Head of Quality

At Hypersonica
, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.

By joining Hypersonica
, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.

We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.

What you'll do

• Build and lead Hypersonica’s UK quality function across design, supply chain, manufacturing, assembly, test, and production.
• Design and implement a lean, scalable Quality Management System from zero, aligned to AS9100 and relevant defence quality requirements.
• Own the pathway to AS9100 certification, including gap assessment, process architecture, documentation, internal audits, management reviews, corrective actions, and certification readiness.
• Define the minimum credible quality controls required for prototype, development, qualification, and production hardware, increasing rigour as the programme matures.
• Embed quality into engineering and operations from the outset, ensuring requirements, design decisions, change control, verification evidence, and build records remain clear and traceable.
• Own nonconformance, MRB, concessions, deviations, CAPA, and root-cause processes, ensuring issues are contained quickly and permanently resolved.
• Build the supplier quality operating model, including supplier selection, qualification, quality agreements, audits, first article inspection, incoming inspection, performance management, and corrective action.
• Establish product and process quality controls across manufacturing and assembly, including inspection plans, critical characteristics, special processes, calibration, measurement systems, and configuration traceability.
• Define and lead quality readiness gates across design reviews, production readiness reviews, first article inspection, test readiness, and flight readiness.
• Act as the senior quality authority during high‑consequence decisions, balancing programme speed with evidence, traceability, and product integrity.
• Build audit‑ready systems by default, ensuring evidence exists because it supports delivery rather than because someone may ask for it later.
• Lead engagement with customers, certification bodies, auditors, suppliers, and defence stakeholders on quality matters.
• Create concise quality metrics that leadership actually uses, including NCR cycle time, escape rate, supplier quality, first‑pass yield, audit findings, CAPA closure, and recurring defect trends.
• Build and lead the future UK quality team, defining the required capabilities across design quality, supplier quality, manufacturing quality, and quality systems.
• Establish a culture where quality is owned by everyone and the quality function enables engineering rather than policing it.

Who you are

• A senior quality leader with substantial experience in aerospace, defence, complex hardware, or another high‑consequence engineering environment.
• Proven at building or fundamentally reshaping a Quality Management System, ideally through AS9100 implementation or certification.
• Experienced across the full product lifecycle, from requirements and design through supplier manufacture, assembly, test, qualification, and production.
• Deeply familiar with AS9100 and practical aerospace or defence quality expectations, including configuration control, traceability, nonconformance, CAPA, FAI, supplier quality, and audit readiness.
• Comfortable operating across design quality, supplier quality, and manufacturing quality rather than being confined to one…