NPI Quality Lead

NPI Quality Lead

A Manufacturer of precision engineering products and equipment, supplied into a range of sectors including nuclear, medical and defence, now have an opening for an experienced Quality Engineer familiar with NPI disciplines.

This is a senior, hands-on role that owns quality delivery across New Product Introduction and major projects in a regulated, high-integrity manufacturing environment with a strong nuclear and safety focus. The role holder takes new products from feasibility through to production readiness, ensuring they are compliant and fully traceable.

Much of the work is bespoke, low-volume and safety-critical: capability and integrity must be proven on small quantities, and every part matters. The role applies APQP and structured NPI disciplines to this high-integrity fabrication and requires the confidence to act as the quality authority in front of demanding, safety-driven customers.

KEY TASKS

Own NPI quality delivery across new product introduction and major projects, from feasibility through to production readiness
Act as the quality authority within cross-functional project teams
Drive APQP deliverables through the NPI stage gates
Author and maintain the NPI quality framework: control plans, FMEA and foreign material exclusion (FME) procedures, capability and inspection regimes, and the quality gates themselves
Assess the quality management system against customer requirements, conduct gap analysis, and author and implement the procedures needed to close any gaps
Support accreditation, safety and complianceEXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must demonstrate direct, personal ownership of, and hands-on experience with:

Full APQP lifecycle leadership
Hands-on authoring of quality procedures and processes from first principles
NPI quality delivery from prototype through to production readiness
Non-conformance investigation, containment and corrective action
Internal, external and supplier audits
Core quality tools: FMEA, MSA, SPC and capability studies (Cp/Cpk)
Lifetime Records, lot traceability and material certification
Special processes such as welding, NDE or coatings
Knowing where engineering (design) control ends and manufacturing (process) control begins, and managing the interface between them DESIRABLE SKILLS

Quality engineering within regulated manufacturing, including demonstrable ownership of APQP and NPI quality delivery
Degree, HND or HNC in an engineering or related discipline, or equivalent demonstrable experience
ISO 9001 lead auditor qualification (desirable)
Chartered Quality Institute membership or Six Sigma certification (desirable)
REGULATORY AND SECTOR EXPERIENCE

Experience of NPI quality in a regulated, high-integrity sector (nuclear, defence, aerospace, pressure equipment or similar) is essential. Readiness to operate under a customer holding witness, hold and approval rights is expected; direct experience of doing so is an advantage.

Depth of experience and proven, hands-on ownership of NPI quality are essential.

Interested, please contact Graeme at Vibe Recruit on (phone number removed) or apply immediatly

Vibe Recruit is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy