Quality Assurance Professional

Delivering excellence. Empowering capability. Supporting global engineering. At Thorn SDS, we are passionate about delivering expert engineering, technical, and quality services to our customers across defence, aerospace, and highly regulated sectors. As our organisation continues to grow, we are looking for a skilled Quality Assurance Professional to join our Engineering function and help us deliver the highest standards of quality, assurance, and technical governance. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a dedicated technical Skill Group, collaborating with talented engineers across multiple disciplines while supporting critical UK defence programmes. Why join Thorn SDS? Work on high-impact engineering and quality programmes for government and industry Contribute to complex acquisition, support, and delivery activities across multiple domains Be part of a collaborative, people-centred organisation that values expertise and professional development Build a rewarding career with access to coaching, mentoring, and recognised professional accreditation Influence supply chain capability, risk management and quality delivery across large-scale engineering projects What you’ll be doing As a Quality Assurance Professional at Thorn SDS, you will play a key role in ensuring our customers receive robust, dependable, and compliant engineering outcomes. Quality, Requirements & Technical Leadership Generate, review, and manage technical quality requirements and documentation for system acquisition and support Lead or support quality investigations, root-cause analysis, performance improvements, and supplier escalations Ensure projects adhere to relevant legislation, regulation, policies, and standards across quality, safety, security, and sustainability Risk, Design & Assurance Identify, communicate, and manage quality risks and opportunities Plan and coordinate supplier surveillance, audits, and assurance activities Support verification, validation, evaluation, and acceptance processes throughout the equipment lifecycle Supplier & Stakeholder Management Provide high-quality QA guidance to delivery teams, suppliers, and stakeholders Support supplier selection and contract award through structured QA governance Ensure supplier compliance, capability, and performance are independently assured Project, People & Resource Management Develop and help deliver Government Quality Assurance (GQA) strategies across medium to large projects Support business case reviews and, where required, manage budgets Mentor junior team members and support the development of early careers talent Maintain your own professional development and membership with relevant professional bodies What you’ll bring Essential qualifications & experience PCQI Practitioner registration (or ability to achieve it shortly) Strong applied experience of Quality Assurance within acquisition or highly regulated environments Expertise across multiple QA specialist areas such as configuration management or standardisation Broad industry/manufacturing QA experience across multiple domains and supply chains PLUS either: RQF Level 6 engineering qualification, or RQF Level 4 engineering qualification and EngTech registration Scottish, international, or equivalent qualifications (with UK ENIC comparability) are welcome. Key skills Strong decision-making and problem-solving in technical environments Ability to manage risks and prioritise effectively Excellent communication skills across diverse stakeholders Ability to mentor and guide junior engineers Competence in analysing data, identifying issues, and recommending corrective actions Benefits 25 days Annual Leave (plus Bank Holidays) Employer Pension Contributions Group Life Insurance Dental Cashback Plan Health Cashback Plan Wellbeing Services (includes GP, Physio and Savings Benefits) Thorn Wellbeing Support Contribution Employee Referral Scheme Cycle to Work Scheme Supported Training & Personal Development Opportunities Apply Ready to make an impact at Thorn SDS? If you are passionate about engineering quality and want to contribute to programmes that matter, we’d love to speak with you. Apply today and take the next step in your career with Thorn SDS All applicants must hold the Right to Work in the UK and already possess, or be eligible to obtain, a high level of National Security Clearance.