Quality Engineer - Automotive

QUALITY ENGINEER – AUTOMOTIVE | PAINT & INJECTION MOULDING

We are looking for a hands-on Quality Engineer from an Automotive manufacturing environment to join a growing operation in Essex.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced engineer who wants to take ownership of quality, develop processes and build a quality team from the ground up.

The ideal candidate will have strong technical expertise in paint processing and surface finishing, with experience working with plastic and metal components, alongside a solid understanding of plastic injection moulding.

Key Responsibilities

• Own quality across injection moulding, paint spraying and final inspection.
• Identify and resolve product and process defects.
• Develop quality standards, inspection procedures and defect catalogues.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Work closely with Production and Engineering to reduce defects, scrap and rework.
• Drive process improvement and quality standards across the operation.
• Establish and develop the quality function and build a team from the ground up.

Essential Experience

• 3+ years' experience in Quality Engineering within Automotive/manufacturing.
• Strong hands-on experience in paint spraying, paint processing or surface finishing.
• Expert knowledge of paint defects and application processes.
• Experience painting plastic and metal components.
• Strong knowledge of plastic injection moulding.
• Experience with root cause analysis, corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Practical, hands-on approach with strong problem-solving skills.

Desirable

• Automotive OEM / Tier 1 / Tier 2 experience.
• Automated or robotic paint systems.
• APQP, PPAP, 8D, FMEA or SPC knowledge.
• Experience establishing quality systems and building teams.

The Opportunity

This is not simply a traditional Quality Engineer role. You will have genuine ownership and the opportunity to shape the quality function, improve manufacturing processes and build a team as the business grows.

We are particularly interested in candidates from a Paint Technician, Paint Process Engineer, Quality Engineer or Manufacturing Engineering background.

Immediate start available.