Supplier Quality Engineer

Role Characteristics:

Hinkley Point C is the UK’s first new build nuclear power station in a generation that is critical to the UK NetZero targets.

All roles on the project require key behaviours which support the Zero Harm objective, a questioning attitude, and drive to uphold the standards of safety and quality required by this prestigious project. A committed strong work ethic is essential at all levels.

All candidates are expected to demonstrate their knowledge and experience where possible directly related to the criteria required for the role. It is acknowledged that previous Nuclear based experience will not always be possible, as such supporting with project research and how individual skills may be transferable will be important.

There are opportunities to put together strategic people plans within the nuclear sector, work on wider company people projects, deliver an excellent first-class service to employees and ensure the administration and processes that engulf working life are implemented effectively and fairly

Accountabilities:

As a Supplier Quality Engineer, you will support the Supplier Quality Manager in delivering all aspects of the Supplier Quality function.

You will ensure that products and serviced provided by suppliers consistently meet project requirements.

Acting as a key liaison between the organisation and its suppliers, managing supplier performance and contribute to the development, qualification of new and existing suppliers.

Working in a multiskilled and diverse team with suppliers to develop and implement best practices that emphasise defect prevention, reduction in variation and waste and provide for continuous improvements in meeting all customer requirements.

Key Deliverables:

Nuclear Safety & NS Culture:

• Promote and demonstrate positive Nuclear Safety leadership, building a strong and compliant Nuclear Safety Culture throughout the supply chain.
• Foster adherence to nuclear safety standards and project requirements.

 Supplier Qualification & Performance Management:

• Support the Procurement team during the early stages of supplier down-selection. This includes evaluating and scoring quality-related questionnaires as part of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) and Invitation to Tender (ITT) assessments. The SQE will contribute to evidence-based decision-making by providing quality insights and risk-based evaluations to ensure the selection of capable and compliant suppliers.
• Conduct Supplier Qualification activities against defined project requirements.

• Conduct supply chain audits to assessment supplier compliance with project quality requirements. Ensure effective monitoring and management of audit findings closure through structured follow-up and engagement.
• In case of poor supplier performance, provide targeted support by developing supplier improvement plan. Facilitate and deliver training sessions to address capability gap, reinforce quality standards. Manage and monitor suppliers’ quality and delivery performance throughout the duration of the contract to ensure alignment with project expectations and timelines.
• Proactively identify and address performance issues, ensuring that any non-conformances are thoroughly investigated. Collaborate with suppliers to conduct root cause analysis and ensure that corrective actions are supported by sufficient evidence before closure.

Quality Assurance & Contract deliverables

• Ensure supplier’s adherence to the requirements specified in the project specification
• Review and monitor Contract Quality Assurance Plans (CQAP)provided by the supply chain
• Establish and check appropriateness and completeness of Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs/FUDs) and monitor their completion.
• Support the review and acceptance of Quality Release Certificate and End of Manufacturing Reports (EoMR)
• Support and monitor source inspection activities.
• Engaging with stakeholders to analyse non-conformities within the supply chain
• Facilitate manufacturing kick off meetings

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with Engineering, procurement and construction teams to define process parameters and criteria to ensure supplier process capability is effective to meet product and process requirements
• Use a risk-based data driven approach to capitalise opportunities and mitigate risks to the supply chain performance

Minimum Qualifications/ Experience:

• Certified ISO 9001:2015 Lead auditor with extensive experience auditing to the standard
• Good understanding of core manufacturing and inspection processes and protocols such as Fabrication, extrusion, coating, NDT
• Understand the concepts and applications of problem solving and improvement tools.
• Ability to lead and facilitate improvement projects
• Degree qualified or minimum 3 years Quality/Supplier Quality or equivalent experience within a regulated industry

Additional Qualifications/ Experience:

• Experience within the Nuclear sector or other regulated industry
• Ability to organise and structure a diverse workload
• CQI, IRCA, ASQ CQE or equivalent membership

Working Pattern of Attendance and Location(s):

• Hinkley Point C Construction Site, Wick Moore Drove, Nr Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 1UD
• Travel to supplier sites, Dalkia Office and hybrid as appropriate

HPC Values attributed behaviours:

• Demonstrates Humility through sharing success as a team.
• Demonstrates Positivity through always striving for solutions.
• Demonstrates Respect through valuing other points of view.
• Demonstrates Clarity through sharing information simply and concisely.
• Demonstrates Solidarity through adopting a “One Team”  approach