Principal Software Quality Engineer

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally.

About The Role The Nuclear Company is seeking

an exceptional and highly experienced

Principal Quality Software Engineer

to establish and drive our software quality assurance strategy.

As a Principal Quality Software Engineer, you will be a pivotal leader responsible for defining, implementing, and championing the software quality engineering vision across our rapidly expanding organization. You will architect, build, and scale automated testing frameworks and processes for critical software systems, ensuring the highest levels of reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance. This role demands deep technical expertise in software quality, a passion for building robust systems, and a profound understanding of the unique challenges and stringent requirements of the nuclear energy industry within a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities

- Quality Strategy & Vision:

- Define and drive the overarching software quality strategy, roadmap, and best practices across the engineering organization, integrating quality throughout the entire Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

- Establish quality metrics, dashboards, and reporting to provide clear visibility into software health and ensure continuous improvement.

- Automated Testing & Framework Development:

- Lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced automated testing frameworks for unit, integration, system, performance, security, and regression testing.

- Select, evaluate, and integrate cutting-edge QA tools and technologies (e.g., test automation tools, performance testing tools, static/dynamic analysis tools).

- Oversee the continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines from a quality assurance perspective.

- Regulatory Compliance & Safety Criticality:

- Ensure that all software development and testing processes adhere to stringent nuclear industry regulatory requirements (e.g., 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, NQA-1, IEC 61508, DO-178C concepts for safety-critical software).

- Develop and implement robust Validation & Verification (V&V) plans, traceability matrices, and formal testing protocols for safety-critical software.

- Collaborate with regulatory affairs and engineering teams to support licensing and certification efforts related to software systems.

- Technical Leadership & Mentorship:

- Serve as the primary technical expert for software quality assurance, providing authoritative guidance and mentorship to software engineers and QA professionals.

- Lead complex quality initiatives, troubleshoot challenging issues, and drive resolution for critical software defects.

- Foster a strong quality-first culture throughout the engineering organization.

- Process Optimization & Risk Management:

- Identify opportunities for process improvement, efficiency gains, and risk mitigation within the software development and testing lifecycle.

- Implement robust defect management processes, root cause analysis, and preventive measures.

- Champion a shift-left approach to quality, embedding testing and quality activities early in the development process.

- Cross-functional Collaboration:

- Work closely with product management, engineering, cybersecurity, and operations teams to define clear quality requirements and ensure successful product delivery.

Experience

- 10+ years of progressive experience in software quality assurance, test automation, or software engineering with a quality focus. - Minimum of 5+ years of hands-on experience in building and leading automated testing frameworks for complex software systems.

- Proven experience in the nuclear energy industry or another highly regulated, safety-critical industrial sector (e.g., aerospace, medical devices, automotive safety systems), with direct experience in regulatory compliance for software.

- Expertise in various testing methodologies (e.g., black-box, white-box, performance, security, reliability, FMEA).

- Strong proficiency in at least one modern programming language (e.g., Python, Java, C#, C++).

- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.

- Experience with test management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps, TestRail) and version control systems (e.g., Git).

- Software Quality Assurance Strategy & Leadership

- Automated Testing Framework Design & Implementation

- Regulatory Compliance for Software (Nuclear/Safety-Critical)

- Software Validation & Verification (V&V)

- CI/CD & DevOps Practices

- Proficiency in programming/scripting for automation

- Excellent Problem-Solving & Analytical Abilities

- Strong Communication (written and verbal) & Stakeholder Management Skills

- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment.

Benefits

- Competitive compensation packages

- 401k with company match

- Medical, dental, vision plans

- Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary Range

The estimated starting salary range for this role is $198,000- $228,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a semi-monthly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role.

EEO Statement

The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.