Principal Quality Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd is seeking a Principal Quality Engineer to join a pioneering initiative in the Global Combat Air Programme. This role involves leading quality planning efforts, ensuring compliance with aerospace standards, and collaborating across teams to foster excellence in product development. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in quality engineering, particularly in regulated industries, and a commitment to innovation and quality.

Benefits

Generous leave with flexi-days

Up to 15% employer contribution pension scheme

Free mental health support and financial advice

Access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Significant experience in quality engineering, preferably in aerospace or defence.
• Strong expertise in APQP methodologies and New Product Introduction.
• Comprehensive understanding of AS9100 and ISO 9001.

Responsibilities

• Lead Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) efforts.
• Support Life Cycle Management gate reviews for quality compliance.
• Conduct quality audits and drive corrective actions.

Skills

Quality engineering experience

APQP methodologies

Risk management

Root cause analysis

Excellent communication skills

Education

Degree in relevant field

Job description

Job Description:

At Leonardo, we are proud to be part of the multinational Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), led by the UK, Japan, and Italy, developing the next generation of stealth fighter technology. We are seeking a passionate and experienced Principal Quality Engineer to join this exciting, ground-breaking initiative.

If you thrive in collaborative, fast-paced environments and are motivated by innovation, quality, and making a real impact, we want to hear from you. This is your opportunity to grow your career while contributing to an ambitious program that sets new standards for aerospace and defence.

Your Impact

• Lead Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) efforts to embed world-class quality standards throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Support early Life Cycle Management (LCM) gate reviews, ensuring deliverables meet stringent quality and compliance requirements before project progression.
• Engage with customers and stakeholders to fully understand and exceed quality expectations, fostering trust and alignment.
• Ensure regulatory compliance with aerospace and defence industry standards and relevant legal requirements.
• Collaborate across disciplines, including design, engineering, and program management, promoting a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Plan and conduct quality audits, identifying improvement opportunities and driving corrective actions.
• Work closely with international partners from the UK, Japan, and Italy to harmonise quality processes and share best practices globally.
• Support Software Quality Assurance (SQA) activities aligned with project needs and software development methodologies like Agile.

What you’ll bring:

• Significant experience in quality engineering, preferably within aerospace, defence, or similarly regulated industries.
• Strong expertise in APQP methodologies, New Product Introduction (NPI), risk management, and root cause analysis.
• Comprehensive understanding of quality management systems and standards such as AS9100 and ISO 9001.
• Familiarity with Software Quality Assurance practices and software development methods like Agile and Sprints.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful work environment.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting.

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

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Primary Location:

GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type:

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid