Quality Engineer

Company Overview

Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Job Summary

The Quality Engineer will be responsible for the creation and implementation of detailed inspection plans, ensuring that parts are inspected and tested to meet quality standards. In this role, you will collaborate closely with design engineers to ensure that products are designed for ease of inspection and quality assurance during manufacturing.

Responsibilities

Quality Planning and Inspection

• Develops detailed inspection plans for new and existing parts, ensuring that all critical characteristics are thoroughly evaluated during production. Special emphasis on plans requiring use of advanced metrology equipment such as laser trackers and scanners for complex assemblies.
• Establishes and implements quality control procedures and protocols, including sampling plans, testing methods, and acceptance criteria.
• Coordinates with production teams to ensure that inspection activities align with production schedules and timelines.
• Conducts regular audits of manufacturing processes and inspections to ensure compliance with quality standards and regulatory requirements.

Engineering and Design Support

• Provides engineering support to ensure that parts are designed with inspectability in mind, offering suggestions to improve inspection efficiency and effectiveness.
• Engineers and leads efforts for plant layout and installation of large skids and vessels inside enclosures.
• Conducts reverse engineering of parts and components to provide 3D models and dimensional feedback to engineering and manufacturing personnel.

Training

• Provides training to metrology and tooling team members in use and best practice on laser inspection equipment.
• Provides training and guidance to manufacturing teams on quality standards, inspection methods, and defect prevention techniques.

Root Cause Analysis and Continuous Improvement

• Performs root cause analysis and works with cross-functional teams to resolve quality issues that arise during production or post-production.
• Supports continuous improvement initiatives by identifying areas for process optimization and quality enhancement.
• Supports project management efforts to integrate new technologies, equipment, or processes that enhance quality and production efficiency. 

Supplier and Material Quality Management

• Collaborates with suppliers and vendors to ensure that incoming materials meet the necessary specifications and quality standards.

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Minimum 10+ years of proven experience in quality engineering, inspection planning, and root cause analysis.
• Expert in Verisurf or other quality inspection software.
• Familiarity with quality standards such as ISO, ASQ, or Six Sigma methodologies.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across multiple teams.
• Experience with statistical analysis tools (e.g., Minitab, SPC) and quality control methods.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and their impact on product quality.
• Proficiency with advanced metrology and inspection tools.
• Ability to work with highly collaborative team.
• Ability to problem solve quickly and efficiently.
• Ability to proactively collect, manage and transfer knowledge.
• Ability to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges and issues.
• Prioritizes and ensures safety of oneself and others.

Physical Demands

• Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts and the like
• Setting up and transferring temporary structures (e.g. scaffolding, ladders)
• Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces
• Remaining in a stationary position for prolonged periods
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another
• Adjusting, moving, transporting, installing,