Project Quality Specialist

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Project Quality Specialist to support both quality assurance and quality control activities and help ensure that engineering, procurement, construction, inspection, testing, and turnover work is performed with the rigor, discipline, and practical quality controls needed to deliver safe and reliable projects. Position Description The Project Quality Specialist will support the implementation and day-to-day execution of Oklo's project Quality Assurance Program in accordance with ASME NQA-1, ANSI/ANS-15.8, applicable contractual and regulatory requirements, and Oklo procedures, while also performing hands-on quality control and inspection activities. This role will be embedded with project and EPC teams and will provide quality assurance oversight and quality control verification across engineering, procurement, supplier activities, construction, inspection, testing, commissioning, and project turnover. The successful candidate will be comfortable working in both office and field environments, translating requirements into practical controls, performing and documenting inspections, evaluating objective evidence, and partnering with technical teams to identify and resolve quality issues early. Specific responsibilities may include: Support the implementation, maintenance, assessment, and continuous improvement of the project Quality Assurance Program and perform assigned quality control activities in accordance with ASME NQA-1, ANSI/ANS-15.8, applicable project requirements, and Oklo procedures. Interpret quality, contractual, technical, regulatory, and code requirements and translate them into practical project controls, procedures, work instructions, inspection plans, and acceptance criteria. Develop and maintain project quality plans, inspection and test plans, inspection checklists, surveillance plans, quality requirement matrices, and hold or witness points for engineering, procurement, construction, testing, and turnover activities. Participate in design and constructability reviews to verify that quality requirements, design inputs, interfaces, field changes, as-built conditions, and configuration controls are adequately addressed and implemented. Review procurement specifications, requisitions, purchase orders, and subcontracts to ensure appropriate quality clauses, technical requirements, supplier documentation, source inspection, and records requirements are included and flowed down. Support supplier qualification, evaluation, audits, surveys, source surveillances, performance monitoring, and issue resolution in coordination with Procurement, Engineering, and Supplier Quality. Review supplier and subcontractor submittals, quality plans, procedures, inspection records, material certifications, certificates of conformance, test reports, and final data packages for completeness and compliance. Provide field quality assurance oversight and perform quality control verification of EPC contractors and subcontractors conducting civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and controls work, including earthwork, concrete, structural steel, welding, piping, equipment installation, cable installation, and system construction. Perform and document source, receiving, in-process, construction, and final inspections; witness tests; review inspection and test results; verify objective evidence; and confirm that items and completed work meet approved drawings, specifications, procedures, codes, and acceptance criteria. Identify, document, and control nonconforming or unacceptable conditions and communicate inspection status to responsible personnel. Inspect and verify controls for special processes, including personnel qualifications, approved procedures, material traceability, environmental conditions, calibrated measuring and test equipment, welding, nondestructive examination, heat treatment, and concrete placement and testing, as applicable. Monitor construction work packages, field activities, requests for information, design changes, inspection results, punch-list items, and quality control documentation; promptly identify, document, communicate, and escalate conditions adverse to quality. Initiate, review, and track nonconformance reports, deviations, corrective actions, and related quality issues; support technical dispositions, root cause evaluations, extent-of-condition reviews, and effectiveness verifications; and confirm approved dispositions are properly implemented. Plan and perform project audits, surveillances, assessments, and field inspections of internal organizations, EPC contractors, suppliers, and subcontractors; document results and verify timely and effective closure of findings, observations, and inspection deficiencies. Ensure quality assurance records, quality control inspection records, and construction completion documentation are complete, legible, accurate, traceable, and retrievable, and support the assembly and acceptance of turnover packages and final project records. Support prevention and identification of counterfeit, fraudulent, and suspect items and ensure potential concerns are controlled, evaluated, documented, and reported in accordance with applicable requirements. Develop quality assurance and quality control metrics, inspection status reports, trend analyses, and project quality updates that clearly communicate performance, emerging risks, recurring issues, and recommended actions to project leadership. Provide practical quality assurance, quality control, and inspection guidance to Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Project Management, and contractor personnel, and promote a strong culture of quality, ownership, and continuous improvement. Support construction completion, system turnover, commissioning, readiness reviews, testing, and project closeout activities by verifying that required inspections, test results, records, nonconformance dispositions, and quality actions are complete. Minimum Qualifications: 3+ years of quality assurance, quality control, quality engineering, inspection, construction, or related experience in nuclear energy, Department of Energy work, EPC projects, or another highly regulated, technically complex environment. Working knowledge of ASME NQA-1 and/or ANSI/ANS-15.8 and demonstrated ability to apply quality assurance and quality control requirements to engineering, procurement, construction, inspection, testing, or project execution activities. Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, quality, physical science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, technical training, and relevant experience. Experience reviewing drawings, specifications, procedures, procurement documents, inspection and test plans, construction work packages, supplier documentation, and objective quality evidence. Experience personally performing field inspections and supporting surveillances, audits, nonconformance control, corrective action, and quality records activities. Demonstrated ability to work independently in an active project or construction environment, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and communicate quality concerns clearly and professionally. Ability to work on-site in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and travel to supplier, contractor, or other project locations as business needs require. Bonus Qualifications: Experience supporting nuclear facility construction, research reactor or advanced reactor projects, fuel-cycle facilities, or Department of Energy nuclear projects. Experience working directly with an EPC contractor through engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, turnover, and project closeout. Qualification or certification as an NQA-1 auditor or lead auditor, ASQ Certified Quality Auditor, Certified Quality Engineer, or Certified Quality Inspector, or a construction inspection certification such as AWS CWI, ACI, ICC,…