Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Nuclear Quality Assurance Analyst

🎯 Role Definition

The Nuclear Quality Assurance Analyst is a compliance-focused professional responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining quality assurance programs that ensure nuclear safety, meet regulatory requirements (e.g., NRC 10 CFR, 10 CFR Part 21), and comply with industry standards such as NQA-1, ASME, and ISO. This role leads audits and assessments, manages nonconformances and corrective actions, supports procurement and supplier oversight, and provides technical QA input across engineering, operations, manufacturing, testing, construction, and maintenance activities. The ideal candidate combines detailed knowledge of nuclear QA regulations with practical experience in auditing, document control, and cross-functional communication to drive quality improvements and regulatory readiness.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Quality Inspector / Quality Technician (Nuclear or manufacturing)
Nuclear Technician / Reactor Operations Support
Supplier Quality Engineer or QA Engineer (non-nuclear)

Advancement To:

Senior Nuclear Quality Assurance Analyst
Nuclear QA Lead / QA Manager
Compliance Manager / Regulatory Affairs Manager
Nuclear Safety & Quality Director

Lateral Moves:

Supplier Quality Engineer (nuclear supply chain)
Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Configuration Management Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, maintain, and implement the Nuclear Quality Assurance program in accordance with NQA-1, NRC regulations (10 CFR Part 50, Part 21), ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, and applicable company procedures; ensure program documents are current, auditable, and aligned with project and site requirements.
Lead and perform internal quality audits, supplier audits, vendor surveillance, and subcontractor assessments to verify compliance with contractual, regulatory, and technical quality requirements; prepare audit reports with clear findings, risk ratings, and recommended corrective actions.
Manage the nonconformance and corrective action process (NCR/CAR/CAPA) from discovery through investigation, root cause analysis, disposition, implementation of corrective actions, verification of effectiveness, and closure, maintaining traceability and auditability for regulatory inspections.
Support and coordinate regulatory inspections and interactions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), state regulators, or third-party oversight organizations; prepare documentation, respond to regulatory requests for information, and facilitate on-site briefings.
Review technical documents, design changes, procurement specifications, test procedures, inspection plans, and quality plans for QA compliance; identify and disposition quality issues, discrepant material reports, and deviations to ensure safety-significant requirements are preserved.
Establish and maintain document control, records retention, and quality records systems for nuclear projects and operations; ensure records meet regulatory retention requirements and are retrievable for audits and inspections.
Perform supplier qualification, performance monitoring, and oversight activities including review of supplier quality plans, surveillance of manufacturing and testing activities, witnessing of critical tests, and verification of material traceability and certification.
Implement and maintain configuration management practices to ensure controlled changes, baseline documentation, and engineering release integrity for safety-related equipment and documentation.
Develop, review, and maintain quality procedures, work instructions, checklists, and policies to ensure consistent implementation of QA controls across programs, projects, and site operations.
Participate in design control and verification activities for safety-related systems including verification of verification and validation activities, independent checks, and requirements traceability for nuclear components and software.
Perform surveillance and inspection activities during fabrication, installation, testing, and commissioning to verify workmanship, dimensional conformity, weld quality, NDE results, and adherence to acceptance criteria.
Coordinate and oversee non-destructive examination (NDE) programs (e.g., radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, dye penetrant) and ensure NDE personnel and procedures meet ASME/NQA-1 and site-specific requirements.
Ensure calibration status of measuring and test equipment (M&TE) is maintained and documented; coordinate calibration schedules, re-certifications, and M&TE control to support traceable test results.
Lead or support root cause analysis workshops using formal methods (e.g., 5-Why, Fishbone, Fault Tree Analysis) for quality events, safety issues, and recurring defects to identify systemic improvements and risk mitigation.
Develop and track quality metrics, trending analyses, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor program performance, identify trends, and provide management reporting for continual improvement and operational readiness.
Provide QA input to procurement and contract reviews to ensure technical and quality clauses (including flow-down of NQA-1 and 10 CFR Part 21 requirements) are properly incorporated into purchase orders and subcontract agreements.
Review and witness acceptance testing, hydrostatic testing, pressure testing, and functional testing of safety-related systems to ensure tests are performed per procedure and that test records meet QA requirements.
Support project commissioning and turnover activities by verifying completion of QA hold points, punch lists, as-built documentation, and final quality packages prior to turnover to operations.
Train and mentor engineers, inspectors, and craft personnel on quality assurance requirements, QA culture, procedural compliance, and lessons learned from quality events and audits.
Maintain and enforce safety culture expectations and human performance tools within QA activities, promoting a questioning attitude, conservative decision-making, and adherence to nuclear safety principles.
Evaluate supplier corrective action responses and effectiveness; close out supplier nonconformances only after satisfactory verification and documentation of implemented corrective actions.
Participate in cross-functional risk assessments, FMEA/FMECA, and hazard analyses to identify quality-related risks and translate findings into QA controls and inspection points.

