Job Description:

Location: Bristol

Department: Quality

Reports To: Quality Lead Engineer

Position: Quality Inspector

Role Purpose

Due to continued growth within SA Manufacturing, we are looking to strengthen our Quality Department with an experienced and practical Quality Inspector.

The successful candidate will support quality activities across our precision machining and fabrication operations, working closely with Quality, Production and Engineering to ensure components and welded assemblies meet customer, drawing and applicable quality requirements.

This is a hands-on inspection role within a growing department and would suit someone with previous Aerospace and/or Defence manufacturing experience who is comfortable working within an ISO 9001 / AS9100 quality environment.

The individual must be flexible, proactive and willing to support the continued development of the Quality Department as the business grows.

Key Responsibilities

The Quality Inspector will be responsible for:

• Carrying out First-Off, Patrol/In-Process and Final Inspection of manufactured components.
• Performing batch and sample inspections throughout production.
• Inspecting precision-machined components and fabricated/welded assemblies against engineering drawings and customer specifications.
• Accurately reading and interpreting engineering drawings, tolerances, GD&T and manufacturing specifications.
• Using appropriate inspection equipment including micrometres, verniers, height gauges, bore gauges and other conventional measuring equipment.
• Supporting inspection using CMM and FARO Arm equipment.
• Completing and maintaining accurate inspection records and quality documentation.
• Supporting AS9102 First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs).
• Supporting PPAP documentation where required.
• Identifying and raising Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs) and supporting investigation, containment and corrective-action activities.
• Checking incoming material certification, traceability and conformity against purchase order, drawing and AS9100 requirements.
• Supporting the control and verification of COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) items and associated certification/traceability.
• Supporting incoming goods inspection and supplier quality verification.
• Ensuring material and product traceability is maintained throughout the manufacturing process.
• Supporting calibration control and ensuring inspection equipment is within calibration before use.
• Working closely with Production and Engineering to resolve quality issues quickly and professionally.
• Supporting customer, internal and certification audits where required.
• Contributing to 5S, visual management and continuous improvement activities.
• Supporting the Quality Lead Engineer in developing systems and processes as the Quality Department continues to grow.
• Maintaining the high standards of documentation and product conformity expected within an AS9100-controlled manufacturing environment.

Essential Experience & Skills

The successful candidate should have:

• Previous experience working within a Quality Inspection role in a manufacturing environment.
• Good working knowledge of ISO 9001 and AS9100 requirements.
• Previous experience within the Aerospace and/or Defence sectors.
• Strong experience inspecting precision-machined components.
• Experience inspecting fabricated and welded assemblies.
• Ability to confidently read and interpret detailed engineering drawings.
• Good understanding of dimensional tolerances and GD&T.
• Experience of First-Off, In-Process/Patrol, Final and Batch Inspection.
• Knowledge of AS9102 FAIR requirements.
• Knowledge or experience of PPAP.
• Experience identifying and documenting NCRs/non-conforming product.
• Understanding of material certification, traceability and document control within an AS9100 environment.
• A practical understanding of COTS control and product conformity.
• Good communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team while also being capable of working independently.

CMM / FARO Arm

Experience using CMM and/or FARO Arm inspection equipment would be highly advantageous.

However, we will consider candidates who have strong conventional inspection, engineering drawing and Aerospace/Defence quality experience but require additional CMM or FARO Arm development.

Appropriate training will be considered for the right candidate.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for someone who:

• Takes pride in producing accurate and reliable inspection work.
• Has a strong attention to detail.
• Is practical and comfortable working directly within a manufacturing environment.
• Communicates professionally with Production, Engineering and other members of the Quality team.
• Is prepared to challenge non-conforming work appropriately while working constructively with colleagues to resolve problems.
• Is flexible and willing to support different areas of the Quality Department when required.
• Understands that quality is about preventing problems as well as identifying them.
• Wants to contribute to the continued development of a growing Quality Department.
• Works well within a team and supports a positive culture of quality, accountability and continuous improvement.

Quality Culture

SA Manufacturing operates within a demanding precision engineering environment supporting customers within Aerospace, Defence and other high-quality manufacturing sectors.

The Quality Inspector will play an important part in ensuring that quality requirements are understood and maintained from incoming material and certification, through machining and fabrication, to final inspection and product release.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Quality Lead Engineer and wider manufacturing team to help strengthen our systems, improve inspection processes and support the continued development of our AS9100 Quality Management System.

This is a hands-on position, and we are looking for somebody who wants to become an important part of the Quality team as SA Manufacturing continues to grow.