Director of Quality Assurance

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Savings bank
• Stock options plan
• Vision insurance

Position Summary  
AMPERA is seeking a Director of Quality Assurance to establish, implement, and lead the company’s nuclear quality assurance programs as AMPERA advances from engineering design and procurement into future manufacturing and thorium fuel production operations. 

This leader will be responsible for developing quality assurance programs that satisfy applicable NRC requirements, including 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B , and applicable nuclear quality standards such as ASME NQA-1 , as appropriate.  

The initial focus will be establishing QA programs for AMPERA’s engineering design, procurement, supplier oversight, document control, records, software QA, and corrective action processes. Over time, the role will expand to include QA programs supporting AMPERA’s manufacturing operations and future thorium fuel production activities. 

This position reports to the Chief Operating Officer . 

Key Responsibilities  

Quality Assurance Program Development 

• Establish AMPERA’s nuclear quality assurance program.  
• Develop QA policies, procedures, manuals, implementing instructions, and governance processes.  
• Ensure QA program alignment with applicable NRC requirements, ASME NQA-1, customer requirements, and other applicable codes and standards.  
• Implement a graded approach to quality assurance appropriate to item safety significance and program maturity.  
• Establish QA interfaces with engineering, procurement, manufacturing, fuel production, licensing, program management, and suppliers. 

Engineering Design Quality 

• Establish QA controls for engineering design activities.  
• Implement processes for design verification, independent review, calculation control, software QA, design inputs, design outputs, and technical records.  
• Support development of configuration management, document control, and records management processes.  
• Ensure engineering quality processes support future licensing and regulatory submissions.  

Procurement and Supplier Quality

• Establish QA requirements for procurement of safety-related and quality-significant items and services.  
• Develop supplier qualification, audit, surveillance, source inspection, and performance management programs.  
• Implement commercial grade dedication processes where applicable.  
• Ensure purchased items and services meet specified technical, quality, regulatory, and documentation requirements.  

Manufacturing Quality 

• Develop the QA framework required to support AMPERA’s future manufacturing operations.  
• Establish quality planning, inspection, test, nonconformance, corrective action, calibration, material traceability, and release processes.  
• Partner with manufacturing leadership to prepare for production operations under nuclear quality requirements.  
• Hire and manage QA personnel supporting manufacturing operations as the company scales.  

Fuel Production Quality 

• Develop the QA program foundation for AMPERA’s future thorium fuel production operation.  
• Establish quality requirements for fuel process development, material control, traceability, inspection, testing, records, and nuclear material-related interfaces.  
• Build and manage the QA organization needed to support fuel production, qualification, and regulatory compliance.  

Audits, Corrective Action, and Compliance 

• Establish internal audit and supplier audit programs.  
• Develop and manage AMPERA’s corrective action program.  
• Lead quality investigations and ensure effective root cause analysis and corrective action closure.  
• Prepare AMPERA for customer, regulator, and third-party audits.  
• Serve as a principal interface for QA-related regulatory and customer engagements.  

Quality Organization Development 

• Build AMPERA’s QA organization from an early-stage foundation.  
• Define QA roles, responsibilities, staffing plans, and competency requirements.  
• Recruit, train, and manage QA personnel for engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and fuel operations.  
• Establish a quality culture that supports technical rigor, regulatory compliance, accountability, and efficient execution.  

Required Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, quality, manufacturing, or related technical field.  
• 12+ years of quality assurance experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, energy, advanced manufacturing, or another highly regulated technical industry.  
• Experience developing or managing formal quality assurance programs.  
• Working knowledge of NRC nuclear QA requirements, including 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B.  
• Familiarity with ASME NQA-1 or comparable nuclear quality standards.  
• Experience with supplier quality, procurement quality, audits, corrective action, document control, and quality records.  
• Demonstrated ability to build processes and organizations in a growing technical company.  
• Strong communication skills and ability to work across engineering, operations, licensing, procurement, and executive leadership.  

Preferred Qualifications  

• Direct experience implementing ASME NQA-1 programs.  
• Experience supporting NRC-regulated nuclear facilities, advanced reactors, nuclear fuel, or nuclear component manufacturing.  
• Lead auditor qualification or equivalent audit experience.  
• Experience with commercial grade dedication.  
• Experience with nuclear manufacturing, fuel fabrication, special nuclear material controls, or regulated material processing.  
• Experience building a QA organization from early-stage to operational maturity.  
• Experience preparing for regulator, customer, or third-party quality audits.  

Initial Priorities  

During the first 12–24 months, the Director of Quality Assurance will be expected to: 

• Establish AMPERA’s nuclear QA program architecture.  
• Develop the initial QA manual and implementing procedures.  
• Implement supplier quality and procurement quality controls.  
• Establish audit, corrective action, nonconformance, document control, and records processes.  
• Support engineering design control and configuration management implementation.  
• Define the QA roadmap for future manufacturing and thorium fuel production operations.  
• Develop the staffing plan for the future QA organization.

Success Profile  

The successful candidate is a quality systems builder with enough nuclear QA depth to establish the right program from the beginning, but enough practicality to operate effectively in a growing technology company.  They apply a graded approach to quality assurance, adding value where needed without creating unnecessary burden and inefficiencies. 

They understand that QA is not paperwork for its own sake. It is the system that ensures AMPERA’s engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and future fuel operations can withstand regulatory, customer, and technical scrutiny as the company matures.

**Compensation for this position will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. In addition to a competitive salary, Ampera offers a comprehensive benefits package, participation in the Company's equity program through Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), and relocation assistance for qualified candidates, where applicable