Senior Nuclear Supplier Quality Engineer
Senior Nuclear Supplier Quality Engineer at Valar Atomics in Orangeville, Utah, ensuring nuclear-grade suppliers meet safety and regulatory standards through audits, CGD programs, and corrective actions.
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Torrance, California, United States
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 3+ years
- Category
- Industrial engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor degree and 5 years of nuclear experience.
- US Navy Nuclear Propulsion School Graduate and 3 years of nuclear experience.
- OR no degree + 10 years of direct nuclear experience will be considered.
- Must be able to travel 50–75% of the time, which may include weekends and extended trips as necessary.
Nice to have
- Advanced degree in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Lead auditor certification under NQA-1, ASQ CQA/CQE, or equivalent, demonstrated Nuclear Lead Auditior leadership experience; detailed hands-on experience in the nuclear auditing process.
- Experience building, implementing, and owning the full CGD program lifecycle, from methodology development through dedication record package completion and regulatory interface.
- Familiarity with HTGR, SMR, microreactor, or advanced nuclear reactor technologies and their associated supplier quality and material procurement challenges.
- Experience with TRISO fuel, graphite, refractory materials, nuclear-grade metallic components, or other advanced nuclear material supply chains.
- Prior experience with NRC inspection interface, DOE or NNSA oversight activities, or external quality system audits in a nuclear supplier quality capacity.
- Familiarity with special process qualification requirements including ASME Section IX welding qualifications, NDE method qualifications, and nuclear-grade material certifications including: Certificat
- Statistical analysis capability including process capability evaluation, MSA/Gauge R&R, and data-driven supplier performance assessment.
- Experience mentoring or leading supplier quality personnel in a technical leadership capacity within a nuclear or safety-significant environment.
Full description
About Valar Atomics
At Valar Atomics, we’re redefining what’s possible in energy. Our mission is to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable—unlocking abundant energy for industry, hydrogen, and next-generation manufacturing. We are a team of builders, engineers, and operators who believe nuclear energy should be fast to deploy, factory-made, and built for the real world. Our first pilot plant in Orangeville, Utah will demonstrate how advanced nuclear systems and fuel fabrication can power the future. Joining Valar Atomics means becoming part of a company where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level.
The Team
As part of the Regulations & Safety organization, Quality Assurance establishes the systems and standards that ensure products and processes consistently meet the highest levels of quality and compliance. The team promotes continuous improvement and operational excellence across the company.
The Role
As a Senior Nuclear Supplier Quality Engineer at Valar Atomics, you will serve as the nuclear quality assurance subject matter expert within the Supplier Quality organization. You will own the supplier oversight process, ensuring Valar Atomics’ supply chain is sound, robust, and defensible for the procurement of nuclear safety-related materials, components, and services.
You will lead the entire supplier auditing process, including planning, scheduling, execution, and reporting. Additionally, you will participate in other quality related processes including nonconformance reporting (NCR), supplier corrective action requests (SCAR), and tracking and trending activities, while interfacing directly with engineering, procurement, and construction project professionals.
You will play a central role in Valar Atomics’ Commercial Grade Dedication (CGD) Program. CGD is a process by which commercial-grade items are evaluated and accepted for use in nuclear safety-significant applications without requiring a nuclear-grade procurement. Your two primary CGD responsibilities will be: (1) reviewing and approving all CGD Plans developed or revised by the Procurement Engineering group; and (2) serving as the primary technical point of contact for any CGD procurement that requires a Commercial Grade Survey—a supplier site visit and technical evaluation to verify that the item’s critical characteristics are controlled and acceptable.
This role demands clear critical thinking grounded in detailed knowledge of engineering principles and sound engineering judgment. A working knowledge of nuclear codes (e.g., ASME, AWS, AISC, welding, and NDE) along with applicable regulatory requirements and historical industry issues is essential. Professional conduct is required at all times.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and lead supplier quality activities across Valar Atomics’ safety-significant, quality-affecting, and nuclear-grade suppliers—including reactor components, fuel system hardware, specialty materials, instrumentation, fabricated assemblies, and special process providers.