Engineering Quality Assurance Specialist at SARAO - South African Radio Astronomy Observatory

Job Details
The National Research Foundation (NRF) (www.nrf.ac.za) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) (www.sarao.ac.za) spearheads South Africa’s activities in the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope, commonly known as the SKA, in engineering, science and construction. SARAO is a National Facility managed by the National Research Foundation and incorporates radio astronomy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT in the Karoo, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in Gauteng, the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry (AVN) programme in nine African countries as well as the associated human capital development and commercialisation endeavours.

The purpose of the role is to ensure adherence to quality standards and regulatory requirements in engineering projects. This involves developing, implementing, and maintaining quality control procedures and processes, as well as maintaining accurate documentation. The role includes tasks such as reviewing and approving design and project artifacts, ensuring compliance with regulations and customer requirements, and identifying opportunities for improvement. Field compliance audits, reviewing concessions, and participating in project reviews are also part of the responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities:

•  Develop, implement, and maintain engineering quality control procedures and processes to ensure adherence to quality standards and regulatory requirements.
•  Maintain accurate and comprehensive quality assurance documentation, including test plans, procedures, reports, and records. Review and approve/release of design and project artifacts.
•  Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, industry standards, and customer requirements. Monitor/review on an ongoing basis in conjunction with the SARAO SHEQ group adherence to quality and regulatory standards to identify opportunities for improvement to increase efficiencies and improve quality.
•  Performing field compliance audits in accordance with project specifications and scope of work as noted within the Project Quality Plan.
•  Review and approve all Project Quality Concessions. Participate in Project Reviews.
•  Perform regular audits of construction and/or production processes, documentation, and records to ensure compliance with quality standards and specifications. Investigate and document non-conformance issues, track corrective and preventive actions, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement solutions. Also responsible for monitoring and evaluating their performance in relation to all quality-related aspects.
•  Continuously monitor and analyse quality data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for process optimization and quality enhancement.
•  Provide training and guidance to employees on quality control procedures, standards, and best practices. Support all stakeholders, including project managers, engineering teams, design consultants, construction management, and contractors, in implementing quality standards, plans, and procedures.
•  Collaborate with suppliers to ensure adherence to quality standards, conduct supplier audits, and address quality-related issues.
•  Contribute to the development, implementation, and maintenance of an effective quality management system.

Key Requirements:
Qualification:

•  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or an equivalent technical qualification in manufacturing or construction environment
•  Professional accreditation with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), South African Quality Institute (SAQI), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), and/or Equivalent (Advantageous)

Experience:

•  Minimum of 5 years of proven experience in quality management within a technical, manufacturing, or construction environment, preferably for large-scale projects.
•  Experience with managing field engineering, inspection, and Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) related to all QA/QC functions
•  ISO 9001: 2015 Auditing Experience
•  Development and Implementation of ISO 9001:2015 QMS

Knowledge:

•  Proven experience in quality assurance roles, preferably in a technical, manufacturing and/or construction environment for largescale projects
•  Strong knowledge of quality control methodologies, tools, and best practices.
•  Familiarity with relevant industry standards, regulations, and quality management systems (i.e. ISO9001, SABS, SANS).
•  Proficiency in using quality assurance software, testing tools, and MS Office applications.
•  Systems engineering processes and procedures.
•  Configuration management
•  Document control
•  Engineering change control

Additional Notes:
Skills/Ability/Competencies

•  Excellent communication – both verbal and written, in English
•  Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
•  Efficiency in a high-pressure environment
•  Proactive
•  Capable of dealing with uncertain environments and reducing uncertainty
•  Proficient in Root Cause Analysis & Problem-solving
•  Strong decision-making
•  Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy in quality assessments.
•  Well-developed relationship and influencing skills
•  Ability to collaborate and work effectively within cross-functional teams.
•  Willingness to work outside normal hours
•  No constraints on ability to travel within South Africa and Internationally
•  Interacting with multi-disciplinary teams