Job Purpose:

• The Principal Quality Engineer (PQE) is responsible for supporting Client Projects normally operating within a Matrix  Multi Discipline Teams (MDTs) by the provision of quality assurance, management and control services;
• Their primary purpose is to provide evidence of the Client and supply-chain adherence to the contracted quality requirements within their respective Client Programmes and Projects;
• Their secondary purpose is to support Client Programmes in achieving adherence with the Project-wide quality arrangements, as well as ensuring that appropriate project-specific quality arrangements are established, as required in addition to ensuring the implementation of quality for all activities within the scope of the programme, for example, Manufacturing Inspection and Test (MIT) Plans; Life-time Quality Records; NCR  Facilitation; Root Cause Analysis; Audits. This could be on Client Sites or at Sub-contractors base within the UK and overseas;
• The post holder will work in close collaboration with all other project functions and the supply-chain to ensure that project quality is delivered consistently (safely, efficiently and right first time) compliant respecting Nuclear Safety as paramount at all times.
• The PQE will Lead project direction, from a quality perspective with the ability, as required by the client to act as the Intelligent Customer

Quality control department operates based on client requirements:

• As an embedded member of the Programme/Project the PQE will provide leadership and support on the application of specific quality activities within projects/contracts as directed by their client line manager to ensure both consistency and compliance;
• defining quality arrangements, specifically for the safe, efficient and right first-time delivery of the project activities undertaken by the MDT from inception through to operational handover including for example, Life Time Quality Records (LTQR);
• Approving Project Quality Plans and MIT Plans in a consistent manner;
• Direct and where required undertake surveillance/inspection activities (Client Sites/Sub-contractor facilities);
• Provide guidance on acceptability criteria and whether or not product quality is being achieved or diminished;
• Ensuring that data capture and analysis of quality metrics is undertaken to ensure that input to management reports on the delivery of quality within the MDT are unambiguous;
• To have oversight of the non-conformance process in the identification of Project-wide Preventative Action as well as facilitation timely closure of non-conformance reports, and to ensure project-wide learning is maximised;
• To contribute to the planning as well as Lead work stream and cross-project audits as required.
• Provision of budgetary oversite as required.
• Lead a team of Quality Practitioners 

Responsibilities may include:

• Delivery of the day-to-day quality management activities requested by the Client, in line with the general directions given by the Client’s Quality Director as defined in personal objectives or Task Orders;
• Leads quality records reviews and checks to enable quality oversight and the assurance that quality is delivered by the supply-chain and the MDT, efficiently and in accordance with specified requirements;
• Participates as required in the production/review of the Programme Quality Delivery Arrangements Plan and specific MIT plans;
• Hold excellent problem-solving skills and understanding of techniques such as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) to develop and implement root cause analysis and improvement plans within Supply Chain
• Participates in oversight of the review and acceptance of Quality Plans/Inspection & Test Plans provided by the supply-chain.
• Assess supply chain and supplier capability to meet business delivery profile for both current state vs Future state
• Supports the Client by taking the lead on establishing effective Quality Assurance, Manufacturing / Site Surveillance programmes/ plans that enable coverage of identified risks.
• Ensures that surveillance activities in accordance with specific MIT Plans are undertaken.
• Ensures that appropriate controls are established with respect to the provision of Quality Records or ‘End of Reports’ by sub-contractors;
• Support the effective close out of non-conformances (including Root Cause Analysis) through the engagement of subject matter experts as well as the application of project-wide preventative action;
• Supports Quality Auditors (Client and Sub-contractor based) in the prompt resolution of audit findings within the supply-chain and the MDT;
• Ensures that effective participation in Programme and Project risk & opportunity reviews including lessons learnt reviews by the Client;
• Participates in and where appropriate Leads investigations related to quality issues.
• Provides leadership in the provision of regular quality reports on:
  • the delivery of quality (Product & Process) by the supply chain and the MDT;
  • the status of non-conformances, inc. root cause/repeat events
  •  supply chain capability/readiness and performance;
  • quality records RFT, backlog etc.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years post academic experience;
• Continuous Improvement mindset with a sound knowledge of improvement techniques including 8D, PDCA, root cause analysis (RCA), Kaizen events and process mapping.
• Experience in large/complicated highly-regulated project environment, preferably in the nuclear (or heavily regulated) sector, with significant focus on Product/project quality role, and with a specific engineering discipline knowledge;
• With a minimum of 5 years experience, preferably in the Nuclear Sector
• Position requires a dynamic individual who is a team leader as well as a team player and has a solid understanding of the quality assurance and control principles, and process management in projects;.
• understanding of working in an international quality environment;
• Experience in assuring compliance with National and International standards such as GS-R-3, ISO 9001, ISO19443; ISO 3834; EN10204;
• Working knowledge of Licence Conditions LC6; LC17 and ONR TAG 077;
• Experience planning and conducting Internal and Supplier Audits;
• The ability to carry out unsupervised inspections to appropriate standards e.g. pressurised systems
• Experience in the review of Quality Records (e.g. Material Certification; CFSI)
• As minimum 5-8 years experience in managing people/ leading teams
• Experience in the analysis of  quality data at various levels across the business;
• The ability to influence and to provide constructive challenge which is accepted by others;
• The ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
• Experience in that application of Quality basic and advanced tools & techniques (e.g. Histograms; SPC; Cause & Effect, Design of Experiments);
• Pro-active and flexible, being prepared to plan and essential to work on own initiative across a broad range of issues to drive performance against all dimensions of the quality systems;
• Fluent in verbal and written English language, preferably with some French or second language skills.
• Ability to work as a strategic as well as a tactical level.