Description
The Programme Quality Engineer I (PQE I) is responsible for planning, coordinating, and assuring quality activities throughout the Programme lifecycle, ensuring that products, processes, and activities comply with applicable standards, customer, contractual, regulatory, and company requirements. Acting as a designated quality focal point for assigned Programme or scope, the PQE I provides independent quality oversight, supports Programme governance and decision-making, manages quality risks and non-conformances within assigned scope, promotes continual improvement, and coordinates quality activities across Programme Management, Engineering, Design for Advanced Manufacturing (DFAM), Manufacturing, Configuration Management, other Quality functions, and relevant interfacing functions.The PQE I ensures that quality requirements are effectively embedded and verified across design, development, verification, validation, qualification, production, and acceptance activities, supporting the timely delivery of conforming products. This role is responsible for end-to-end programme quality support, ensuring compliance, product integrity, testing readiness, risk management, audit governance, stakeholder coordination, and continuous improvement throughout the product lifecycle.RESPONSIBILITIESLead Programme Quality Assurance across the full lifecycle, ensuring compliance with customer, regulatory, contractual, and company requirements from design through production readiness.Develop, maintain, and implement the Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) and ensure quality activities are executed in line with approved plans, standards, procedures, and milestones.Provide independent quality oversight and governance, including participation in programme reviews, stage gate reviews, and management reviews, reporting on quality status, risks, and recommendations.Manage quality assurance activities covering design, development, integration, verification, validation, qualification, testing, and production readiness to ensure product conformity and readiness.Review and approve programme deliverables and quality documentation, including design documentation, First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs), quality reports, and key programme data packages.Lead non-conformance, deviation, and concession management, ensuring effective root cause analysis, risk assessment, corrective actions, stakeholder communication, and timely closure through appropriate governance processes.Oversee testing and product release readiness, ensuring configuration control, traceability, calibration status, safety compliance, and adherence to approved test procedures.Coordinate with cross-functional teams and suppliers to ensure alignment on quality requirements, resolve quality issues, support supplier quality activities, and drive compliance throughout the programme.Plan, support, and follow up audits, assessments, and configuration reviews, ensuring findings, actions, and continuous improvement initiatives are effectively implemented and closed.Drive continuous improvement and quality culture, using quality metrics, risk analysis, lessons learned, and data-driven corrective and preventive actions to enhance programme performance and product quality.BASIC QUALIFICATIONSDegree in Aerospace, Aeronautics, Systems, Electrical, Electronics & Mechatronics Engineering6-8 years of Quality Assurance experience in the aerospace, defence, aviation, or high-precision manufacturing industryProven knowledge of quality assurance techniques and methodologies (ISO 9001:2015, preferably AS9100D) Experience with testing tools and software test equipment and Quality EngineeringApplied knowledge of Advanced Product Quality Planning and First Article Inspection tools and techniquesBackground knowledge of guided missiles, drones, UAV, space satellites or complex multidisciplinary systems that include subsystems such as warheads/fuzes, seekers, propulsion/motors, avionics, actuators, Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) AssembliesTechnical report writingCreativity and innovationPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSMaster's degree in related Engineering disciplineAmerican Society for Quality (ASQ) certified or similar,Chartered Member of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI)Certified Explosive worker (to Explosives Act 15 0f 2003Explosives Regulations of the OHS Act 85 of 1993)