Drone Major Limited is a specialist engineering company focused on the design, integration, and delivery of unmanned and autonomous vehicle solutions, with a strong emphasis on aerial drones and supporting technologies. The company works across commercial, industrial, research, and government sectors, delivering technically robust systems that combine airframes, sensors, communications, software, control systems, and supporting infrastructure into reliable operational capabilities.

Operating as a small but highly capable organisation, Drone Major Limited values agility, deep technical expertise, and professional delivery. Quality, safety, regulatory compliance, and engineering discipline are fundamental to our reputation and to the success of the unmanned and autonomous solutions we provide.

Drone Major Limited is seeking a Quality Manager to establish, implement, and continuously improve a company-wide Quality Management System (QMS) aligned with ISO 9001 and relevant standards applicable to unmanned and autonomous systems. This role spans all parts of the business — engineering, manufacturing, integration, testing, flight operations, software development, and project delivery — ensuring that the organisation operates within a coherent, well-structured framework of policies, procedures, and controls that enable consistent, safe, and professional outputs. In addition to governance and compliance responsibilities, the Quality Manager will actively participate in engineering and project planning, ensuring that quality, safety, and regulatory considerations are embedded at the earliest stages of technical design and delivery. The position requires a strong understanding of both general quality management principles and the specific demands of drone and autonomous system development, including safety assurance, traceability, configuration control, and regulatory alignment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Quality Management System (QMS)

• Develop, implement, and maintain a scalable ISO 9001-aligned QMS tailored to unmanned and autonomous system engineering and delivery.
• Establish and control company-wide policies, procedures, work instructions, and templates.
• Ensure documentation control, version management, and auditability across all technical and operational outputs.
• Define measurable quality objectives and performance metrics relevant to drone and autonomous system delivery.

2. Governance, Compliance & Standards

• Ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and other applicable standards and guidance relevant to UAS/UAV operations, safety, and engineering practices.
• Coordinate internal and external audits, certification activities, and surveillance reviews.
• Manage corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and ensure effective closure.
• Maintain organisational risk registers and support mitigation planning related to technical, operational, and safety risks.
• Monitor evolving regulatory and industry standards affecting unmanned and autonomous technologies.

3. Engineering & Technical Quality

• Work alongside engineering and project teams to embed quality planning within project lifecycles.
• Support technical reviews, design assurance processes, and verification and validation planning.
• Promote robust configuration management, requirements traceability, and change control.
• Review engineering documentation, design outputs, and system architectures for compliance with internal standards and client requirements.
• Encourage “right-first-time” delivery through proactive engagement with technical teams.

4. Process Development & Continuous Improvement

• Identify inefficiencies, inconsistencies, or risks in technical and operational processes.
• Implement structured improvement initiatives and standardisation measures.
• Facilitate lessons-learned activities across projects involving drones, sensors, communications, and integrated systems.
• Establish data-driven reporting and performance dashboards to inform management decisions.

5. Supplier & Partner Quality

• Define quality expectations and evaluation criteria for subcontractors, suppliers, and technical partners.
• Support supplier assessments and performance reviews.
• Ensure externally sourced engineering, manufacturing, or integration work meets Drone Major standards and contractual obligations.

6. Training & Culture

• Promote a quality-first culture across all departments, including engineering, flight operations, and manufacturing.
• Provide training and guidance on quality processes, regulatory awareness, and documentation discipline.
• Encourage accountability, safety awareness, and professional standards throughout the organisation.

7. Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or equivalent professional experience in Engineering, Quality Management, Aerospace, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrable experience implementing and maintaining ISO 9001-compliant Quality Management Systems.
• Experience within aerospace, unmanned systems, robotics, defence, or advanced technology environments.
• Strong understanding of engineering lifecycle processes, technical documentation control, and audit methodologies.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with engineers, project managers, and external stakeholders.

8. Desirable Experience

• Familiarity with standards or guidance relating to unmanned aerial systems, safety management, or airworthiness-style processes.
• Experience with configuration management tools and change-control systems.
• Knowledge of additional standards such as ISO 14001, ISO 27001, or sector- specific compliance frameworks.
• Auditor certification or formal quality qualifications.
• Experience in small or growing technology companies where frameworks are being built or scaled.

9. Key Skills & Attributes

• Structured, analytical, and detail-oriented mindset.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to influence behavioural and process change positively.
• Commercial awareness balanced with regulatory and safety considerations.
• High integrity and commitment to professional standards.
• Comfortable operating strategically while remaining hands-on in implementation.

Why Join Drone Major Limited

• Opportunity to shape the quality and governance framework of an ambitious drone and autonomous systems company.
• Direct influence on engineering excellence, safety, and regulatory credibility.
• Close collaboration with senior leadership and expert technical teams.
• Exposure to diverse and technically challenging unmanned and autonomous projects.
• A culture that values professionalism, innovation, and continuous improvement.

This role is ideal for a proactive Quality professional who wants to build strong organisational foundations, support technically advanced unmanned system development, and ensure the consistent delivery of safe, effective, and professional engineering solutions.