Senior Manager, Supplier Quality

The role

You will build and lead the Supplier Quality organization to ensure the external supply base meets engineering, quality, and regulatory requirements. You will manage supplier qualification, auditing, and inspection strategies while developing a team of engineers and inspectors.

What you will do

• Build, lead, and develop the Supplier Quality organization
• Own the supplier qualification and approval process
• Develop and execute a risk-based supplier audit program
• Support and mentor the Procurement Engineering function
• Define and improve source and receiving inspection strategy
• Ensure technical and regulatory requirements are flowed down through purchase orders
• Lead resolution of supplier nonconformances and corrective actions
• Establish supplier performance monitoring and development plans
• Support make/buy decisions and new supplier selection
• Serve as a technical interface with suppliers, regulators, auditors, and customers

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 10+ years of experience in supplier quality, quality engineering, or manufacturing quality within regulated technical industries such as nuclear, aerospace, defense, power generation, semiconductor, o
• 5+ years of experience leading supplier quality teams, audit programs, or supplier development activities
• Demonstrated experience qualifying, auditing, and developing suppliers, including fabrication, machining, and special process suppliers
• Strong working knowledge of purchase order quality flow-downs, supplier corrective action (SCAR) processes, nonconformance systems, and root cause analysis methodologies
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, specifications, and technical procurement requirements
• Willingness and ability to travel to supplier facilities and Valar sites, up to 50% at times

Nice to have

• Direct experience with nuclear quality assurance programs and risk informed quality systems, including 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, 10 CFR Part 21, and ASME code procurement
• Hands-on experience establishing or leading a Procurement Engineering function
• Certified Lead Auditor (ISO 9001, AS9100, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with NADCAP special process accreditation, source inspection programs, and construction subcontractor quality oversight
• Experience with APQP/PPAP, first article inspection (AS9102 or equivalent), PFD, PFMEA, and process control plan review
• Experience building supplier quality organizations, systems, and Approved Supplier List governance within scaling or startup environments
• Familiarity with supplier performance analytics, scorecard systems, and data-driven supplier risk management

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Equity ownership
• Comprehensive medical benefits
• Unlimited PTO
• Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite
• Generous PPE stipend

Before you apply

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder)

About the company

Valar Atomics aims to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable. The company is a team of builders, engineers, and operators focused on deploying factory-made nuclear energy.