Supplier Quality / Development Engineer

Job description

ABOUT RADIANT Radiant is an El Segundo, CA-based startup building the world’s first mass-produced, portable nuclear microreactors. The company’s first reactor, Kaleidos, is a 1-megawatt, fail-safe microreactor that can be transported anywhere power is needed and run for up to 5 years without refueling. Portable nuclear power with rapid-deploy capability can replace similar-sized diesel generators and provide critical asset support for hospitals, data centers, remote sites, and military bases. Radiant’s unique, practical approach to nuclear development leverages modern software engineering to rapidly deliver safe, factory-built microreactors that use existing, well-qualified materials. Founded in 2020, Radiant is on track to test its first reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory this summer, with initial customer deliveries beginning in 2028. THE ROLE We are looking for a Supply Quality Engineer who builds supplier programs that prevent problems rather than react to them. You will own the development, qualification, and long-term reliability of Radiant's supply base — establishing the processes, standards, and supplier capabilities that ensure the right part arrives to the right standard, every time. While you'll have the technical depth to handle non-conformances and corrective actions when they arise, your primary focus is upstream: strengthening supplier processes, closing capability gaps, and building a supply base that performs without constant intervention. This is a builder role: the old house is being brought down, and a new foundation is being poured, but we still need to build the structure, apply the finishes, and pass final inspection. You'll own what exists, upgrade aging systems, and create something the industry hasn't seen before. We're not here to maintain the status quo in nuclear quality — we're here to raise the bar. Radiant is building a supplier reliability program from the ground up with a singular goal: the right part, to the right standard, on time, every time. If you want to do the most meaningful quality work of your career in an industry that hasn't been disrupted in decades, this is that opportunity. Responsibilities & Duties: - Own the supplier qualification and onboarding process end-to-end — pre-assessments, capability reviews, audit execution, and formal approval to the Approved Supplier List. - Own, refine, and expand quality program documentation — including quality clauses, commodity-specific requirements, and the Supplier Quality Manual — building on existing foundations and authoring what doesn't yet exist. - Develop supplier capability improvement plans — identify process gaps, partner with suppliers to close them, and track progress against defined milestones before problems reach Radiant's dock. - Own Radiant's procurement assurance and acceptance framework — define how items are accepted across supplier types and quality levels, establish purchase order quality requirements, certifications, material traceability, and compliance documentation, and build toward a graded, systematized model. - Execute supplier audits and manage supplier performance — audit against Radiant quality program requirements, author findings to closure, and drive structured improvement plans with emphasis on early intervention over lagging indicators. - Partner cross-functionally with design engineering, manufacturing, and materials teams to translate technical requirements into supplier-facing quality requirements before parts are ordered. - Process and disposition supplier quality issues when they arise — deviation requests, non-conformance reports, supplier corrective action requests, root cause analysis, and verification of corrective action effectiveness. Required Qualifications & Skills: - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Materials Science, or a related technical field - 3–6 years of hands-on experience in supplier quality, supplier development, or supplier reliability engineering in a regulated industry (nuclear, aerospace, defense, or medical device) - Demonstrated ability to independently process supplier quality transactions: deviation requests, non-conformance reports, supplier corrective action requests, purchase order quality reviews, and cert package review — without step-by-step guidance - Proven experience owning or drafting quality program documents: quality clauses, supplier requirements, inspection instructions, or equivalent - Working knowledge of ISO 9001, AS9100, or equivalent quality management systems, including supplier audit methods and corrective action management Desired Qualifications & Skills: - Experience in the nuclear industry or direct familiarity with NQA-1, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, 10 CFR 21, ASME BPVC Section III and/or VIII - Manufacturing process depth in one or more of the following: machining, welding, casting, forming, special processes, or precision fabrication — sufficient to audit a supplier's process controls and identify gaps - Certified NQA-1 Lead Auditor, or documented progress toward certification - Qualified Inspector status (ASME Section III) or working toward it - Exposure to ISO 17025 accredited laboratories or third-party inspection bodies - Experience at an early-stage company or program where processes were built or advanced, not inherited Who You Are: - You take full ownership of your domain — you identify what needs to be built or improved, write the procedure when one doesn't exist, and drive it without waiting to be asked. - You solve problems from first principles — when a standard doesn't map cleanly to the situation, you reason from the underlying requirement rather than defaulting to precedent or guesswork. - Attention to detail is non-negotiable — in a safety-critical, auditable environment, imprecision in a quality record, a clause, or an audit finding has real downstream consequences. - You hold suppliers — and yourself — to a high standard, and you're energized by preventing failures rather than resolving them — you'd rather fix the supplier's process than write the corrective action. - You care about the mission: bringing clean, reliable energy to places that need it most, and you understand that quality in this industry is not bureaucratic overhead — it's a safety imperative. - You thrive in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment where the work is hard and the stakes are real. Additional Requirements: - Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission. - Must work 100% onsite at El Segundo HQ. BENEFITS AND PERKS - Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees. - Medical: 100% up to base silver level plan for employee + 50% dependents, offers up to Platinum plans. - One Medical: Sponsored memberships for employees and their dependents. - Vision: 100% top tier plan coverage + 50% for dependents. - Dental: 100% top tier plan coverage, orthodontia extra, 50% for dependents. - Voluntary life, accident, hospital, critical illness, commuter and FSA/HSA are offered as employee contributed benefits. - 8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees. - Daily catered lunch. Free snacks and drinks. - Flexible PTO policy. Remote workday allocation. - Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and in-person camaraderie. - Beautiful El Segundo headquarters close to the Pacific Ocean. Total Compensation and Benefits Radiant compensates people for impact and invests in those who continue to raise the bar. Radiant’s new hire compensation package includes base salary, substantial equity grants, and comprehensive health benefits. Total compensation and level are determined through a rigorous evaluation of interview performance, experience, education, and qualifications, and are designed to support continued growth as scope, responsibility, and impact expand at Radiant. The best of today’s advanced reactor builders don’t wait for job postings. They join the winning team. If that’s you, contact us directly for immediate opportunities: recruiting@radiantnuclear.com. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position involves access to technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Any job offer made will be contingent upon the applicant’s capacity to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls.