Quality Advisor, Projects & Operations

Job Title: Quality Advisor, Projects & Operations

Location: Houston, TX (Hybrid)

Estimated Duration: 12 Months

The Quality Advisor, Projects & Operations provides quality assurance oversight and program support for pipeline construction, maintenance and integrity activities across U.S. operations.
This role supports safe, compliant, and reliable execution by verifying that work is planned, performed, inspected, documented, and closed in accordance with applicable regulations, approved specifications and the clients Quality Management System.
The position combines field surveillance, supplier and contractor oversight, audit support, nonconformance management, and quality program administration to ensure work is traceable, verifiable, and audit-ready.
Key Responsibilities
Field, Construction, and In-Service Quality Oversight

• Perform risk-based field surveillance and verification of pipeline, facility, maintenance, integrity, and operational work against approved drawings, specifications, procedures, inspection and test plans, and quality requirements.
• Support hold points, witness points, progressive inspection, turnover readiness, and return-to-service verification.
• Verify that personnel, procedures, materials, equipment, inspection methods, and records meet applicable qualification, traceability, and acceptance requirements.
• Document inspection results, observations, deficiencies, and follow-up actions in clear, auditable records.

Desktop Quality Review and Documentation Verification

• Review quality documentation for completeness, accuracy, traceability, and conformance, including inspection records, welding and NDE reports, test packages, supplier documentation, turnover packages, as-built records, and closeout deliverables.
• Perform remote surveillance and documentation-based verification of contractor, supplier, and operational performance.
• Identify documentation gaps, quality risks, recurring trends, and evidence deficiencies requiring correction or escalation.
• Support preparation of audit-ready evidence packages for internal, external, and regulatory review.

Welding, NDE, and Technical Quality Verification

• Provide QA oversight of welding, in-service welding, NDE, coating, pressure testing, and other critical quality activities, as applicable to the work scope.
• Verify use of qualified procedures, qualified personnel, approved inspection methods, and documented acceptance criteria.
• Confirm inspection and test results are complete, technically supportable, and properly retained for turnover and compliance purposes.
• Support verification of risk controls for in-service work, repair activities, modifications, and return-to-service readiness.

Supplier, Contractor, Audit, and Surveillance Support

• Plan, participate in, and support risk-based supplier, vendor, contractor, project, and program audits, including preparation, execution, reporting, and follow-up.
• Support vendor surveillance, shop inspections, source inspection planning, and review of supplier quality deliverables.
• Document audit findings, observations, opportunities for improvement, nonconformances, and corrective actions in accordance with quality program requirements.
• Verify corrective action completion and effectiveness, and escalate unresolved or systemic quality issues.

Quality Program Support and Continuous Improvement

• Support development, implementation, and maintenance of QA tools, templates, procedures, checklists, surveillance plans, audit schedules, and guidance documents.
• Compile, analyze, and report quality performance data, including NCR/CAPA status, audit results, inspection outcomes, documentation gaps, rework, and recurring trends.
• Prepare dashboards, quality reports, briefing materials, and management review inputs to support program visibility and decision-making.
• Contribute to quality governance, lessons learned, quality alerts, procedure reviews, continuous improvement actions, and alignment with Quality Management System expectations.
• Coordinate with projects, operations, engineering, supply chain, document control, contractors, suppliers, and third-party inspectors to support consistent QA execution.

Nonconformance, CAPA, and Issue Management

• Identify, document, communicate, and support control of nonconforming work, materials, documentation, and supplier deliverables.
• Support NCR initiation, disposition tracking, closeout, and verification of corrective and preventive actions.
• Perform trend analysis using NCR, audit, inspection, and documentation data to identify systemic issues and improvement opportunities.
• