Senior Quality Engineer

Stop studying the future and start building it. At Leonardo, you will help create the next generation of modular secure infrastructure from our purpose-built NIGHTSHADE manufacturing centre at our Yeovil facility.

We do not expect you to know everything on day one, but we do expect you to bring curiosity, fresh perspectives and the drive to make a practical difference to the challenges faced by our defence customers.

As a Senior Quality Engineer within our expanding Design Office and manufacturing environment, you will provide quality leadership across the NIGHTSHADE programme, ensuring quality is embedded throughout the product lifecycle. Working closely with engineering, production, supply chain and project teams, you will define and continuously improve quality processes, standards and working practices whilst driving a culture of quality, compliance and continuous improvement.

Your work at Leonardo UK will see you contribute to solving customer problems in an innovative and team-centric environment. This role is primarily based at our Yeovil facility to support close collaboration with engineering, manufacturing and support teams. Flexible and hybrid working options may be available where compatible with the needs of the role.

Leonardo UK is seeking a Senior Quality Engineer to join the Cyber & Security Solutions Division team. This role is focused on leading the quality assurance, quality control and continuous improvement activities associated with the development and manufacture of NIGHTSHADE, the next generation of modular secure infrastructure.

• →Lead quality activities across the product lifecycle, from new product introduction through to production, acceptance and customer delivery.
• →Define, implement and continuously improve quality processes, standards and quality-management arrangements across the NIGHTSHADE programme.
• →Lead incoming inspection, first article inspection, product verification and acceptance activities.
• →Lead investigations into non-conformances and quality issues, driving root-cause analysis, corrective actions and preventative actions through to closure.
• →Act as the quality lead across engineering, production, supply chain and project teams, ensuring quality requirements are understood and effectively implemented.
• →Lead supplier-quality activities, including issue resolution, performance improvement and supplier-assurance initiatives.
• →Develop, monitor and report quality metrics, identifying trends and driving improvement actions.
• →Plan, coordinate and support internal and external audits, ensuring compliance with applicable standards, customer requirements and regulatory obligations.
• →Provide quality guidance and mentoring to engineers, manufacturing personnel and project stakeholders.
• →Support qualification, certification and customer acceptance activities as required.
• →Promote a culture of quality, continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout the NIGHTSHADE programme.
• →Contribute to strategic quality planning and continuous improvement initiatives across the wider organisation where appropriate.

We are looking for a Senior Quality Engineer with a strong analytical mindset and the ability to apply a structured, evidence-based approach to problem solving. You will be comfortable leading quality activities across multiple disciplines and influencing engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and project teams to improve product quality and process performance.

• A degree, degree apprenticeship or equivalent experience in Engineering, Manufacturing, Physics or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrable experience applying quality-engineering principles within engineering, manufacturing or regulated environments.
• Experience leading root-cause investigations and corrective-action programmes using structured methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why, Ishikawa and Pareto analysis.
• Experience implementing, improving or managing quality-management systems and quality processes.
• Knowledge of quality standards such as ISO 9001, IPC standards or equivalent regulated-industry frameworks.
• Experience supporting or leading internal and external audits.
• Experience managing supplier-quality issues and driving supplier-performance improvements.
• Strong numerical, analytical and communication skills with the ability to interpret data and identify trends.
• The ability to influence stakeholders across engineering, manufacturing and project teams.
• Experience providing technical guidance, coaching or mentoring to others.
• A willingness to continue developing specialist quality-engineering expertise and professional capability.

• Relevant engineering, manufacturing, quality or technical qualification, or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Practical experience of quality engineering within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of quality-management systems, quality assurance and quality-control principles.
• Experience leading investigations and driving corrective and preventative actions.
• Experience implementing or improving quality processes and standards.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and provide quality leadership within a multidisciplinary engineering and manufacturing environment.

• Experience or knowledge of electronics manufacturing, PCBA, SMT or associated production processes.
• Experience leading supplier-quality improvement activities.
• Knowledge of quality tools such as 8D, 5 Why, Ishikawa, Pareto, SPC and FMEA.
• Awareness of APQP, PPAP or other advanced quality-planning methodologies.
• Lead Auditor qualification or significant audit experience.
• Experience supporting product qualification, certification or customer acceptance activities.
• Experience in defence, manufacturing, aerospace or secure infrastructure programmes.
• Chartered Quality Professional status or working towards a relevant professional accreditation.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important qualities are a strong engineering foundation, a good attitude and a willingness to learn. 

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). You must also be eligible for National Security Vetting (NSV), which may include Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).
For more information, please visit: UK Security Vetting

This role is based at our Yeovil facility and will require regular on-site working to support close collaboration with the NIGHTSHADE Design Office, manufacturing and support teams. Flexible and hybrid working options may be available where appropriate to the activities being undertaken.