Operations Support Specialist V - Quality

THIS POSITION IS AVAILABLE FOR REASSIGNMENT

Responsible for planning, leading, and performing assessments of Energy Northwest quality programs and processes with a strong emphasis in Operations to ensure regulations and standards of excellence are met. Monitor plant and industry information to remain cognizant of assigned technical areas; interface with line personnel, industry contacts, and regulatory agencies with the primary emphasis applied in overseeing Operations department activities as well as the more general area of station operations. Lead and direct assessment teams consisting of auditors, plant technical specialists, and industry experts for Operations functional area. Responsible for written and verbal reporting of the conclusions of the assessments. Interpret requirements and identify potential problems in operation, design, safety, productivity, or reliability of plant processes. Implement assignments with minimal supervision.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Implement the plant Quality Assurance Program and facilitate work of plant by providing services and preventing failures and delays. Plan, lead, and perform independent oversight of Energy Northwest major programs, functional areas, and processes through use of performance-based techniques. Primary focus is expected to be applied to oversight of Operations activities. This includes written and verbal reporting of assessment results. Promote improvement of Operations activities to include the following: Identify, design, and lead assessments which evaluate Operations performance and processes. Provide critical review of selected PER dispositions from Operations personnel to ensure the quality of the product; follow up on the development and implementation of the corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Assist Operations Management by applying Operations expertise for the following:

• Licensing - Provide oversight of the Operations response for specific NRC issues and guide Licensing with the Operations response to Notice of Violations.
• Work Control and Outage Management - Investigate problems experienced in the work management area. Make decisions and guide solution implementation.
• Nuclear Training - Provide Operations management perspective at Training Advisory Group (TAG) meetings to ensure training needs of the Operations crews are being best served and met through the Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) process.
• Quality - Attend morning Leadership meetings with authority to accept and assign corrective actions necessary for improved performance. Assist the Quality Department by conducting audits. Act as the Operations technical consultant to Quality audits of Operations and Maintenance. Make decisions regarding the Operations responses to Quality audits.
• Design Engineering/System Engineering - Provide the Operations perspective on design changes and engineering issues.
• Interfacing with outside agencies such as INPO, WANO, USA, and EPRI; including conducting plant tours, identifying activities to explain, initiating interviews, and deciding what aspects of Columbia Generating Station to promote.
• Maintenance - Provide Operations leadership and experience for the development and implementation of effective and safe maintenance programs.

Routinely monitor plant and industry information to maintain cognizance of assigned technical areas. Interface with line personnel, industry contacts, and regulatory agencies.
Interpret requirements and identify potential problems in operation, design, safety, productivity, or reliability of plant or plant processes including responsibility for identification of stop work issues. This includes routine interfaces with line personnel, line management, and senior management for solutions on identified issues.

Maintain department procedures, manuals, instructions, and licensing basis documents, and perform reviews of plant and department documents such as procedures, Problem Evaluation Requests (PERs), instructions, safety reviews, and design documents.

Identify and develop new policy, programs, plans, and procedures to meet department and corporate goals.

Serve as a member of the Emergency Response Team, as necessary.

REQUIRED ABILITIES AND SKILLS

Requires the ability to:

• Direct the work of other auditors, plant technical specialists, engineers, and industry experts, and command respect at all levels.
• Apply well-developed leadership skills, including setting high standards and managing accountabilities.
• Execute plans and provide direction as needed in support of oversight activities.
• Systematically integrate many tasks into an overall plan, which minimizes duration.
• Demonstrate strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Work independently and as part of a cohesive team to successfully analyze and formulate corrective actions that will improve department and plant performance.
• Deal authoritatively and effectively with plant personnel at all levels, contractors and loaned employees, exhibit listening skills, and negotiate diplomatically.
• Capability of evaluating the technical and process control involved in operating a complex nuclear plant.
• Drive highly experienced actions, with considerable latitude for independent action with minimum supervisor direction.
• Solve complex problems quickly while minimizing conflict with others. Resolutions may be governed by company policy, industry standards, and government regulations. Available guidance may not exist to fit problems encountered.
• Apply extensive analytical and evaluative thinking skills.

DESIRED ABILITIES AND SKILLS
Desire capability to perform a root cause analysis and formulate effective corrective actions that meet company goals

REQUIRED EDUCATION
Must meet one of the following minimum qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in a technical field from an accredited college or university and ten years of experience at an operating nuclear power plant, two of which must be in the management/supervision of operational or maintenance personnel, and at least four of which must be at a commercial nuclear power plant;
OR
Six years Navy Nuclear Program experience with an additional eight years of experience at an operating nuclear power plant, two of which must be in the management/supervision of operational or maintenance personnel, and at least four of which must be at a commercial nuclear power plant;
OR
An Associate’s degree in a technical field from an accredited college or university and fourteen years of experience at an operating nuclear power plant, two of which must be in the management/supervision of operational or maintenance personnel, and at least four of which must be at a commercial nuclear power plant;
OR
A high school diploma or GED and eighteen years of experience at an operating nuclear power plant, two of which must be in the management/supervision of operational or maintenance personnel, and at least four of which must be at a commercial nuclear power plant.

DESIRED EDUCATION

• Completed a recognized Root Cause Analysis Course.
• SRO certification or NRC Senior Reactor Operators license preferred.
• Lead Auditor certification.

Salary: $103,123 minimum to $128,904 midpoint, $154,685 career excellence

Typically, selected candidates are hired at a salary rate between the minimum and midpoint of the range, based on applicable experience and qualifications, market rate, internal equity, and budgetary allowances.

Energy Northwest (EN) offers a highly competitive and substantial benefits package which allows employees (and their families) to enroll in medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Other voluntary benefits include flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, supplemental life insurances, credit monitoring, and identity theft insurance. EN offers three retirement programs to qualifying employees including a matching 401(k) deferred compensation plan, the Washington State Pension Plan (PERS), and a 457(b) savings plan. Employees will also accrue 160 hours of personal time per year and nine paid holidays throughout the calendar year.

Other available compensation includes our annual bonus program (“At-Risk Compensation” program), inducements, relocation, and various monetary recognition programs, when approved.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate due to race, color, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, national origin, veteran status or on the basis of disability.

This position is open until filled