer to join my clients growing friendly team at. The role is based at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Milton Keynes. 

We offer competitive pay rates, excellent working conditions, 25 days holiday which increases with service, plus bank holidays, a healthcare & benefits scheme, 5% contributory pension, a death-in-service life insurance scheme, a profit-related bonus scheme, and subsidised refreshments (lunch and drinks).

The Senior Quality Engineer will manage and develop internal and external (vendors) manufacturing processes throughout the supply chain to ensure that they consistently produce quality product, without unnecessary wastes / cost. They will lead and develop effective Quality control and assurance systems and procedures to the business (external supply, internal manufacture, customer finished product), and lead, promote and drive a no-fault forward attitude and culture. They will manage and deliver robust containment control and preventative actions, using structured problem-solving techniques / root cause analysis, for Internal Quality Issues and External Quality Issues and maintain accurate data for effective / factual decision making. 

Main Tasks of the Role:

• Responsible for Supplier Quality Assurance, of allocated supplier commodities. Manage external supplier quality for your assigned commodity group, Electrical and light / medium fabrication or medium / heavy fabrication. This will include holding suppliers factually to account, as well as providing support and development. Management of quality issues through assessment and validated approval of containment, corrective and preventative actions. Provide timely feedback and complete actions to agreed time scales. Provide, own, and improve the supply base Quality Assurance related KPI’s, for your allocated commodities. Work with project sponsors and stakeholders to establish project objectives and deliverables;
• Lead and perform new supplier quality audits and supplier development / continuous improvement activities. Develop the existing supply base to achieve the expected quality of supply and improve their performance
• Manage and develop Supplier Quality Assurance procedures to ensure all externally supplied products, material and parts meets required standards of quality. Investigate supplier component failures, arrange supplier diagnostics, review suppliers’ processes and manufacturing procedures, negotiate liability with suppliers and ensure they implement and provide defined containment and approved formally reported preventative actions.
• Lead and manage the evaluation of Root Causes through proven problem-solving methods, 5 Why and 8D to resolve and provide sustainable solutions to daily quality problems. Where applicable P.F.M.E.A and D.M.A.I.C. methods are to be used to ensure robust preventative actions are implemented to resolve and provide sustainable solutions to quality concerns.
• Lead the integration of New Products through the deployment of APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) tools and methodology, integrating PPAP (Product Part Approval Process) for internally processed parts and externally supplied parts. 
• Manage and control inspection of product parts to drawing specification to ensure effective containment of non-conforming parts, including PSW/PPAP, APQP using a range of core quality tools, including conventional as well as Faro arm / digital systems. 
• Where applicable, to lead and maintain process control measurement systems e.g. SPC (Statistical Process Control), Process Capability measures Cpk/Ppk, , X-Bar/R Charts for statistical process trends etc. to support the implementation of Quality Control Plans.
• Liaison with Customer Support, to support in leading and facilitating the containment of Customer Feedback (CFB) issues and warranty issues raised.
• Provide technical support to the production areas assigned for your allocated cross-functional projects and commodity groups. Facilitate problem-solving and structured action completion through supporting the Quality Technicians allocated to the Quality Assurance sub-stakeholder board. 
• Manage and maintain PDI / Hot Test final inspection documentation.
• Lead containment, prevention, and reduction of Internal quality issues (IQN – Internal Quality Note and NLY). 
• Control of internal auditing and maintenance / support of the ISO 9001 quality management system.
• Develop, support, and maintain all Quality related access databases (including Machine Database, Quality Report Database, Calibration Database, I Auditor etc).
• Deputise and manage the QA department for short periods in the absence of the QA Manager, where assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Proven experience in competently managing and guiding Quality Engineers and Quality technicians.
• Experience in manufacturing practices; Electrical systems, Hydraulic systems, Welding, CNC Machining, Fitting, Assembly, and Finishing Processes
• Degree level in Mechanical Engineering or applicable experience
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings
• Computer literate – with a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Access and Project desirable but not essential.
• Working knowledge of Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2015)
• Working knowledge of PPAP/APQP tools and methods.
• Experience with D.F.M.E.A. and P.F.M.E.A. (desirable but not essential)
• Working knowledge of LEAN principles
• Understanding of Six Sigma D.M.A.I.C.(desirable but not essential).
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Clean driving license. Prepared to travel UK/Europe to assess / support the Supply base.
• Working knowledge of environmental management systems.
• Qualified Auditor (internal or / & lead), experience.
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively at all levels, including a good level of presentation skills (verbal & written) focused on relevant data and conclusions
• Positive can-do attitude to problem-solving, developing systems, and improving business performance.
• Ability to promote team working culture and the effectiveness of teams.
• Demonstrate Leadership qualities to drive improvements within a team.
• Proven Problem-Solving experience, 5why and 8D methods.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave + bank holiday (holiday entitlement increases with service)
• Annual bonus (on average £500 per annum)
• 5% Contributory Pension scheme
• Healthcare Scheme
• Death in Service Life Insurance Scheme
• Free Company Lunches
• Free Company Family Days
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Referral Scheme

This is a full time permanent Product Support Engineer position, with a 40 hour working week, offering an annual salary of up to £50,000 or higher if at a management level plus annual company benefits to include a 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays, pension scheme, annual bonus of £500, free company lunches, free family events and free car parking.

If this Product Support Engineer position sounds like you, then please forward your CV to Ashley at Coulter Elite Resourcing.

Coulter Elite Resourcing is an independent recruitment consultancy with a head office in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire supplying permanent, temporary and contract personnel from office junior through to the highest levels of management both locally and nationally. Our area of recruitment are Commercial, FMCG, Engineering, Technical and IT