Senior Quality Engineer

Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability   At Hypersonica, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.   By joining Hypersonica, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.   We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence. What you'll do

• Stand up and run a lean, effective Quality Management System suitable for a fast-iterating hypersonic hardware programme, aligned to an AS9100 pathway without adding bureaucracy.

• Own the nonconformance process end to end: containment, root cause, corrective actions, and prevention (NCR, MRB, concessions) with tight turnaround times.

• Build the quality backbone for prototype to flight hardware, including inspection planning, traceability, and documentation discipline that supports test and readiness reviews.

• Drive supplier quality for critical components: onboarding criteria, audits (as needed), incoming inspection standards, supplier performance tracking, and rapid resolution of escapes.

• Partner with engineering and manufacturing to embed DFM/DFA + quality by design early, so we don’t “inspect quality in” later.

• Define and maintain pragmatic measurement and calibration controls (as appropriate) and ensure controlled processes for special processes where relevant.

• Create simple quality dashboards that leadership actually uses: escape rate, NCR cycle time, top defect drivers, supplier OTD/quality trends.

• Be hands-on in the build. When something is off, you are on the floor with the team finding the truth and driving the fix.

Who you are

• Quality engineer with 4+ years experience in aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, motorsport, or other high-consequence hardware environments.

• Deeply practical: you can run a QMS, but you care more about real outcomes than paperwork.

• Experienced in NCR/MRB/concessions and closing corrective actions fast with strong root cause discipline.

• Comfortable operating around flight-critical / safety-critical hardware with traceability and evidence requirements.

• Supplier-quality capable: you can hold suppliers to a high bar without slowing the programme.

• Strong judgement: you know when to apply rigor and when to keep it minimal so the team stays fast.

• Comfortable in ambiguity and pace: you will build systems from scratch and improve them as we learn.

What we offer

• A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.

• Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.

• High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.

• A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.

• A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.

• Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy.

Security and Elgibility Requirement Due to the nature of the work with the UK MOD, applicants must be a British Citizen (or Dual UK national with British citizenship) and eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) and, where required, Developed Vetting (DV) At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply.   Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential.   You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.

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