Quality Engineering Lead

As a Quality Engineering Lead , you will play a critical role in ensuring the quality, compliance, and continuous improvement of our medical devices throughout their lifecycle. Acting as a key technical expert and trusted partner to cross-functional teams, you will provide hands-on quality engineering support, oversee product and process changes, and help drive the successful introduction of new products into manufacturing.

In this individual contributor role, you will mentor Quality Engineers, support project governance activities, and champion data-driven quality initiatives.

What will you be doing?

• Lead Statistical Process Control (SPC), process capability, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product quality, reduce variation, and drive operational excellence across manufacturing operations.
• Analyse and improve process performance using statistical tools and methodologies, identifying trends, addressing quality issues, and delivering sustainable improvements in yield, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
• Drive root cause investigations, CAPA activities, and continuous improvement projects using Lean Six Sigma, DMAIC, 8D, and other structured problem-solving approaches to prevent recurrence and reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ).
• Provide quality leadership and oversight for product and process changes, validation activities, risk management, and new product introductions, ensuring compliance with regulatory, quality, and business requirements.
• Partner with cross-functional teams including Engineering, Operations, Regulatory Affairs, NPI, and Suppliers to improve process capability, manage quality risks, and ensure successful project execution.
• Serve as a technical quality expert during audits, inspections, customer complaint investigations, and management reviews, presenting quality metrics, trends, and data-driven recommendations.
• Mentor and coach Quality Engineers and wider operational teams, fostering technical excellence, continuous learning, and a proactive quality culture while providing delegated support to site quality leadership when required.

• A minimum of 8 years' experience in Quality & Engineering related work, with 3 or more years in a management role, knowledge of ISO13485, quality tools, statistics, process control, etc.
• Lean Sig Sigma certification required (minimum green belt, ideally black belt). Experience and thorough understanding of SPC and DMAIC / data-driven problem-solving methodology essential.
• Bachelor degree or above, at least 3 years' experience working within Medical Device / Pharmaceutical Industry.
• Strong analytical and communication skills are essential. Although direct line management is not part of this role, excellent interpersonal skills and mentor experience desirable.

Pulled from the full job description

• Annual leave
• Employee discount
• Company pension
• Paid volunteer time
• Car scheme, You. Unlimited. We believe in creating the greatest good for society. Our strongest investments are in our people and the patients we serve. Inclusion and Belonging : Committed to welcoming, celebrating and thriving on inclusion and belonging. Learn more about our Employee Inclusion Groups on our website (www.smith-nephew.com) Your Future: Generous annual bonus and pension schemes, Save As You Earn share options. Work/Life Balance: Flexible vacation and time off, paid holidays and paid volunteering hours, so we can give back to our communities. Your Wellbeing: Private health and dental plans, healthcare cash plans, income protection, life assurance and much more. Flexibility: Hybrid working model (for most professional roles). Training: Hands-on, team-customised, mentorship. Extra Perks: Discounts on gyms and fitness clubs, salary sacrifice bicycle and car schemes and many other employee discounts.

Hybrid role

Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living.