External Quality Assurance Lead

External Quality Assurance Lead

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for an External Quality Assurance Lead to join our team.

The External Quality Assurance Lead provides senior‑level oversight of external suppliers supporting our advanced nuclear reactors and related projects. The role leads nuclear quality audits, qualifies and monitors suppliers, and ensures purchased materials, equipment, software, and services conform to applicable quality, regulatory, technical, and procurement requirements.

• Serve as 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 upkeep of the approved supplier list.
• Handle 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 annual and long‑range supplier audit and surveillance schedules 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—certificates of conformance, material certifications, inspection records, test reports, calibration records, special process qualifications, 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.

• Current documented qualification as an NQA‑1 Lead Auditor, capable of performing all duties of a Lead Auditor under the company quality assurance program.
• Working knowledge of 10 CFR 50 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, supplier QA programs, quality records, procurement requirements, and implementation of quality controls for safety‑related or quality‑affecting items and services.
• Experience managing supplier oversight activities such as surveillances, source inspections, nonconformances, corrective actions, and supplier performance reviews.
• Ability to interpret technical and quality requirements in purchase orders, specifications, drawings, procedures, codes, standards, and supplier quality documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear audit reports, document findings, lead supplier meetings, and…