Lead Customer Quality Assurance Engineer - 12m Inside IR35 Contractor

Safran Engineering Services; Pitstone; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Early finish on Friday

Onsite canteen

Job summary

Safran Engineering Services in the UK seeks a Lead Customer Quality Assurance Engineer to join full‑time in Pitstone, Hertfordshire. The role focuses on ensuring design and production meet customer, safety, and regulatory standards (EASA, CAA), bridging between production and customer.

The Lead CQAE will drive KPIs, oversee RCCA/FRACA, support Part 21G/21J compliance, and lead continuous improvement using APQP tools such as PPAP, FMEA and MSA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, science, or engineering highly desirable.
• 5-8 years' experience in aerospace engineering, design & development, or quality roles.
• Strong problem-solving using 8D, RCCA, FRACA; Six Sigma DMAIC preferred.
• APQP tools knowledge with PPAP, FMEA, MSA; ISO9001/AS9100 aware.
• Understanding of EASA/CAA Part 21J and Part 21G is required.
• Auditing experience and ability to lead improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Define strategy and KPI reporting for customer quality programs.
• Lead RCCA/FRACA analysis and corrective action monitoring.
• Ensure airworthiness documentation meets EASA/CAA requirements.
• Support design reviews to integrate quality, safety and producibility.
• Oversee production defect analysis and APQP deployment.
• Coordinate internal/external audits and NCR closeout.
• Engage with customers on quality escapes and approvals.

Skills

RCCA

FRACA

Six Sigma DMAIC

APQP Tools

PPAP

FMEA

MSA

ISO9001/AS9100

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace, science, or engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Overview

In order to develop and expand the capabilities of SAFRAN Engineering Services in the UK, we are looking for a Contractor to support as a Lead Customer Quality Assurance Engineer. This position will be based full time in Pitstone, Hertfordshire and will be on an Inside IR35 basis only for 12 months.

The Lead Customer Quality Assurance Engineer is a specialised role created to function as a link between the customers, to ensure engineering design and production standards meet customer, safety, and regulatory (EASA, CAA) standards focusing on risk mitigation and process compliance.

The Lead engineer is a senior role responsible for implementation and oversight of the customer support program bridging the gap between 21G production organisation and the consumer overseeing complaints, investigation requests and continuous improvement in accordance with airworthiness requirements.

You will be the business specialist, familiar with the customers contract requirements leading program teams to contract expectations fulfilment by following established business processes. Lead CQAE will develop KPIs and agree with stakeholders internally and with the customers. KPI will be used to identify improvement projects to deliver more effective contract fulfilment.

You will represent customer interests on site when supporting programs and production. Lead CQAE will champion defect prevention, root cause analysis and continuous improvement using APQP tools as PPAP, FMEA, MSA and SPC.

You will be responsible for coaching and development of the reporting engineer/s and will identify and approve training needs, system weaknesses and opportunities to improve methods of functional and business working through audits.

You will agree strategy with production leaders, to offer support on quality assurance matters and will review performance across different customer product lines to establish common approach to Quality Assurance.

You will be responsible for the effective oversight of customer complaints and queries related to quality and their timely progression engaging with design and manufacturing teams to maintain compliance with airworthiness and customer requirements.

Principal Accountabilities

• Strategy definition and KPI reporting for all the customers
• Site champion, facilitating and supporting root cause corrective actions (RCCA), failure reporting and corrective actions (FRACA) analysis & practical problem‑solving activities with corrective action sustainment monitoring in place to prevent in‑service failures in support of the customer
• Ensure all design, design change and technical documentation for product continued airworthiness meet EASA/ CAA Part 21J airworthiness and customer requirements when working with Part 21G organisation
• Support design reviews PDR/ CDR and all stages of DEV program to integrate quality, safety and producibility into initial design
• Production organisation defect analysis supported with RCA implemented for effective customer feedback
• APQP process champion enabling manufacturing techniques for Part 21G organisation and robust deployment of MSA
• Strategy for APQP tools deployed for NPI created and deployed
• Supporting DFMEA/ PFMEA, for industrialisation improvements and Part 21G organisation performance
• Internal/ external FAIRs/PPAPs compiled and/ or approved where required with status reported
• Customer interaction to accommodate for quality escapes and request for customer approvals in conjunction with the specific program
• Effective interaction with the customer/s for quality escapes and request for customer approvals in conjunction with design & program's needs
• Customer, EASA, CAA, ISO9001 and AS9100 requirements and audits supported with NCR closeout oversight and follow‑on sessions implemented
• Validation of design through defect monitoring under Part 21G organisation
• Active engagement with departmental Heads with regular reviews planned
• Coaching quality engineers and specialist on quality methodologies and regulatory standards

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, science, or engineering highly desirable
• 5-8 years' experience in aerospace industry or equivalent at engineering, design & development, or quality positions
• Problem solving proficiency including 8D, RCCA, FRACA with Six Sigma DMAIC principles and Green or Black being desired
• APQP Tools knowledge with proficiency demonstrated working with PPAP, FMEA and MSA
• Knowledge of ISO9001, AS9100 QMS standards deployment and implementation
• Understanding of EASA/ CAA Part 21J and Part 21G
• Experience in internal and external audit and auditing techniques, lead auditor trained preferred
• Configuration and data management experience
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, CAD models and technical specifications
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to communicate technical, complex issues effectively
• Ability to solve complex problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
• Experience with working in a new production environment leading engineering teams

Benefits

• Early finish on a Friday - 0800‑1645 Mon‑Thurs, 0800‑1200 Friday
• Onsite canteen