
Quality Control Technician (Machining)
Kairos Power · Alameda, CA
- Level
- Technician
- Team
- Quality
- Travel
- 10%
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 7+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 29 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A technician-level quality role at Kairos Power (industrial) in Alameda, CA. Develop, validate, and execute inspection programs using applicable equipment, such as CMMs, portable measurement arms, and laser trackers.
- They ask for
- 7+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Root cause, GD&T, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Machining, Tooling
- Day to day
- about 10% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Quality Technician roles in the US: typical posted base $50k–$70k.
Median of the low and high ends of 23 live postings that list pay, out of 401 quality technician openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 37 other live quality postings in California.
- Experience asked
- More than usual (7+ vs 4+)
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Team leadership 47%
- ✓ Root cause 47%
- ✓ GD&T 24%
- ISO 9001 24%
- AS9100 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Machining, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Quality team at Kairos Power
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Kairos Power in Alameda
1 other open role at this site.
- Senior Director, Power Plant Engineering · Production · Director+
Full description from Kairos PowerAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Job Summary
Kairos Power is seeking a highly skilled, self-directed Quality Control Technician to perform complex inspections of precision-machined parts, fabricated components, and assemblies supporting nuclear technology development and manufacturing. This role requires advanced dimensional metrology expertise, strong manufacturing knowledge, and sound judgment when verifying components whose conformance is critical to safety, performance, and nuclear quality requirements.
The successful candidate will independently plan and execute inspections, maintain consistently high productivity, and produce accurate, traceable inspection records. They will take ownership of assigned work, anticipate and resolve inspection challenges, and communicate risks early. As a senior technical contributor, this individual will support inspection planning, mentor other inspectors, and work closely with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to improve inspection effectiveness while maintaining rigorous acceptance standards.
Responsibilities
- ◆Independently plan, prioritize, and execute complex dimensional inspections, taking ownership from initial drawing review through completion of inspection records and communication of results.
- ◆Inspect precision-machined parts, fabricated components, and assemblies for dimensional, geometric, and visual conformance to approved drawings, specifications, and inspection plans.
- ◆Develop and maintain inspection plans, measurement strategies, and reports that clearly identify acceptance criteria, inspection methods, and required records.
- ◆Interpret complex GD&T requirements, establish appropriate datum reference frames, and select measurement methods suited to feature tolerances, part geometry, and required accuracy.
- ◆Develop, validate, and execute inspection programs using applicable equipment, such as CMMs, portable measurement arms, and laser trackers.
- ◆Align 3D CAD models and measurement data to specified drawing datums, ensuring alignment methods accurately represent design requirements.
- ◆Evaluate fixturing, accessibility, temperature, part condition, and measurement uncertainty when establishing inspection methods and assessing results.
- ◆Support development and validation of in-machine probing routines for 3-axis, 4-axis, and 5-axis machining centers, including correlation with independent inspection methods where required.
- ◆Partner with manufacturing to validate setups, evaluate process capability, and troubleshoot dimensional discrepancies.
- ◆Perform inspections supporting nuclear quality
requirements
with disciplined adherence to approved procedures, required hold points, traceability, and documentation controls.
- ✓Verify drawing and model revisions, component identification, and measurement equipment calibration status before performing inspections.
- ✓Recognize ambiguous requirements, questionable measurements, and potential nonconformances; pause affected inspection or acceptance activities and escalate for resolution.
- ✓Document nonconformances objectively and preserve relevant measurement data. Verify acceptance only within assigned authority and after required dispositions or approvals are complete.
- ✓Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams to investigate root causes, implement corrective actions, and verify their effectiveness.
- ✓Provide design-for-inspectability feedback during design reviews, including recommendations on datum schemes, tolerances, inspection access, and measurement methods.
- ✓Maintain high inspection throughput through effective preparation, programming, sequencing, and coordination. Communicate workload constraints and schedule risks early.
- ✓Improve inspection efficiency by developing repeatable methods, reusable programs, and appropriate gauging or fixtures while preserving measurement reliability.
- ✓Serve as a technical resource and mentor for other inspectors, supporting training, troubleshooting, and consistency in inspection practices.
- ✓Support internal, customer, and external audits by providing complete inspection records and clearly explaining inspection methods and results.
- ✓Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work environment and protect inspection equipment from damage or misuse.
- ✓Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- ✓High school diploma or GED required; technical training, apprenticeship; an associate’s degree in metrology, manufacturing, machining, or a related field preferred.
- ✓Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in dimensional inspection, precision manufacturing quality control, or a closely related field; or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.
- ✓Demonstrated experience independently completing complex inspections and producing complete, accurate inspection documentation with minimal supervision.
- ✓Advanced proficiency interpreting engineering drawings and applying GD&T in accordance with ASME Y14.5.
- ✓Proficiency with precision measurement instruments, including micrometers, calipers, height gauges, bore gauges, indicators, and surface plates.
- ✓Demonstrated proficiency programming and operating at least one advanced dimensional measurement system, such as a CMM, portable measurement arm, or laser tracker.
- ✓Experience with dimensional inspection software such as Verisurf, PolyWorks, PC-DMIS, or comparable software. Experience with Romer arms and laser trackers prefe
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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.
