Principal Quality Engineer

About the Role

As a Principal Supplier Quality Engineer you will lead others in multiple quality assurance tasks to ensure externally sourced products meet the quality and technical requirements defined by Westinghouse. Within this role the primary focus will be to manage teams in the execution of complex plans for supplier program development, oversight, and quality verification activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Support Technical and Quality Evaluations of suppliers for nuclear-grade products.
• Oversee the manufacturing, implementation, and analysis of complex technical products, processes and systems.
• Have broad knowledge of procedures and lead in the resolution of complex problems.
• Provide specialized knowledge as an experienced quality engineer in one or more technical or quality competencies and have achieved or are approaching the level of subject matter expert in one or more technical or quality areas.
• Develop and execute supplier surveillance and oversight plans (Witness/Hold points) that ensure compliance with engineering, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Resolve supplier quality issues improving design integrity, material performance, or code compliance.
• Evaluate supplier quality plans and manufacturing processes to align with Westinghouse engineering specifications, drawings, codes, and acceptance criteria.
• Perform independent verification activities, i.e., assessments and oversight, to verify that Westinghouse QSL suppliers have established an effective quality management system. This system must be implemented and sustained to assure that the "nuclear safety related" or "augmented safety" items, material, and/or services being provided to Westinghouse meet the quality assurance, regulatory, and customer requirements specified within purchasing documents.
• Partner with Engineering, Procurement, QA, and Project teams to ensure supplier activities meet technical, schedule, and budget requirements.
• Create certification documents, which identify the procurement requirements met by the purchased material or equipment, such as codes, standards, engineering specifications and customer requirements.
• Lead assessments of the global supply base to ensure compliance with applicable U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations, ASME codes and standards and Westinghouse engineering requirements.
• Evaluate supplier quality plans and processes to verify compliance to quality and technical requirements defined by Westinghouse Engineering
• Apply advanced quality control techniques and statistical methods for collection of deficiency information to identify failure causes and trends, rate performance and measure the effectiveness of supplier QA programs, and internal processes.
• Write detailed segments of QA plans/programs according to current NRC, Westinghouse and customer QA standards for nuclear and non-nuclear facilities. Implement policies on scope and retention requirements of quality assurance documentation.
• Responsibilities typically include setting daily operational goals for individuals or small teams. Mentor less experienced engineers and provide leadership by example to ensure practices are understood and followed by less experienced engineers. You will contribute to solutions to the complex aspects of a project or process. Work is generally independent and collaborative in nature.

Qualifications

• The employer requires a bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering.
• 10 plus years of related experience.
• An NQA-1 Certified Lead Auditor certification is desirable.
• Proficient in reading and interpreting technical drawings and specifications.
• Capability to explain QA procedures to internal personnel and external customers, subcontractors, suppliers and licensees relative to Westinghouse quality related products and services.
• Demonstrated ability using structured, analytical questioning approach to assess risks, develop solutions, and prioritize work.
• Commitment to personal, industrial, and nuclear safety.

Pay

We estimate the base salary range for this position, which depends upon qualifications, to be $103,200 to $129,000 per year.