Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality Assurance Engineer

MDA Space

Harwell, United Kingdom

Our products need to be able to survive in space for up to 15 years with minimal input from the ground, hence quality must meet the highest standards. As a Quality Assurance Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring our products meet stringent quality and reliability requirements. You will be responsible for establishing and implementing quality assurance programmes throughout the development lifecycle. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, customer and supply chain to maintain quality across the entire product lifecycle. The role may require national and international travels at a short notice.

Responsibilities:

• Establish and implement quality assurance programmes and control plans and verify compliance throughout the entire supply chain from design to delivery.
• Perform quality assurance activities as required throughout the product development lifecycle from systems requirements definition through to delivery.
• Coordinate Quality Management System activities in accordance with ISO 9001 requirements including developing procedures and quality records to support business operations
• Manage internal audit programmes ensuring findings are translated into operational improvements
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that products meet quality standards and that a strong quality culture is embedded in business processes
• Support supplier qualification and onboarding, quality performance reviews, and the reduction of quality risks within the supply chain
• Nonconformance and anomaly management from detection to closure both internally and across the supply chain.
• Establish and maintain quality metrics and operational KPIs that provide measurable insight into business performance.
• Drive continuous improvement and lessons learned initiatives to enhance product quality and operational efficiency.

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in relevant engineering or related field.
• 3 - 5 years of experience in quality assurance in the space, electronics, automotive, aerospace or similar sectors.
• Experience supporting the design, manufacture, test, qualification and delivery of products
• Experience establishing and performing quality assurance activities during the product development lifecycle
• Experience in quality management system, supplier quality, audit processes, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proven experience with failure investigation using quality tools and methodologies.
• Experience operating within cross-functional environments where quality governance and operational delivery must operate together.
• Experience developing and employing quality metrics to meet on-quality, on-cost and on-time business objectives
• Experience driving continuous improvements to enhance product quality and operational efficiency
• Experience promoting a strong quality culture and best practices across an organization.

Desirable

• Strong knowledge of electronics and optical components and systems, materials and manufacturing and testing processes applied to consumer electronics, automotive, and aerospace products
• Proven experience with industry standards such as ECSS, NASA, IPC, and JEDEC
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle
• Strong knowledge of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) tools
• Knowledge in any of the following would be advantageous:
• Satellite payloads, robotics and optical subsystems
• Electronic component production and packaging, printed circuit boards
• Manufacturing processes - soldering, coating, adhesive bonding, harness fabrication methods

Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and excellent attention to detail
• Self-starter and results-orientated individual who takes initiative.
• Leadership skills to drive quality initiatives and foster collaboration across teams
• Customer satisfaction focused
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.