Quality Engineer

Leonardo SpA; Hedge End; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative aerospace and defense company seeks a Quality Engineer for its Southampton site. The role involves partnering with teams to enhance product quality and efficiency, promoting continuous improvement practices, and contributing to mission-critical programs. The ideal candidate will have relevant engineering experience and a strong commitment to quality standards. Benefits include a comprehensive package, hybrid working options, and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Generous leave and additional flexi-days

Award-winning pension scheme

Free mental health support

Access to online courses via Coursera

Flexible benefits up to £500

Hybrid working options

Qualifications

• Experience in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or Defence Electronics.
• Understanding of quality tools like FAI and Process Mapping.
• Commitment to learning and contributing to a diverse team culture.

Responsibilities

• Deliver compliant products on time and within budget.
• Support quality improvement initiatives and KPI achievement.
• Provide guidance on Quality Assurance and Control processes.

Skills

Continuous Improvement

Interpersonal Skills

Root Cause Analysis

Education

Education in Engineering or Quality

Tools

AS9100

ISO9001

Job description

Job Description:

Join Leonardo as a Quality Engineer at our Southampton site - a centre of excellence for advanced Infra-Red Sensing and Integrated Communication Systems technologies.

We are committed to building an inclusive, supportive workplace where people from all backgrounds feel empowered to thrive. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact by contributing to the success of innovative, mission-critical programmes in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment.

Your Impact

• Partner with Operations and IPT teams to deliver compliant products on time and within budget.
• Support initiatives to reduce non-conformance costs by promoting a culture of root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Provide expert guidance to help teams achieve shared goals across Programme, IPT, Business, and Quality objectives.
• Contribute to quality improvement initiatives, including KPI achievement (e.g., QNs, MRB, FRBs) through active participation and leadership.
• Support quality planning and execution across all phases of the product and project lifecycle.
• Foster a positive quality culture by using interpersonal skills to encourage collaborative and constructive behaviours.
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of concessions and production permits.
• Help achieve assurance milestones within Programmes and Projects.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute your ideas and insights.
• Support the development of reports and data analysis for various stakeholders.
• Provide advice and support on Quality Assurance and Control processes.
• Identify opportunities for improvement in processes, procedures, and products.

What you'll bring:

• Education and/or experience in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Defence Electronics, or other complex technical environments.
• An understanding of AS9100 / ISO9001 and a passion for continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with Quality Tools such as Root Cause Corrective Action, Pattern Fault Lifecycle, Process Mapping, and First Article Inspection (FAI).
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills with an inclusive, team-oriented approach.
• Experience working in a high-precision or complex manufacturing environment.
• A commitment to learning, personal development, and contributing positively to a diverse team culture.

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 - Southampton

Contract Type:
Permanent

Hybrid Working:
Hybrid