Quality Engineer

Location: Marden, Kent Contract: Full-time contract position Working pattern: Predominantly on-site, supporting manufacturing operations

TPA Recruit is supporting an established engineering manufacturer in the appointment of an experienced Quality Engineer on a contract basis. The position is focused on production and supplier quality, structured problem solving, corrective action, auditing and practical continuous improvement.

The role would suit a hands-on Quality Engineer who is comfortable working directly with production and engineering teams, can investigate defects to root cause and has strong knowledge of recognised quality core tools.

Key Responsibilities Develop and implement quality standards and quality control systems across manufacturing operations. Monitor and analyse quality performance, KPIs and defect trends to identify improvement priorities. Inspect and test materials, equipment, processes and products against defined quality requirements. Investigate product and production issues and drive effective corrective actions and sustainable improvements. Work closely with Production, Engineering, Sales and Purchasing to build quality into processes and products. Create and maintain work instructions, control plans and other quality/process documentation. Chair quality improvement meetings and ensure improvement actions are documented and progressed using PDCA. Create internal and external audit plans, conduct audits and support supplier audit activity. Work with suppliers to improve quality performance and close identified gaps. Promote a strong quality culture and lead by example across the manufacturing environment. Skills and Experience Previous Quality Engineering experience within manufacturing or engineering. Practical experience of root-cause investigation, corrective action and structured problem solving. Good knowledge of Control Plans, SPC, FMEA, MSA, PPAP, APQP and 8D. Experience creating quality/process documentation and supporting production teams. Internal, external or supplier auditing experience would be strongly advantageous. Ability to analyse defects and quality data, identify trends and convert findings into practical actions. SAP experience in a manufacturing environment is required for this contract assignment. Confident communicator able to work effectively with Production, Engineering, Purchasing, suppliers and customers. Why Join This Business? Immediate contract opportunity within an established UK engineering manufacturer. Hands-on role with direct impact on product, process and supplier quality. Broad exposure across production, engineering, purchasing and supplier quality activity. Opportunity to use the full quality core-tool set in a practical manufacturing environment. Competitive estimated rate of £35.00-£40.00 per hour depending on experience.