Senior Quality Inspector

About Antares

At Antares, our long‑term mission is to make clean energy abundant from Earth to the Asteroid Belt. We’re fueled by the belief that advanced nuclear energy can strengthen our military, solve the climate crisis, elevate global living standards, and expand humanity’s presence in outer space. To achieve our mission, we’re building mass‑producible, inherently safe, deployable microreactors that can be used terrestrially, underwater, and in space.

Formed in 2023, the Antares team hails from Space

X, The White House, MIT, Rigetti Computing, The Air Force, General Atomics, Relativity Space, Ursa Major, and National Laboratories such as Los Alamos, Idaho, and Oak Ridge. Antares has raised over $130 M in venture capital from top‑tier investors and has over $13 M in government funding.

The Quality Engineering team at Antares owns the quality of the product from design through operation and decommissioning. The team works closely with all cross‑functional organizations (Mission Engineering, Mechanical Design, Nuclear Licensing) to ensure that requirements are incorporated, validated, and verified throughout the design, build, and operation of the reactor.

We are seeking a passionate quality inspector committed to ensuring our design requirements are manufactured into reliable, high‑quality products. This role will provide an array of quality assurance support across all aspects of business and manufacturing processes from receiving inspection to dimensional inspection to overall assembly and test inspections. Candidates should have experience across multiple types of manufacturing and be excited about helping build and verify our first‑of‑a‑kind reactor.

• Receiving Inspection:
  Inspect and verify the quality and documentation of incoming raw materials and finished goods to ensure compliance with specifications and purchase order requirements.
• Dimensional and Visual Inspection:
  Perform precision dimensional inspections of machined and fabricated components using hand tools, gauges, and advanced metrology equipment (e.g., calipers, micrometers, CMM). Conduct visual inspections of surfaces, finishes, and assembly fit‑ups.
• Test Setup and Result Verification:
  Review and inspect test setups, fixtures, and outcomes to ensure conformance with testing protocols and standards.
• Assembly Inspection:
  Inspect in‑process and final assemblies for fit, function, and conformance to engineering drawings and specifications.
• Documentation & Reporting:
  Accurately record inspection results, maintain quality records, and support root cause and corrective action processes.
• Training & Development:
  Assist in developing and refining inspection procedures, training materials, and qualification processes for new inspectors as the organization scales.

• High school diploma or GED.
• 3+ years of direct manufacturing inspection experience in a production, fabrication, or assembly environment.
• Proficiency with basic inspection tools and techniques (micrometers, calipers, height gauges, etc.).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, blueprints, and GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing).

• Experience with visual weld inspection (AWS or equivalent preferred).
• Familiarity with ISO 9001, AS9100, NQA‑1 or other quality management systems.
• Experience with CMM or advanced metrology tools.
• Knowledge of NDT methods is a plus.
• Experience with MES (electronic Manufacturing Enterprise Software).
• Experience with leak checks, vacuum checks, and other test validation activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for documenting inspections and collaborating with cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and support the development of scalable processes.

• Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones.

• Torrance, CA – a 145,000 sq ft brand‑new facility featuring large open spaces for team collaboration, R&D, and production, with easy access to the 405, 105, and 110 freeways. The facility is located in the heart of Los Angeles’…