NPI Quality Lead

Vibe Recruit; East Hagbourne; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Vibe Recruit is seeking a senior NPI Quality Lead to own quality delivery across New Product Introduction and major projects in a regulated manufacturing environment with strong nuclear and safety focus. You will guide products from feasibility to production readiness, ensuring full traceability and compliance.

The role requires hands‑on authoring of quality procedures, NPQ governance, and capability assessment using FMEA, MSA, and SPC.

Qualifications

• APQP lifecycle leadership
• Hands‑on authoring of quality procedures
• NPI quality delivery from prototype to production
• Non-conformance investigation and containment
• Audits (internal/external)
• Core quality tools: FMEA, MSA, SPC, Cp/Cpk
• Lifetime records, traceability and material certification
• Special processes such as welding, NDE or coatings
• Interface management between design control and manufacturing processes

Responsibilities

• Own NPI quality delivery across new product introduction and major projects from feasibility through production readiness
• Act as the quality authority within cross-functional project teams
• Drive APQP deliverables through the NPI stage gates
• Author and maintain the NPI quality framework: control plans, FMEA and FME procedures, capability and inspection regimes, and the quality gates
• Assess the quality management system against customer requirements, conduct gap analysis, and implement procedures to close gaps
• Support accreditation, safety and compliance

Skills

APQP

NPI quality

FMEA

MSA

SPC

Quality procedures

Audits

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent

Job description

NPI Quality Lead

A Manufacturer of precision engineering products and equipment, supplied into a range of sectors including nuclear, medical and defence, now have an opening for an experienced Quality Engineer familiar with NPI disciplines.

This is a senior, hands‑on role that owns quality delivery across New Product Introduction and major projects in a regulated, high-integrity manufacturing environment with a strong nuclear and safety focus. The role holder takes new products from feasibility through to production readiness, ensuring they are compliant and fully traceable.

Much of the work is bespoke, low-volume and safety-critical: capability and integrity must be proven on small quantities, and every part matters. The role applies APQP and structured NPI disciplines to this high-integrity fabrication and requires the confidence to act as the quality authority in front of demanding, safety-driven customers.

KEY TASKS

• Own NPI quality delivery across new product introduction and major projects, from feasibility through to production readiness
• Act as the quality authority within cross-functional project teams
• Drive APQP deliverables through the NPI stage gates
• Author and maintain the NPI quality framework: control plans, FMEA and foreign material exclusion (FME) procedures, capability and inspection regimes, and the quality gates themselves
• Assess the quality management system against customer requirements, conduct gap analysis, and author and implement the procedures needed to close any gaps
• Support accreditation, safety and compliance

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must demonstrate direct, personal ownership of, and hands‑on experience with:

• Full APQP lifecycle leadership
• Hands‑on authoring of quality procedures and processes from first principles
• NPI quality delivery from prototype through to production readiness
• Non-conformance investigation, containment and corrective action
• Internal, external and supplier audits
• Core quality tools: FMEA, MSA, SPC and capability studies (Cp/Cpk)
• Lifetime Records, lot traceability and material certification
• Special processes such as welding, NDE or coatings
• Knowing where engineering (design) control ends and manufacturing (process) control begins, and managing the interface between them

DESIRABLE SKILLS

• Quality engineering within regulated manufacturing, including demonstrable ownership of APQP and NPI quality delivery
• Degree, HND or HNC in an engineering or related discipline, or equivalent demonstrable experience
• ISO 9001 lead auditor qualification (desirable)
• Chartered Quality Institute membership or Six Sigma certification (desirable)

REGULATORY AND SECTOR EXPERIENCE

Experience of NPI quality in a regulated, high-integrity sector (nuclear, defence, aerospace, pressure equipment or similar) is essential. Readiness to operate under a customer holding witness, hold and approval rights is expected; direct experience of doing so is an advantage.

Depth of experience and proven, hands‑on ownership of NPI quality are essential.