Secondary Functions

Support the development of quality-related training materials, onboarding documentation, and competency assessments for QA and operations personnel.
Assist in data collection and reporting for management dashboards, regulatory reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives related to quality performance.
Provide subject-matter expertise for proposals, technical bids, and contract negotiations when QA clauses influence scope, schedule, or cost.
Collaborate with engineering, procurement, construction, operations, and safety teams to resolve emergent quality concerns and reduce repeat deficiencies.
Contribute to supplier performance improvement initiatives, including corrective action plan reviews, supplier coaching, and joint process improvement activities.
Participate as a QA representative in project change control boards and design review meetings to ensure quality and regulatory impacts are understood and mitigated.
Support limited software quality assurance (SQA) activities for software used in safety-significant applications including verification of software QA processes and documentation where applicable.
Provide periodic on-site surveillance during critical maintenance activities, outages, or refueling campaigns to maintain QA oversight of safety-significant work.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge base of industry standards, regulatory changes, and best practices in nuclear quality assurance and propagate changes into site programs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Comprehensive knowledge of Nuclear Quality Assurance standards and regulatory requirements: NQA-1, 10 CFR Part 50, 10 CFR Part 21, ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, and NRC inspection guidance.
Experience performing and leading internal and vendor/supplier audits to ISO, NQA-1, or company-specific QA programs; certified Lead Auditor (e.g., IRCA, ASQ) is highly desirable.
Strong expertise in nonconformance control, corrective action systems (CAR/NCR/CAPA), and formal root cause analysis methodologies.
Supplier qualification and oversight skills including review of quality plans, witnessing of tests, verification of material traceability, and supplier performance metrics.
Proficiency in document control and electronic quality management systems (EQMS) such as Q-Pulse, Intelex, Documentum, SharePoint, or similar systems.
Practical knowledge of welding codes and inspection (ASME Section III, welding procedure qualifications), NDE methods, and welder/inspection certifications management.
Experience with calibration programs and M&TE control to maintain traceability and acceptance of test equipment and instruments.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, procedures, test protocols, and quality records.
Familiarity with configuration management processes, design change control, and requirements traceability for safety-related components and systems.
Competency in QA data analysis and trending using Excel, Power BI, or equivalent tools; ability to develop KPIs and management reports.
Knowledge of software quality assurance concepts when applicable to control systems, testing tools, and engineering software.
Experience preparing for and supporting regulatory inspections and audits, including documentation preparation and on-site coordination.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills for preparing clear audit reports, corrective action documentation, and regulatory responses.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail and methodical investigative approach.
Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams, negotiate quality requirements with suppliers, and escalate issues appropriately.
High level of integrity, ethical decision-making, and a demonstrated commitment to nuclear safety culture.
Time management and organizational skills to prioritize multiple projects, audits, and corrective actions under tight deadlines.
Coaching and mentoring skills to develop QA competencies across engineering and operations teams.
Adaptability and resilience working in dynamic, regulated environments such as nuclear construction, outages, or manufacturing.
Teamwork and stakeholder management skills to work collaboratively across procurement, engineering, operations, and regulatory affairs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Quality Assurance, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field; or equivalent technical experience with proven nuclear QA experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Quality Systems, or related discipline.
Professional certifications such as ASQ CQA (Certified Quality Auditor), CQE (Certified Quality Engineer), or Certified Lead Auditor for ISO/NQA standards are preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Nuclear Engineering
Mechanical / Electrical Engineering
Quality Systems / Industrial Engineering
Regulatory Affairs / Safety Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12+ years of progressive experience in quality assurance within the nuclear industry, nuclear manufacturing, engineering, or regulated energy sectors.

Preferred:

7+ years of direct nuclear QA experience including audits, NRC compliance, supplier oversight, and corrective action system administration.
Demonstrated experience with NQA-1 implementation, ASME code application, and direct support of regulatory inspections or licensing activities.
Experience in outage QA support, commissioning/turnover processes, or safety-related procurement and fabrication is highly desirable.