Program Quality Engineer

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

As Program Quality Engineer within GKN Fokker Elmo you act as the formal liaison between GKN Fokker Elmo and the customer(s) regarding all Quality related topics. You support and assure downflow of Customer Quality Requirements into the organization as well as providing support to the applicable production sites with knowledge and expertise for all Quality related topics.

What you'll do

Customer Satisfaction & Support

• Act as the formal liaison between the customer(s) and GKN Fokker Elmo regarding topics that cover product safety, quality, quality related questions, customer complaints etc., as well as assure that a timely and correct answer is provided to customer questions and/or complaints.
• Responsible for the downflow of customer complaints to the relevant (manufacturing) organization(s). Assure and verify that the actual Root Cause and its associated Corrective and Preventive Actions are determined and implemented.
• Coordinate and support on-site and on-desk Customer quality audits/visits, in conjunction with the applicable manufacturing site.

Product Safety and Quality Assurance

• Analyze and thoroughly understand the customer quality requirements and assure that these form an integral part of the QMS via a program specific Quality Assurance Plan (QAP).
• Initiate and maintain the QAP as well as effective communication of the contents of this QAP to the relevant process owners (over all applicable sites). As a minimum, the Senior Product Assurance Engineer / Program Quality Engineer shall “Approve” this QAP.
• Perform Program Audits according the Audit Planning.

Quality Culture and General Quality support

• Exemplify a Safety / Quality-first mind-set and ensure compliance with the GKN Aerospace Cultural Principles, Safety Management System (SMS) and Quality policies and standards.
• Provide Quality related support and advice to the organization for the development / improvement / maintenance of Product Safety and Quality awareness through (unsolicited) consult / feedback and training / coaching.
• Support the local Product Assurance Engineer in case of MRBs.

Zero Defects Quality Planning

• Support APQP, PFMEA or other Zero Defect activities.
• Create input for and participate in regular NCMS meetings as defined in the ‘Industrial Maturity Framework (IMF). Actively coach and support during and after these sessions in order to get a timely resolution of the output actions.

Risk Management, Problem Solving and Improvement

• Support and assure effective problem resolution through Containment, Root Cause Analysis, Corrective Action and Verification of Effectiveness.
• Coordinate activities related to the formal communication to customers and regulatory bodies covering any escapes (shipped product) as applicable.
• Based on information of the Quality Dashboard, escalate overdue NCRs relating to customer or regulatory findings; escalate to the Site Quality manager or Director of Product Quality.

What you'll bring

• Bachelor degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• At least 5 years of experience in a product safety or quality function in a highly regulated technical environment, such as aerospace, medical or automotive.
• Strong theoretical knowledge and practical experience of quality tools and processes towards 8D and PPAP is a must. APQP is a plus.
• Experience with auditing, quality management system and process audits.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt is a pre
• Excellent in English, both verbal and writing.

As a Person:

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and in writing.
• Attention to details while keeping the general business interest and helicopter view
• Ability to influence others through convincing arguments.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.

What we'll offer

We are committed to offer you a challenge but also a great opportunity to learn and grow. We want to offer you a career that can go to many directions thanks to our breadth of international opportunities. By being part of GKN Fokker Aerospace that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry, you will know that you will be working towards being the most trusted partner in the aerospace industry. We will support and promote your professional and personal development.

Furthermore, we will offer you:

• The role is in Grade L2, depending on your experience and qualifications and according to the CLA Metalektro,
• 8% holiday allowance,
• 42 paid holidays for full-time employment in line with the Collective Labor Agreement Metalektro (29 holidays and 13 ADV days),
• An excellent pension scheme (PME) and travel allowance,
• Profit sharing scheme,
• A pleasant and informal working environment, in which we work together to achieve the best result for our customers.

Next to a competitive package, we will offer you a world of opportunities: we want to see your career fly! We will support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities.

What we do at GKN Fokker Elmo

At GKN Fokker ELMO, we make wiring harnesses for aircraft, which connect all the electrical systems in an aircraft. To make the wiring harnesses, we have everything in-house from start to finish. From complete engineering to our final product, the ready-to-use wiring harnesses, we do this for well-known aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Collins Aerospace and Lockheed-Martin for both civil and military aircraft. We produce these wiring harnesses worldwide at several sites. In Papendrecht we have approximately 1200 employees. This is what GKN Fokker ELMO is all about: quality and therefore airworthiness.

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ​