Quality Engineer

Job Description

Title: Quality Engineer

Reports to: Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ)

Date of Job: Description September 2024

Location: UK Operational Sites (Based in Diss)

Company: bf1systems Ltd

Job Purpose

Based in Head Office Diss this role directly supports all UK sites and indirectly supports our facility in Romania via knowledge sharing and mentoring.

Collaborating with all key stakeholders to ensure that bf1systems, business, engineering and manufacturing processes, are efficient, cost effective and producing high-quality, reliable products.

Key supporting function for New Production Introduction (NPI) and Opex Process Improvement Projects, proactively taking part in weekly project meetings working collaboratively with Project Managers, and wider project teams to ensure the delivery of projects on time and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Planning & Assurance:

• Developing quality plans & control plans
• Supporting the implementation of quality management systems (QMS)
• Conducting product risk assessments (e.g. PFMEA)

Quality Control & Inspection:

• Ensuring adequate inspection processes are in place
• Ensuring corrective actions have been defined for defects
• Ensuring calibration and inspection processes are in place for all tools and equipment

Customer & Supplier Quality:

• Co-Ordinating on customer complaints and warranty claims to ensure conclusive investigation and corrective action reports are issued
• Conducting supplier audits and evaluations

Process Improvement & Problem Solving:

• Leading root cause analysis (RCA) and implementing corrective actions
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives

Compliance and Documentation:

• Ensuring compliance with industry quality standards (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949)
• Managing quality documentation and records
• Supporting Product Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• Co-Ordinating the response to customer issued Supplier Assurance Questionnaires and New Supplier Approval documents. Ensuring all quality elements are completed.

Training and Development:

• Training staff on quality standards and procedures
• Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS):
• Ensuring quality processes align with EHS Standards

Change Management:

• Managing quality related changes to processes (QCN), and supporting Engineering Change Notices (ECN)

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

 Quality Systems and Standards:

•  ISO 9001 and IATF 16949: Familiarity with these standards is crucial for maintaining our quality management system.
•  APQP and PPAP: Essential for planning and approving new parts.

 Quality Tools and Techniques:

• FMEA: Used to identify potential failures and their impact.
•  SPC: Monitoring and controlling processes through statistical methods.
•  RCA: Supporting the identification and addressing the root causes of defects.

 Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement:

•  Lean Principles: Reducing waste and improving efficiency.
•  Six Sigma: Techniques for process improvement and variation reduction.

Soft Skills:

 Communication:

•  Clear and professional communication with stakeholders, both written and verbal
•  Ability to write detailed reports and present data effectively.

 Problem-Solving:

•  Analytical skills to interpret data and make informed decisions.
•  Creative thinking to develop innovative solutions to quality issues.

 Project Management:

•  Organising work, developing timelines, and ensuring follow-through.
•  Leading and participating in internal and external quality audits.

Experience:

 Quality Assurance and Control:

• Developing and implementing quality assurance processes and procedures ideally within the field of automotive, aerospace or defence.
• Ensuring adequate quality inspection processes are in place, through the introduction of robust quality and control plans.

 Process Improvement:

• Implementing process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and reduce defects.
• Monitoring and analysing product performance and quality data.

 Supplier Quality Management:

• Developing and maintaining supplier quality assurance programs’
• Conducting supplier audits and managing supplier quality performance’

Education:

• Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Industrial Engineering’
• Six Sigma (minimum Green Belt)’
• Lean Certification (minimum Silver or equivalent)’
• Lead Auditor to ISO 9001 or IATF 16949 quality standard’

bf1 Vision – why do we exist?

• To Be the Competitive Advantage

Values – how do we behave?

• Commit Be Courageous Have Fun

A more detailed Job Description is available upon application.