Lead Design Quality Assurance Engineer

Safran; Ivinghoe; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite canteen

Early finish on Friday (1pm)

Job summary

SAFRAN Engineering Services in the UK seeks a Lead Design Quality Engineer (contractor) to ensure designs meet safety and regulatory requirements before production. You will drive risk mitigation, DOH compliance, and Part 21J airworthiness alignment, coordinating with EASA, CAA, and customer teams.

You will lead design reviews, DFMEA/PFMEA, RCCA/FRACA activities, and APQP deployment for NPI. Expect coaching, audits, and close interaction with production and engineering heads at the Pitstone site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, science, or engineering.
• Minimum 5 years in aerospace engineering, design & development, or quality.
• Extensive knowledge of ISO9001 and AS9100 QMS.
• Experience with EASA/CAA Part 21J.
• Lead auditor experience or training preferred.
• APQP, PPAP, FMEA, and MSA proficiency.
• Strong problem-solving (8D, RCCA, FRACA) skills.
• Configuration and data management experience.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and CAD models.
• Excellent communication and coaching abilities.

Responsibilities

• Define strategy for defect prevention and RCA across the full product lifecycle.
• Lead PDR/CDR and DEV program design reviews to integrate quality, safety and producibility.
• Oversee DFMEA/PFMEA activities and DOH compliance; ensure 100% airworthiness.
• Coordinate audits with EASA/CAA and ISO9001/AS9100 guidance; NCR closure.
• Coach and develop junior design quality engineers and reporting staff.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Airworthiness

Root cause analysis

Auditing

Coaching

Communication

Analytical skills

CAD interpretation

Problem solving

NPI/APQP leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace, science, or engineering

Job description

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 Design Quality Engineer. This position will be based full time in Pitstone, Hertfordshire and will be for a 12 months project with possible extension. You will ensure that engineering designs meet safety, regulatory (EASA, CAA) and customer requirements before production commences focusing on risk mitigation and process compliance and engages effectively with all involved regulatory bodies. Lead engineer is a senior role responsible for planning and delivery of design assurance oversight in line with Part 21J airworthiness requirements and Design Organization Handbook (DOH) requirements applicable to the customer products, responsible for achieving 100% compliance with airworthiness. You will engage with heads of production, engineering, configuration and support functions defining strategy for defect prevention, root cause analysis and continuous improvement across the full product development lifecycle. 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. Primary interactions will be with the heads of engineering design, configuration control, program and industrialisation teams at Pitstone site and personnel from the other Safran Business Units as defined by DOH to support and influence business target/s definition and verification. You will interact with multiple customers and regulatory authorities (EASA, CAA) representing Safran Electrical & Power Ltd as per established and agreed plan. You will agree strategy with assigned operations areas, to offer support on quality assurance matters and will review performance across different customer product lines. You will interact directly with the heads of engineering, configuration control, supply chain and supplier quality teams and ultimately define and provide appropriate resource for the NPI programme teams.

• Strategy definition and KPI reporting for all the customers on shared product platform.
• Plan created to measure how design change and technical documentation for product continued airworthiness meet EASA/ CAA Part 21J airworthiness and customer requirements and communicate KPI.
• Leading design reviews PDR/ CDR and all stages of DEV program to integrate quality, safety and producibility into initial design and decide additional resource where required.
• Leading Technical documentation reviewed and validated to confirm design performance.
• Leading and facilitating 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.
• Strategy for APQP tools deployed for NPI created and deployed.
• Leading DFMEA/ PFMEA, Quality champion during DEV process stages for FMEA update.
• 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 programmes.
• 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.
• Audit design methodologies and software tools to ensure conformity to AS9100.
• Active engagement with departmental Heads with regular reviews planned.
• Coaching quality engineers and specialist on quality methodologies and regulatory standards.
• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, science, or engineering highly desirable.
• Min 5 years' experience in aerospace industry or equivalent at engineering, design & development, or quality positions.
• Proficiency in ISO9001, AS9100 QMS standards deployment and implementation.
• Previous experience working with EASA/ CAA part 21J.
• Experience in internal and external audit and auditing techniques, lead auditor trained preferred.
• APQP Specialist with demonstrated proficiency in PPAP, FMEA and MSA.
• Problem solving proficient.8D, RCCA, FRACA with Six Sigma DMAIC Black Belt being desired.
• Configuration and data management experience.
• Ability to interpret and explain 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.
• Demonstrated coaching and development skills.

IF THE EMPLOYED ROUTE IS CHOSEN:

• Early finish on a Friday (1pm)
• 5 weeks holiday per year plus statutory bank holidays
• Personal pension scheme whereby 5% contribution from employee and 8% from employer plus salary sacrifice
• Death in service life insurance - covering up to 4x annual basic salary in the event of death in service
• PEGI Share Scheme
• Career development within Safran Group
• Training & development are a focus
• Onsite canteen

IF THE CONTRACTOR ROUTE IS CHOSEN:

• Early finish on a Friday (1pm)
• Onsite canteen