OPERATIONS QUALITY ASSURANCE ENGINEER - INSIDE IR35 - £32 PER HOUR - 6 MONTHS - LIKELY EXTENDED - 1 STAGE INTERVIEW PROCESS
An opportunity has arisen for an Operational Quality Assurance Engineer to join a highly specialised defence and space manufacturing environment in the UK.
The Quality function plays a critical role in ensuring that customer and regulatory requirements are met across the full spacecraft production lifecycle, including manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test.
This position sits directly within the production environment and is responsible for driving quality standards, preventing defects, and ensuring compliance in complex, high-value hardware programmes.
Key Responsibilities
Take full ownership of quality assurance activities within a designated production area
Conduct critical inspections and witness key manufacturing and integration operations
Drive a proactive quality culture, influencing production teams to prevent non-conformances
Lead the management and reduction of non-conformance and cost of poor quality (CoPQ)
Maintain oversight of build reconciliations, open points, and outstanding work orders
Perform ongoing quality surveillance to ensure adherence to product and programme requirements
Track and manage actions arising from inspections across all production phases
Support root cause analysis and internal review boards (e.g. NCR, MRB/IRB activities)
Review and improve quality documentation, procedures, and production processes
Initiate and conduct process audits where required
Review manufacturing instructions and engineering drawings for technical and quality compliance, supporting correction of issues where identified
Act as a quality authority within the production environment, ensuring standards are upheld and challenged where necessary
Required Experience & Skills
Engineering apprenticeship and/or relevant technical qualification
Minimum 3+ years experience within aerospace, defence, or space manufacturing environments
Strong understanding of quality assurance / product assurance in regulated industries
Proven experience in hardware inspection within complex assemblies
Ability to influence stakeholders on the shop floor and drive behavioural change around quality
Strong communication skills - able to clearly articulate findings and challenge where required
Experience working within structured production or cleanroom environments
Flexibility to support shift patterns, on-call, or site-based requirements
Desirable Experience
Knowledge of space or ECSS quality standards
Exposure to continuous improvement / Lean methodologies
Experience working with 3D engineering drawings / digital manufacturing tools (Catia, 3DX)
Familiarity with composite or advanced materials
Previous involvement in ESA or equivalent regulated programmes
Salary description
£32.00 - £32.00 per hour