Quality Assurance Engineer (QAE)

Role Overview

This position protects the airworthiness, reliability, and regulatory compliance of KQ and customer aircraft by operating an independent quality assurance function across technical operations. The role blends audit fieldwork, occurrence tracking, authorization oversight, and certificate administration so maintenance work meets civil aviation and customer expectations while remaining cost-aware. Day to day, it means inspecting processes, documenting findings, verifying corrective actions, and keeping approval records current for authorities and operators.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and carry out scheduled, unannounced, and targeted audits, inspections, spot checks, and surveys across engineering and technical units, then produce written findings.
• Assess evidence collected during audits and issue formal reports to section leaders, identifying nonconformities, required corrective actions, and completion deadlines.
• Track audit responses, confirm that corrective actions have been implemented, and monitor ongoing effectiveness through follow-up surveillance.
• Enter reported occurrences into the quality assurance database, review and classify them, and submit reports to relevant authorities, customers, or operators as required.
• Support incident investigations, review authorization requests, and assist with approval examinations under the direction of senior quality engineers.
• Maintain certifying staff records, prepare authority applications, and gather documentation for certificate of airworthiness, certificate of registration, radio license issuance, and renewal.
• Compile quality assurance airworthiness statistics and provide safety-related data to senior quality personnel.
• Keep databases of maintenance approvals granted to KQ by civil aviation authorities, airlines, and certification bodies such as IOSA and KENAS; monitor validity, initiate renewals, and track KCAA approvals for organizations maintaining KQ aircraft or parts. Also process aircraft and related documentation or certificates as needed.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Aeronautical, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics Engineering.
• Ability to use standard aircraft manuals and engineering procedures manuals.
• Working knowledge of relevant civil aviation regulatory requirements.
• Basic understanding of aircraft systems.
• One of the following pathways: completed graduate trainee program or equivalent; an engineering degree plus at least 3 years of aviation engineering experience; or a diploma in a relevant engineering field plus at least 5 years of aviation maintenance experience.
• Familiarity with relevant technical procedures, basic audit processes, and root cause analysis.
• Demonstrated experience in report writing.
• Basic knowledge of industrial safety standards.
• Comfortable using relevant IT tools and systems.
• Effective communication skills.