Quality Assurance Engineer

Leonardo DRS; Luton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Bonus scheme

Pension up to 15%

Mental health support

Coursera/LinkedIn Learning access

Employee networks

Job summary

Leonardo invites applications for a Quality Assurance Engineer role at our Luton site within the Surveillance & Protection Technologies division. You will work with Programme and Project Managers to embed quality across mission-critical programmes, supporting governance and assurance milestones.

The role requires strong quality management knowledge and practical experience with QA tools, along with collaborative, data-driven problem solving.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering or related field or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of AS9100/ISO9001 quality management.
• Experience in Defence electronics or high-precision manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Assist with Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities.
• Contribute to delivering products meeting safety, cost, and quality standards on time.
• Develop and track Project Assurance Plans to align with risk and improvement goals.
• Collaborate with Assurance Teams to support Programme and IPT objectives.
• Monitor quality KPIs including QN, MRB, and FRB.
• Support improvement activities across lifecycle stages.
• Promote a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Communicate effectively to support team collaboration.
• Attend IPT, Operations, and Engineering meetings.
• Assist in processing concessions and production permits on time.
• Support project assurance milestones throughout programmes.
• Prepare reports and data for Programme and Project teams.
• Contribute to reducing non-conformance costs through RCA and corrective actions.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Engineering

Quality

Manufacturing

Defence Electronics

Tools

Root Cause Corrective Action

Pattern Fault Lifecycle

Process Mapping

Verification

First Article Inspection

Job description

Job Description:At Leonardo, we’re not just building products—we’re redefining the limits of innovation. From state‑of‑the‑art surveillance systems to game‑changing protection technologies, we create the advanced solutions that tomorrow depends on. If you're driven by challenge and inspired by possibility, this is where your impact begins. We’re offering an exciting opportunity to join us as a Quality Assurance Engineer within our Surveillance & Protection Technologies (S&PT) division at our Luton site. In this role, you won’t just be ticking boxes—you’ll be a critical player in high‑profile programmes, working side‑by‑side with Programme and Project Managers to ensure excellence is built into every step of our mission‑critical projects.

Your Impact

• Assist with providing advice and support on Quality Assurance and Quality Control activities.
• Help contribute to delivering products that meet safety, cost, and quality standards on time.
• Support the development and tracking of Project Assurance Plans (PAP) to ensure project activities align with risk and improvement goals.
• Collaborate with Assurance Teams to help meet Programme and IPT objectives.
• Help monitor and support quality key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Quality Notifications, Material Review Boards (MRB), and Failure Review Boards (FRB).
• Support improvement activities across the Programme, Product, and Project lifecycle.
• Promote a culture of quality and continuous improvement within the team.
• Use good communication skills to positively contribute to team dynamics and encourage collaboration.
• Participate in key meetings such as IPT, Operations, and Engineering meetings.
• Assist in ensuring concessions and production permits are processed correctly and on time.
• Support project assurance milestones throughout the Programme and Project lifecycle.
• Help prepare reports and data for the Programme and Project teams.
• Contribute to reducing Non‑Conformance costs by supporting root cause analysis and corrective actions.

What you’ll bring

• Further education or experience in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Defence Electronics, or other similarly complex industries is preferred. Equivalent experience from other fields is also valued.
• Demonstrated knowledge of quality management standards such as AS9100 and ISO9001, along with continuous improvement practices.
• Practical experience with Quality Tools including Root Cause Corrective Action, Pattern Fault Lifecycle, Process Mapping, Verification, and First Article Inspection.
• Strong analytical and logical thinking skills, with the ability to translate complex data into practical solutions that support business objectives, communicated clearly and effectively.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, with a collaborative approach to working across diverse teams and functions.
• Experience engaging with Customers and Suppliers, demonstrating professionalism and responsiveness.
• Previous experience working in a high-precision manufacturing environment or similarly detail-oriented settings.

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:

Why join us

• 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 UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.
• 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.

Primary Location: GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid

Employment type: Full time