Supplier Quality Engineer - Nuclear

Graham Manufacturing • City of Batavia, NY

12d • $83,000 - $108,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Supplier Quality Engineer is responsible for the quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and performance of external suppliers providing nuclear-grade materials, pressure-retaining components, forgings, plate, pipe, and precision piece-part machining. Serving as a qualified NQA-1 Lead Auditor, this role governs the Approved Supplier List (ASL) by conducting rigorous audits, vendor evaluations, and source surveillances in strict compliance with ASME Section III, NQA-1, and 10 CFR 50 Appendix B. The SQE collaborates cross-functionally with Procurement, Engineering, and Manufacturing to mitigate supply chain risks, enforce material traceability, manage non-conformances, and uphold zero-defect quality across safety-related applications.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials/Metallurgical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 3-5 years of progressive quality engineering experience in an ASME Section III, nuclear, naval/defense, or highly regulated heavy manufacturing environment.
• Active NQA-1 Lead Auditor qualification/certification (or documented qualification per NQA-1 Basic Requirement 2 / Supplement 2S-3).
• Direct experience reviewing CMTRs, evaluating material test results, and assessing machining/fabrication suppliers.
• ASME Section III & NQA-1 Regulatory Compliance: Thorough working knowledge of ASME BPVC Section III (Subsections NCA, NB, NC, ND), NQA-1 Basic Requirements/Supplements, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, and 10 CFR Part 21.
• Nuclear Auditing & ASL Management: Proven ability to lead supplier qualification audits, desk reviews, and on-site vendor surveillances per NQA-1 Supplement 2S-3 guidelines.
• Material Verification & CMTR Analysis: Strong technical capability in reviewing Certified Material Test Reports (CMTRs), physical/chemical test results, and heat-lot traceability records against ASME Section II specifications.
• Precision Inspection & GD&T: Proficient in mechanical inspection methods, dimensional layouts, CMM inspection reports, and Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (ASME Y14.5) for machined piece-parts.
• Root Cause Analysis & Corrective Action (CAPA): Demonstrated proficiency in structured problem-solving methodologies (e.g., 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone) to resolve supplier quality escapes.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Technical Communication: Clear written and verbal communication skills to interface effectively with external supplier management, internal engineering, procurement, and regulatory auditors.
• ERP & Quality Data Systems: Working knowledge of ERP workflows, purchasing controls, non-conformance tracking systems, and quality metric dashboards.
• Analytical Judgment & Decision Making: Sound technical problem-solving with the ability to define issues, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid engineering and quality conclusions.

Nice To Haves

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
• Working knowledge of NDE methods (PT, MT, RT, UT) and inspection acceptance criteria per ASME Section V/III.
• Experience with Qualified Material Organization (QMO) audits per ASME NCA-3800.

Responsibilities

• Plan, schedule, and execute external supplier audits and surveillances as a certified NQA-1 Lead Auditor to qualify, maintain, and expand the Approved Supplier List (ASL).
• Evaluate Qualified Material Organizations (QMO) and Quality Systems Certificate (QSC) holders per ASME Section III Subsection NCA-3800 / NCA-4000 and 10 CFR 50 Appendix B.
• Perform pre-award assessments and periodic vendor evaluations for precision machining and material suppliers.
• Monitor supplier-specific quality risks and advise Procurement, Engineering, and Program Management on sourcing risks and technical capability.
• Establish and maintain inspection plans for incoming safety-related materials, forgings, plate, piping, and machined piece-parts per purchase order requirements.
• Perform technical reviews and verification of Certified Material Test Reports (CMTRs), heat treat charts, chemical/physical test data, and Certificate of Conformances (CoCs) against ASME Section II, Section III, and project-specific technical specifications.
• Ensure complete, uninterrupted material traceability and heat-lot integrity from supplier receipt through shop release.
• Issue, track, and close Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs), driving rigorous 8D/5-Why root cause analysis to eliminate recurrent defects.
• Identify, tag, and quarantine non-conforming items; document discrepancies on Material Review Reports (MRR) and present technical data to the Material Review Board (MRB).
• Screen supplier defects and departures from technical requirements for potential reporting obligations under 10 CFR Part 2.
• Generate and defend objective quality evidence (OQE) during ASME surveys, NQA-1 customer audits, and internal QMS audits.
• Track supplier quality metrics (e.g., Right First Time, reject rates, SCAR responsiveness) and maintain operational dashboards.
• Partner with suppliers on continuous improvement initiatives to enhance machining capabilities, reduce lead times, and eliminate process variation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level