ROXUK00190 – NPI Quality Engineer

Roxel; Larkhill; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Roxel requires a New Product Introduction (NPI) Quality Engineer to support manufacturing of complex, safety-critical products at Summerfield, Kidderminster. The role focuses on embedding right‑first‑time quality into the NPI process, governance of NPI quality elements, and collaboration with project and production teams.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years’ industry experience, a relevant engineering diploma, and strong analytical/problem‑solving skills to ensure compliance with EN9145 and related

Qualifications

• A National Diploma or Higher National Diploma (or equivalent) in Engineering.
• Experience applying quality tools in NPI environments.
• Familiar with aerospace/defence quality standards is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Embed right-first-time quality into NPI and prototype manufacture using established tools.
• Govern quality elements of the NPI process, including gate approvals and design for manufacture.
• Define KPIs for NPI activities and report on quality metrics for NPI projects.
• Lead quality activities in product qualification testing and handover to production.
• Monitor incoming and outgoing quality and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Communication

Education

National Diploma / Higher National Diploma in Engineering

Tools

DFMEA

PFMEA

Ishikawa

8D

FMEA

Control Plans

Job description

About Roxel

Roxel is an Anglo-French Company that designs, develops and manufactures a range of solid propellant rocket motors for use in tactical missiles. Its operations are spread across several sites in the UK and France and it has an annual turnover of about £250M and nearly 1000 staff, with 300 in the UK.

Location

The UK operations are entirely based at Summerfield, Kidderminster where we now have a requirement for a NPI Quality Engineer. This role offers the opportunity to work on highly complex, safety‑critical products while supporting production, continuous improvement and customer quality requirements.

Role Overview

The Quality Department ensures that quality standards for component, sub assembly, and product are adhered to throughout the manufacturing process including in the supplier base. Responsible for effective and efficient support to both project and standard product engineering and manufacturing teams, working within the areas of Product Statutory and Regulatory Compliance, Product Quality and Reliability. To support our strategic growth plans and continued focus on Operational Excellence, we have identified a need for a New Product Introduction (NPI) Quality Engineer.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Embed a right first-time approach into the Product Development Process and Prototype Manufacture with the effective use of quality tools in New Product Introduction (NPI); supporting the NPI activity to achieve results as the business matures through education, effective governance and achieving stakeholder buy‑in of the new process.
• Governance authority on quality elements of the NPI process with key focus on:
  • – Gateway approvals
  • – Comprehensive engineering drawings and specifications
  • – Design Quality methods (including Design For Manufacture)
  • – Quality methods for handover to Production
  • – Prototype manufacture and control
  • – Validation & Verification
• Define KPIs for NPI activities and proactively manage performance gaps aligned to the Roxel Strategy.
• Work with stakeholders to ensure the QMS is accurate and adhered to in relation to New Products and Prototyping (with EN9145 in mind for Defence standards).
• Project manage the quality aspects to NPI and Prototype manufacture.
• Clear and concise reporting about all activities.
• Creating, executing, developing, reviewing and reporting on product/process qualification testing.
• Initiating, participating in, and supporting improvement efforts to increase the quality of the products we supply and the processes used to produce them using quality tools including DFMEA, PFMEA, Ishikawa, 8D, FMEA, Control Plans, FAIRs etc.
• Familiar with quality operations like PPAP, APQP and equivalent.
• Monitoring the quality level of outgoing shipments.
• Monitoring the incoming quality level of externally assembled products.
• Monitoring the current quality by performing Reliability Tests where required and reporting on the results.
• Ensuring that all new products are introduced into manufacture through a robust, risk‑based quality planning process.
• Raising quality alerts (like NCR) when encountering nonconformities.
• Assists in fault finding on customer returns, guiding these repairs through production, interpretation of repair outcome and logging the results. Making simple RGA reporting. Supporting fault finding process at engineering and/or R&D.
• Independently deciding on small quality deviations during manufacturing processes and ensuring these are documented correctly.
• Reviewing production documentation as work instructions, workflows, traceability forms etc.
• Ensure any rework is documented and fully evaluated upon completion as per regulations.
• Produce monthly reports showing defects per month, pareto of the top issues and timing plan for addressing these.
• Produce a weekly / monthly status report for management to understand current status of activities.
• Undertake other reasonable duties, in line with business needs and objectives, which are consistent and commensurate with the overall purpose of the position.

Experience and Background

Qualification

Essential Qualifications

• National Diploma / Higher National Diploma (equivalent or higher) in relevant discipline in Engineering.

Desirable Qualifications

• EN9100 Lead Auditor preferred
• Def Stan/AQAP knowledge preferred

Experience

Essential Experience

• 5+ years of industry experience in an industrial manufacturing and product development setting, preferably in the defence and/or aerospace industry.
• Must have demonstratable organisational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• An independent thinker and able to work effectively as part of a multi‑disciplined team to tight deadlines.

Desirable Experience

• Knowledgeable regarding EN9100/ISO9001/EN9145 and other relevant standards
• Subject matter knowledge and keen interest

Person Specification

• Demonstrates behaviours that align with Roxel’s values of ‘Commitment’, ‘Innovation’, ‘Trust’ and ‘Teamwork’.
• Focused on end delivery of the product or service for the customer
• Identifies problems or issues that may impact the product or service delivery
• Supports managers in delivering customer requirements
• Communicates tasks, priorities and expectations clearly and in a timely manner
• Energising and motivating in their delivery of their requests
• Communicates with clarity when delegating or rectifying a problem
• Adapts communication style depending on person, message and environment
• Open and supports team to achieve its goals
• Sees themselves as a leading member of the team and actively cooperates
• Offers help, information and support to wider business