External Quality Assurance Lead

Position Description

The External Quality Assurance Lead is responsible for providing senior-level oversight of external suppliers supporting our advanced nuclear reactors and other related projects. This role is responsible for leading nuclear quality audits, qualifying and monitoring suppliers, and ensuring purchased materials, equipment, software, and services conform to applicable quality, regulatory, technical, and procurement requirements.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Serve as a Lead Auditor for external supplier audits, including audit planning, team coordination, checklist development, entrance and exit meetings, evaluation of objective evidence, issuance of audit reports, and verification of corrective-action closure.
• Provide guidance and mentoring to audit team members and internal stakeholders on audit practices, supplier oversight expectations, procurement quality controls, and evidence-based assessment methods.
• Manage supplier evaluations and qualifications, including initial qualification, requalification, scope changes, technical capability reviews, QA program evaluations, and maintenance of the approved supplier list.
• Manage supplier nonconformances, audit findings, corrective-action requests, and supplier performance issues from identification through causal evaluation, corrective action, effectiveness review, and closure.
• Develop and maintain the annual and long-range supplier audit and surveillance schedule using risk, safety significance, procurement scope, supplier performance, and project needs.
• Plan and perform supplier surveillances, source inspections, witness and hold-point oversight, and performance-based assessments at supplier facilities.
• Review supplier quality assurance programs, procedures, records, and implementation for alignment with applicable requirements, including ASME NQA-1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, procurement quality clauses, and contractual commitments.
• Partner with Procurement and Engineering to define and flow down procurement quality requirements, acceptance criteria, documentation requirements, special process requirements, inspection requirements, and applicable Part 21 obligations.
• Support evaluation of deviations, defects, counterfeit/fraudulent/suspect items, and supplier-reported issues, including escalation to appropriate internal stakeholders for Part 21 or other reportability screening when applicable.
• Ensure supplier documentation and records, such as certificates of conformance, material certifications, inspection records, test reports, calibration records, special process qualifications, and traceability records, are complete and acceptable before use or acceptance.
• Monitor supplier performance metrics, trends, and risks; prepare supplier quality status reports; and recommend supplier restrictions, corrective actions, disqualification, or enhanced oversight when warranted.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of supplier quality procedures, audit tools, checklists, qualification criteria, and oversight processes.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current documented qualification as an NQA-1 Lead Auditor, with the ability to perform all duties of a Lead Auditor under the company quality assurance program.
• Working knowledge of 10CFR50 Appendix B, ASME NQA-1 and nuclear quality assurance program implementation, including audit planning, audit performance, objective evidence review, finding development, reporting, and corrective-action closure.
• Experience evaluating suppliers, s