Senior Product Assurance Specialist

Senior Product Assurance Specialist
Salary: Band F (S1) £65,287 per annum
Hours: Full-Time (We understand the importance of work-life balance and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants)
Contract Type: Open-Ended
Location Science and Technology Facilities Council, UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Edinburgh. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers, technicians and business support team explore the unknown and turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. Whether it’s sending probes into space or finding new ways to treat cancer, everyone here plays a vital role in making a positive difference to society. Come and work on the kind of projects that made you want to work in STEM. The UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) is the UK’s national centre for leading-edge astronomical instrumentation and systems. We design and build instrumentation for world-leading astronomy facilities in space and on the ground. Here you will work alongside world-leading scientists, engineers and technologists to develop and build leading-edge scientific instruments. We are currently seeking a Senior Product Assurance Specialist (Manager) to join the Quality Assurance function at UK ATC. The role will support the development and delivery of a key optical subsystem for the world’s first space based gravitational wave observatory. Specifically, you will be the lead Product Assurance Specialist for this equipment. Specifically, on this equipment you will be responsible for:

• Providing PA/QA expertise throughout the product design and development phase, including safety and reliability engineering and analysis in addition to core Quality Assurance Management.
• Contributing to system requirements specification and verification, to ensure adherence of the designed and built product to all relevant quality standards.
• Maintaining the Product Assurance Plan and managing its application.
• Providing PA/QA review and approval in project gate reviews to ensure design integrity and compliance to quality standards and defined product assurance requirements.
• Interfacing with consortium partners, suppliers and the customer on all Product Assurance matters including providing appropriate support and auditing.
• Ensuring robust product data management (PDM).
• Managing the Quality Notification / Non-Conformance process for the equipment.
• Review and approval of the system failure, hazard, and reliability analysis, and associated compliance evidence.

Person Specification:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a STEM subject, or equivalent professional development.
• Demonstrate responsibility and competence to the requirements of Professional Registration e.g. UK I.Eng, C.Eng. or suitable equivalent.
• Experience of working as a Product Assurance Manager within a formal quality management system meeting the requirements of ECSS, ISO or industry equivalent.
• Experience of leading, reviewing and approving technical work and/or project or product conformance documentation; and participation in project gate reviews, engineering change control, managing non-conformance, product data management, safety and reliability, documenting and maintaining evidence of compliance.
• Knowledge of relevant space industry technical standards such as ECSS, ESCC, NASA, MIL.
• Understands some of the main engineering aspects (e.g. mechanical, optical, electronics, software), and the key physical and engineering challenges of building equipment for space flight.
• Evidence of good people and organisational skills including effective time management, prioritisation, managing the work of others, and attention to detail.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication in English.

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org. STFC offers our staff a wide range of excellent non-paying employee benefits, including but not limited to 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days) and excellent learning and development opportunities. Link to more benefits: https://stfccareers.co.uk/rewards-and-benefits/ We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Whatever our role, we have the freedom to explore, learn and connect, as part of a community that loves to share knowledge and support one another. As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, this is a place where there’s always something new to learn – about the world around us, about your career, but most of all, about yourself. Join us and discover what’s possible. The closing date for applications is 31 st August 2025.