Incoming Quality Inspector

Goods Inwards / Incoming Quality Inspector (Stores & Manufacturing)

Stevenage Onsite Defence Manufacturing

Why apply?

• Supporting a major UK defence programme
• Clearly defined role focused on goods inwards & stores inspection (not bench/final inspection)

The opportunity

As a trusted partner to the UK Ministry of Defence, our client is seeking an experienced Goods Inwards / Incoming Quality Inspector to join their established manufacturing site in Stevenage. This role is critical to ensuring all incoming materials and components meet purchase order, contractual, and quality requirements before entering production. You will play a key part in protecting compliance, supporting manufacturing schedules, and maintaining the highest standards within a safety critical, regulated environment.

What you'll be doing

• Inspect and verify all incoming goods against purchase orders, delivery notes, and quality documentation
• Formally accept procured products in line with approved standards and contractual conditions
• Read and interpret engineering and assembly drawings, including dimensional tolerances and machined features
• Inspect components for damage, surface finish, paint defects, and first off requirements where applicable
• Complete, maintain, and update accurate inspection and quality records, ensuring full traceability
• Validate delivery paperwork and system entries to support audit and compliance requirementsMeet agreed inspection turnaround times to support manufacturing demand
• Identify, segregate, and control non conforming material, raising and maintaining NCRs as required
• Support product verification and approval activities, including audits and PCB inspection where applicable
• Maintain compliance with manufacturing, quality, and safety procedures while contributing to a safe, organised working environment

What we're looking for Essential experience

• Proven goods inwards, incoming inspection, or stores inspection experience within a manufacturing or regulated environment
• Strong understanding of inspection requirements for safety critical components
• Experience managing receipt, verification, traceability, and non conformance control
• Confidence working with inspection documentation, delivery paperwork, and quality records

Please note: This role requires goods inwards / stores inspection experience. Final or bench mechanical inspection experience alone is not suitable.

Qualifications (one of the following)

• Advanced / Level 3 Electrical, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Apprenticeship
• Level 3 academic qualification (ONC / Diploma or equivalent) AND Level 3 vocational qualification (NVQ) (NVQ not required if a Level 3 apprenticeship standard has been achieved)

Additional skills

• Manual handling and ESD awareness
• SAP experience is desirable but not essential

Security clearance

Due to the nature of the work, British citizenship is required. All successful candidates will undergo BPSS (Basic Personnel Security Standard) clearance after offer stage, supported by the client's security team.

More about the role

For more than 70 years, our client has been in a strong partnership with the UK military. They have accomplished numerous milestones in defence engineering and have provided essential defence capabilities to meet the requirements of the armed forces across land, sea, and air.

This role is based at our client's headquarters in Stevenage, a key location for missile operations. The site offers excellent transportation links, an onsite gym, and a coffee shop.