Senior Quality Assurance Officer

RTI has an opening for a quality assurance officer in the Environment Practice Area. Social, Statistical, and Environmental Sciences (SSES) is a project-based business unit for Research Triangle Institute (RTI) that conducts basic and applied research, implementation, and technical assistance to governments, foundations, and commercial clients aimed at addressing challenging issues in environment, energy, environmental health, and other key domains. We’re looking for a dynamic candidate to support improvements to project management and quality management practices for a business that is continuously growing and evolving as it tackles key national and international social and environmental issues.

With a large portfolio of contracts and grants funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, our team has a particular need for individuals who are familiar with EPA’s quality assurance processes, including QAPPs. The successful candidate for this role will contribute to the development and ongoing execution of our Quality Management System (QMS), and contribute to establishing standards and providing support consistent with RTI’s Project Management Center of Excellence.  

The successful candidate in this role is passionate about quality, continuous improvement, and committed to creating a best-in-class quality program.  They will work across diverse business lines to establish, implement, and improve project management and quality management systems and processes for a broad range of projects in the environmental domain. The person in this role will develop and document standard practices and consult with project teams to implement and continually improve project execution. 
 

This position offers opportunities for developing leadership skills, a position of high visibility and a recognized area of importance in the Environment Practice Area, the challenge of improving project management and quality management practices for a highly diverse scientific business, and the chance to impact our organization and projects addressing issues of vital national and international concern.

This position is contingent upon successful award and is based in Research Triangle Park, NC. 

• Work with cross-organizational teams to develop processes and author standards, guidelines, best practice documents, and other resources to support project management and quality management, consistent with RTI and EPA practices.
• Contribute to establishing standard business processes related to quality and project management practices.  
• Provide tools to enable consistent implementation of standard operating procedures.  (e.g., project management standards).  
• Further develop project management strategy – define new standard practices, and establish standards related to technical quality assurance.  e.g., change management, risk management, issue management, problem management.
• Drive efforts to implement standards, including development of tools for business process automation.
• Provide support services to project staff in the various aspects of RTI’s Quality Management System.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives, quality reviews, and root cause analysis (RCA) activities related to project and quality management issues, recommend and implement corrective actions, and assess impacts of actions taken.
• Support project management activities, for internal initiatives and supporting project teams in their management of client-facing projects.  Provide support, train and mentor project teams on project management and quality management topics.
• Ensure that our QMS is maintained and provide input on potential improvements to the system.
• Serve as a liaison with research-based project teams to ensure effective collaboration efforts.
• Write and review Quality and Project Management SOPs, and projects’ quality management plans.
• Advise project teams on effective and efficient application of quality system principles/requirements.

• Master’s Degree and at least 12 years of experience, PhD and at least 10 years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree and 14 years of experience.  
• Knowledge and experience managing QA/QC for environmental modeling, field monitoring and logistics, field sampling, and laboratory analyses.
• Experience leading teams and managing projects.
• Knowledge and experience with quality management principles and practices, preferably experience within a professional services and/or scientific organization.
• Knowledge and experience applying project management best practices to drive improvements in project consistency and performance.
• Ability to analyze, problem solve, organize and manage multiple priorities and excellent follow through in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse groups to define scope and attain objectives in the face of ambiguity, challenges, and competing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively convey complex information.
• Ability to analyze, define, improve and document business processes.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills. 
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status.
   

Preferred Qualifications:
 

• Experience with U.S. EPA quality assurance processes.
• Working knowledge of other systems including Confluence, Jira, Visio, MS Power Apps, Power BI, and/or SmartSheet.
• Project experience in a research-based organization.
• Experience working with a Project Management Office (PMO) or similar organization.
• Familiarity with different types of federal contracts and contract requirements and their implications for work management (for example, time and materials, fixed price, cost plus fixed fee).

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance.

Salary : $122,000 - $151,000