Quality Engineer

Description

ABOUT US

 Join a Global Photonics Leader Engineering Solutions from the Deep Ocean to Outer Space!

G&H (Gooch & Housego) Torquay is part of a world-renowned photonics group with over 30 years of high-tech manufacturing heritage in the region. Our Torquay facility designs and manufactures advanced fibre-optic components, modules and sub-systems used in telecommunications, sensing, biomedical imaging, defence, aerospace, industrial systems and more. Our products are trusted in some of the most demanding environments on Earth, and beyond, including undersea networks, space missions, and even the International Space Station. 

We are also proud recipients of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for our flagship FibreQ technology, used globally in advanced laser systems for metrology and materials processing.

As part of the EPIC (Electronics & Photonics Innovation Centre) community, you’ll work within a thriving hi-tech cluster, surrounded by cutting-edge R&D capability, a strong local supply chain, and a collaborative network of engineering and photonics specialists in Torbay. 

This is your opportunity to help shape the next chapter of quality excellence in a business where precision, innovation and reliability are core to everything we do. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Following the successful delivery of a mature AS9100 Management System, we are now accelerating our shift toward proactive, embedded quality across the business. As a Quality Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in strengthening our processes, supporting customer confidence, and enabling the continued growth of our advanced photonics product portfolio.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a technical, fast-moving environment and wants to influence quality at every stage; from supplier performance to customer satisfaction.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Lead internal audits across business and manufacturing processes to identify risks and drive mitigation.
• Support customer and third-party audits, ensuring we maintain our reputation for world-class quality.
• Oversee and conduct First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs).
• Monitor product compliance and process repeatability to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality photonic components.

Data-Driven Improvement

• Analyse key quality metrics (Product Returns, Shipped Product Quality Level, CoPQ) to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Apply structured problem-solving tools to eliminate root causes and prevent recurrence.
• Provide regular reporting and insights to support strategic quality initiatives.

Customer & Supplier Engagement

• Act as a customer-facing quality partner, ensuring issues are managed professionally from initiation to closure.
• Work closely with Supplier Quality Engineering and Supply Chain teams to resolve supplier-related issues and strengthen incoming quality.
• Provide quality input into contract reviews, engineering changes and documentation updates.

Continuous Improvement & Leadership

• Support multi-functional continuous improvement projects across the business.
• Coordinate concessions/permits and drive initiatives to reduce their frequency.
• Chair MRB meetings and mentor colleagues in quality best practice.

HOW YOUR SUCESS WILL BE MEASURED

• Reduction in customer returns
• Reduction in supplier-related issues
• Adherence to internal audit schedules

WHAT YOU BRING

Qualifications

• Engineering degree preferred (not essential)
• Internal or Lead Auditor qualification (AS9100 or ISO9001) preferred

Skills & Experience

• Strong auditing capability across suppliers, processes and business systems
• Solid understanding of root cause analysis and preventive action
• Customer-focused mindset with a sense of urgency
• Proven experience delivering Continuous Improvement projects
• Working knowledge of Lean Six Sigma (essential)
• Experience in AS9100 or ISO13485 environments
• Ideally, experience in optical, photonics or high-tech manufacturing
• Experience participating in MRB processes
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Personal Attributes

• Self-driven and able to set your own priorities
• Emotionally intelligent with a constructive, challenging mindset
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical skills
• Excellent communicator, influencer and facilitator
• Possess a strong background in engineering or quality assurance, exceptional attention to detail, and a proactive mindset.
• Sound knowledge of quality management systems and tools, including
• Proficient in using quality analysis and improvement tools such as FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FTA (Fault Tree Analysis), 8D or A3 problem solving techniques. 
• Six Sigma, and SPC (Statistical Process Control) is a plus.
• Sound data analysis and processing abilities.
• Sound problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

WHY JOIN US AT G&H TORQUAY? 

• Be part of a global photonics leader whose components are used everywhere from the ocean floor to space missions .
• Work in a thriving hi-tech cluster at the EPIC Centre, surrounded by cutting-edge labs, R&D capability and a collaborative engineering community .
• Contribute to award-winning innovation, including technologies recognised with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise .
• Shape the future of quality in a business where precision, reliability and continuous improvement are core values.
• Join a culture built on Customer Focus, Integrity, Action, Unity and Precision.

G&H Benefits Include:

• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays) - rising up to 30 days annual leave (phased with long service)
• Corporate Cash Plan
• Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme
• Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme

If you’re ready to make a real impact in a world-class photonics environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Notes: This job description is not intended to be exhaustive in every respect, but rather to clearly define the fundamental purpose, responsibilities and dimensions for the role. Therefore, this job description does not describe any individual role holder. In addition to the contents of this job description, employees are expected to undertake all other reasonable and related tasks allocated by their line manager.

The Company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunity or practices on the grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by national laws under which the Company operates.

Potential candidates should be aware that many of the employment roles at Gooch & Housego are subject to government security and export control restrictions.  These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities that you may have previously held and your place of birth, could restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation.

All UK applicants must, as a minimum, be able to successfully complete security vetting to the UK government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard, which includes a criminal record check being performed. Many roles may also require higher levels of security vetting to be completed, where applicants must typically have been continuously resident within the UK for the past five to ten years.