Customer Quality Engineer

Verify; Wolverhampton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading quality assurance firm in Wolverhampton seeks a Customer Quality Engineer to support NPI programs. The role involves leading customer-facing APQP and coordinating quality activities. Ideal candidates have over 5 years of experience in high-reliability industries, strong knowledge of APQP tools, and proven ability to engage stakeholders effectively. This is an inside IR35 contract role via an umbrella company.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience as a Quality Engineer in aerospace/defence, automotive, or other high-reliability industries.
• Proven experience delivering customer-facing APQP as a core part of the role.
• Strong working knowledge of APQP tools and methods.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary interface for customer-facing APQP.
• Coordinate all APQP activities across the NPI lifecycle.
• Support the development and maintenance of APQP deliverables.
• Communicate quality status and readiness across teams.
• Drive timely issue resolution using structured problem-solving.

Skills

Customer-facing APQP

Quality discussions with customers

Effective communication

Problem-solving

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

APQP tools and methods

FMEA

Control Plans

MSA

SPC

PPAP

Job description

Overview

*** Customer Quality Engineer (CQE) ***

We are seeking a Customer Quality Engineer (CQE) to support several upcoming NPI programs over the next 18–24 months at a customers facility in Wolverhampton. The role will focus on customer-facing APQP and coordinating quality activities across internal teams and the internal supply chain. Aerospace/defence experience is beneficial, but candidates from automotive or other APQP-driven industries are strongly encouraged.

Key responsibilities include:

• Act as the primary interface for customer-facing APQP, representing the organisation at customer reviews, quality gates, and technical meetings.
• Coordinate all APQP activities across the NPI lifecycle, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and internal programme milestones.
• Support the development, review, and maintenance of APQP deliverables including PFMEA, Control Plans, process flows, PPAP elements, and associated documentation.
• Communicate quality status, risks, issues, and readiness clearly across internal engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.
• Work with internal supply chain to ensure process readiness, capability, and compliance with customer expectations prior to production launch.
• Drive timely issue resolution using structured problem-solving methods (8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa), ensuring containment, corrective actions, and effective verification.
• Identify and support continuous improvement opportunities within NPI and APQP processes.

Skills and required experience:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience as a Quality Engineer in aerospace/defence, automotive, or other high-reliability industries.
• Proven experience delivering customer-facing APQP as a core part of the role.
• Strong working knowledge of APQP tools and methods, including FMEA, Control Plans, MSA, SPC, and PPAP.
• Demonstrated ability to lead quality discussions with customers and internal cross-functional teams.
• Effective communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Familiarity with AS9145, AS9100, and NPI/industrialisation frameworks.
• Experience working closely with internal supply chain, engineering, and manufacturing teams.

This role is inside IR35 and will be contracted via an umbrella company.