Supplier Quality Engineer

The Role

We are looking for a hands-on Supplier Quality Engineer to develop and maintain a capable, reliable, aerospace-ready supplier base across Isembard's manufacturing network. You will own technical supplier quality activities, from qualification and risk assessment through performance monitoring, nonconformance resolution, and sustained improvement.

This is a centralized Supplier Quality role working closely with Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, site Quality teams, and external providers. You will help Isembard scale its supplier network while ensuring purchased materials, components, and special processes meet customer, regulatory, and AS9100 / EN9100 requirements. You will have the independence to raise quality concerns and escalate risks without compromising product conformity.

What You'll Do

• Lead supplier quality qualification and approval activities, including capability assessments, risk-based audits, technical reviews, and recommendations for Approved Supplier List status and scope.

• Partner with Supply Chain to develop a supplier base with the manufacturing capabilities, quality systems, special processes, and capacity needed to support current and future Isembard demand.

• Evaluate supplier process controls, inspection methods, measurement capability, traceability, and readiness to manufacture aerospace-grade products.

• Define and communicate supplier quality requirements, including material certification, conformity documentation, flow-down clauses, special-process approvals, and customer-directed sourcing controls.

• Monitor supplier performance using quality escapes, nonconformance trends, responsiveness, delivery-related quality risks, and corrective action effectiveness; prioritize improvement activity based on risk.

• Own or coordinate supplier nonconformance investigations, containment, root cause and corrective action (RCCA / SCAR), and objective verification of effectiveness.

• Support receiving inspection strategies, source inspection where required, First Article Inspection (AS9102 where applicable), and verification of supplier documentation.

• Assess supplier changes in process, location, material, subcontractors, or quality systems; ensure required internal and customer approvals are obtained before implementation.

• Work with suppliers to prevent counterfeit parts, unauthorized substitutions, undocumented processing, and loss of material or lot traceability.

• Coordinate qualification and surveillance of special-process providers, including verification of required NADCAP or customer approvals where specified.

• Support customer and certification audits with objective evidence of supplier control, qualification, performance monitoring, and corrective action.

• Build practical, scalable supplier quality standards and records in Isembard's QMS and MasonOS, while maintaining clear accountability between centralized Supplier Quality and site Quality teams.

What We're Looking For

Essential experience and skills

• 4+ years in supplier quality engineering, manufacturing quality, or quality engineering within a precision manufacturing or regulated production environment.

• Working knowledge of AS9100 / EN9100 or ISO 9001 requirements for control of external providers, traceability, nonconforming outputs, and corrective action.

• Experience conducting supplier assessments or audits and evaluating process capability, manufacturing controls, and technical compliance.

• Practical experience with root cause analysis, corrective action, containment, and verification of effectiveness.

• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, tolerances, and inspection or certification requirements.

• Strong written documentation, supplier communication, data analysis, and cross-functional problem-solving skills.

• Willingness to travel to suppliers and manufacturing sites as needed.

Nice to have

• Experience in aerospace, defense, CNC machining, or high-mix precision manufacturing.

• Knowledge of AS9102 FAI, AS9103 key characteristics, AS9120 distribution controls, and customer-specific aerospace quality clauses.

• Experience with NADCAP special processes, raw-material traceability, and counterfeit-part prevention.

• Familiarity with CMM inspection, GD&T, measurement systems analysis, SPC, and process capability studies.

• Experience developing suppliers across multiple facilities or a distributed manufacturing network.

• ASQ CQE / CQA, lead auditor qualification, or comparable quality credentials.