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Salary: USD 190,000 - 240,000 / annual
Valar Atomics is building scalable, advanced nuclear power systems to unlock abundant clean energy for industry, hydrogen production, and next-generation manufacturing. The company is deploying a pilot plant in Utah and scaling toward commercial deployment.
As Senior Supplier Quality Manager, you will build and lead the Supplier Quality organization responsible for ensuring Valar's external supply base—spanning raw materials, fabricated components, machined hardware, special processes, calibration services, commercial equipment, and construction subcontractors—delivers materials and services that meet engineering, quality, and regulatory requirements as the company scales from prototype development through pilot operations to commercial deployment.
This is a founding leadership position within the Quality organization. You will report to the Head of Quality with a dotted-line relationship to Procurement. You will lead and develop Supplier Quality Engineers, Supplier Auditors, Procurement Engineers, and Receiving Inspectors while owning supplier qualification, supplier development, supplier auditing, source and receiving inspection strategy, and the Procurement Engineering function.
Key responsibilities include: building and leading the Supplier Quality team; owning supplier qualification and approval processes, including capability assessments, quality system evaluations, and maintenance of the Approved Supplier List; developing and executing a risk-based supplier audit program covering quality system audits, process audits, and source surveillance; supporting and mentoring the Procurement Engineering function to ensure technical requirements are clearly defined and defensible; defining and improving source and receiving inspection strategy based on safety significance and supplier performance; ensuring engineering, quality, and regulatory requirements flow down accurately through purchase orders and specifications; leading resolution of supplier nonconformances and corrective actions; establishing supplier performance monitoring including scorecards and escape tracking; supporting make/buy decisions and early supplier involvement; serving as a credible technical interface with suppliers, regulators, and customers; and helping define scalable supplier quality systems and procedures aligned with Valar's risk-informed quality framework.
You will operate hands-on today—qualifying suppliers, auditing facilities, dispositioning nonconformances—while architecting the systems and team required for high-volume commercial-scale nuclear deployment. You will partner daily with Procurement, Engineering, Operations Quality, and Construction Quality.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or related technical discipline
- 10+ years of experience in supplier quality, quality engineering, or manufacturing quality within regulated technical industries (nuclear, aerospace, defense, power generation, semiconductor, or medical devices)
- 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 (welding, NDE, heat treatment, coatings)
- 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, including extended stays during key build phases
PREFERRED:
- 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 and source inspection programs
- Experience with APQP/PPAP, first article inspection (AS9102 or equivalent), PFD, PFMEA, and process control plan review
- Experience building supplier quality organizations within scaling or startup environments
- Familiarity with supplier performance analytics and scorecard systems
