Quality Assurance Engineer

Optima UK Inc Ltd; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

Ongoing training and development

Job summary

Optima UK Inc Ltd seeks a Quality Assurance Engineer to support and improve the Quality Management System in a busy steel fabrication environment in Nottingham. The role collaborates with Production, Welding and Engineering teams to identify issues and drive corrective actions.

You will inspect, document and monitor welding/fabrication quality, review drawings and customer specs, and support audits while aiming for continuous improvement across major infrastructure projects.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Quality Engineer/QA Engineer in manufacturing or fabrication.
• Experience with structural steel, heavy fabrication or similar environments.
• Strong QA/QC process knowledge and documentation control.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specs.
• Experience managing non-conformances and corrective actions.

Responsibilities

• Support the operation and continual improvement of the Quality Management System.
• Carry out inspections and quality checks through fabrication processes.
• Review drawings, specs and customer requirements for compliance.
• Monitor welding, fabrication and assembly quality.
• Raise and manage non-conformances and drive corrective actions.
• Produce inspection/test plans and maintain records.
• Assist audits and close out corrective actions.
• Work with production to identify and prevent quality issues.
• Support supplier quality and investigate supplier non-conformances.
• Maintain manufacturing and inspection records and quality dossiers.

Skills

Quality assurance

Reading drawings

Non-conformance management

Root cause analysis

Welding/fabrication knowledge

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

HNC/HND or Degree in Engineering/Quality

Internal Auditor qualification

Job description

Quality Assurance Engineer

Location: Nottingham
Salary: 45,000 - 50,000 per annum + Benefits
Hours: Monday to Friday, Days

About the Company

Our client is an established and growing engineering business specialising in the design, fabrication and installation of complex steelwork for major infrastructure projects across the UK.

The business operates within demanding sectors including highways and rail, delivering a range of structural steelwork, access structures, gantries, bridges and associated fabricated components.

With a strong reputation for quality and technical capability, the company operates to a range of recognised industry standards and is continuing to develop its manufacturing operations.

As part of this continued growth, we are looking to appoint an experienced Quality Assurance Engineer to support the maintenance and improvement of quality standards across the business.

The Role

Reporting to the Quality Manager, the Quality Assurance Engineer will be responsible for supporting the effective operation and continual improvement of the company's Quality Management System, ensuring products and processes consistently meet customer, regulatory and industry requirements.

This is a hands-on role within a busy steel fabrication environment, working closely with Production, Welding, Engineering and Project Management teams to identify quality issues, implement corrective actions and drive continuous improvement.

The successful candidate will play an important role in maintaining quality standards and supporting compliance across a range of major infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day operation and continual improvement of the Quality Management System.
• Carry out inspections and quality checks throughout the fabrication process.
• Review fabrication drawings, specifications and customer requirements to ensure compliance.
• Monitor quality standards across welding, fabrication and assembly activities.
• Raise and manage non-conformances, supporting root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Produce and maintain inspection and test plans, quality documentation and inspection records.
• Support internal and external audits and ensure corrective actions are closed out.
• Work closely with production teams to identify quality issues and prevent recurrence.
• Monitor supplier quality and support the investigation of supplier-related non-conformances.
• Ensure manufacturing and inspection records are completed accurately and maintained.
• Support welding quality and compliance activities in line with relevant standards and procedures.
• Assist with the preparation and review of quality dossiers and project documentation.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to improve product quality and reduce rework.
• Liaise with customers, inspectors and third-party organisations where required.
• Ensure quality processes remain compliant with relevant industry standards and company procedures.
• Promote a strong quality culture throughout the manufacturing operation.

Candidate RequirementsEssential

• Proven experience within a Quality Engineer, Quality Assurance Engineer or similar position within a manufacturing or fabrication environment.
• Experience within structural steel, heavy fabrication, engineering or a similar environment.
• Strong understanding of quality assurance and quality control processes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications.
• Experience managing non-conformances and corrective actions.
• Experience carrying out inspections and maintaining quality documentation.
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Good understanding of welding and fabrication processes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively with production and engineering teams.
• Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to quality.

Desirable

• Experience within the rail, highways, infrastructure or construction sectors.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 and ISO 3834.
• Knowledge of EN 1090 and relevant execution classes.
• Experience working to NHSS, RISQS or similar industry standards.
• Welding inspection qualifications such as CSWIP 3.0/3.1 or PCN.
• Experience with ITPs, quality plans and manufacturing quality records.
• HNC/HND or Degree in Engineering, Quality or a related discipline.
• Internal Auditor qualification.
• Experience working within a project-based fabrication environment.

What We Offer

• Salary of 45,000 - 48,000 depending on experience.
• Opportunity to join an established and growing engineering business.
• Exposure to major UK infrastructure projects.
• A varied, hands‑on quality role within a large fabrication environment.
• Career progression and professional development opportunities.
• Company pension scheme.
• Ongoing training and development.