Director of Testing & Qualification

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

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

Position Summary 
AMPERA is seeking a Director of Testing & Qualification to establish and lead the company’s testing, validation, and qualification organization. 

The Director of Testing & Qualification will be responsible for building the processes, facilities, personnel, and operational capabilities required to verify, validate, and qualify AMPERA’s technologies from concept development through commercial deployment. 

In the near term, the organization will support testing and characterization of AMPERA’s acquired supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) power conversion system, validation of design modifications, qualification of advanced TPMS heat exchanger technology, and development of product performance data supporting commercialization. 

Over the longer term, the organization will expand to support testing and qualification of reactor technologies, materials, shielding systems, reflector materials, thermal hydraulic systems, fuel systems, and integrated nuclear systems. 

The Director will establish AMPERA’s test engineering, test operations, qualification, instrumentation, data management, and test facility capabilities while ensuring testing activities are conducted safely, efficiently, and with the rigor required to support future licensing and commercialization efforts. 

This position reports to the Chief Operating Officer. 

Position Purpose 
The Director of Testing & Qualification is responsible for ensuring that AMPERA generates the technical evidence required to validate product performance, retire technical risk, support engineering decisions, demonstrate regulatory compliance, and enable commercial deployment. 

The role serves as the bridge between engineering development and operational deployment by providing independent verification of product performance and readiness. 

Key Responsibilities

Testing Organization Development 

• Build and lead AMPERA’s Testing & Qualification organization. 
• Establish organizational structure, staffing plans, and capability roadmaps. 
• Recruit and develop test engineers, test operators, instrumentation specialists, and qualification personnel. 
• Develop testing procedures, standards, governance processes, and operational controls. 
• Create a culture of disciplined test execution and objective data collection. 

Test Strategy and Planning 

• Develop company-wide testing and qualification strategies. 
• Establish test planning processes supporting product development and risk reduction. 
• Develop verification and validation frameworks. 
• Ensure test programs align with engineering, licensing, quality, and commercialization objectives. 
• Define qualification pathways for future products and technologies. 

sCO₂ Power System Testing 

• Lead planning and execution of the Power Now Nuclear Later test program. 
• Manage low-power commissioning and characterization testing. 
• Manage full-power performance testing. 
• Coordinate testing of system modifications and design improvements. 
• Ensure collection of performance, reliability, operability, and maintainability data. 
• Develop test reports and qualification documentation. 

TPMS Heat Exchanger Qualification 

• Lead qualification testing of advanced TPMS heat exchanger technology. 
• Develop performance validation, durability, thermal cycling, and reliability test programs. 
• Coordinate testing activities with engineering and manufacturing partners. 
• Generate qualification evidence supporting commercialization and future deployment. 

Test Facility Development 

• Develop AMPERA’s testing infrastructure and facility roadmap. 
• Support design and operation of future test facilities. 
• Establish facility operating procedures and safety programs. 
• Develop instrumentation, controls, and data acquisition capabilities. 
• Plan future reactor and materials testing infrastructure. 

Qualification and Certification Support 

• Develop qualification methodologies and acceptance criteria. 
• Establish processes for qualification data management and traceability. 
• Support certification, regulatory, customer, and licensing activities. 
• Ensure testing programs generate defensible technical evidence. 

Future Reactor Testing Programs 

• Develop long-range testing strategies supporting reactor development. 
• Establish capabilities for thermal hydraulic testing. 
• Support development of materials testing programs. 
• Support development of shielding and reflector testing programs. 
• Support future fuel and reactor core testing initiatives. 
• Develop roadmaps for integrated system and reactor demonstration testing. 

Data Management and Analysis 

• Establish test data management systems and processes. 
• Ensure data integrity, traceability, and accessibility. 
• Develop reporting standards and performance metrics. 
• Support engineering organizations with analysis and interpretation of test results. 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Partner with Engineering to define test objectives and success criteria. 
• Partner with Program Management to align testing with program milestones. 
• Partner with Quality Assurance to ensure test program rigor and documentation. 
• Support Commercial and Executive teams with performance demonstrations and technical communications. 

Initial Priorities

During the first 24 months, the Director of Testing & Qualification will be expected to: 

• Establish AMPERA’s testing and qualification organization. 
• Develop the company’s test governance framework. 
• Successfully execute the sCO₂ power conversion system test program. 
• Complete low-power and full-power system characterization. 
• Support validation of engineering modifications. 
• Develop and execute TPMS heat exchanger qualification testing. 
• Establish test data management and reporting systems. 
• Develop long-term reactor testing and qualification roadmaps. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline. 
• 12+ years of experience in testing, qualification, validation, product development, operations, or related technical leadership roles. 
• Experience planning and executing complex hardware test programs. 
• Experience developing test plans, procedures, instrumentation, and qualification methodologies. 
• Experience managing multidisciplinary technical teams. 
• Strong understanding of engineering development and verification processes. 
• Excellent organizational and communication skills. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Physics, or related field. 
• Experience in power generation, turbomachinery, aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, nuclear energy, or related industries. 
• Experience with thermal systems, energy systems, heat exchangers, turbomachinery, or reactor technologies. 
• Experience commissioning and operating test facilities. 
• Experience with qualification, certification, or regulatory testing programs. 
• Experience establishing testing organizations or facilities. 
• Familiarity with data acquisition, instrumentation, controls, and test automation systems. 

Characteristics of the Successful Candidate

The successful candidate is both an engineer and an operator. 

They understand that testing is not simply a technical activity but an organizational capability that produces the evidence required for engineering decisions, product qualification, commercialization, and future regulatory acceptance. 

They combine technical rigor, operational discipline, and practical problem-solving with the ability to build teams, facilities, processes, and long-term organizational capability. 

They are equally comfortable in a control room, a test bay, a design review, a safety review, or an executive program review. 

Success Metrics

• Successful execution of AMPERA’s sCO₂ testing program. 
• Qualification of TPMS heat exchanger technology. 
• Establishment of repeatable test planning and execution processes. 
• Development of test facility and organizational capabilities. 
• Production of high-quality technical data supporting engineering decisions. 
• Reduction of technical risk through effective testing and validation. 
• Establishment of the foundation required to support future reactor technology testing and qualification. 

**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.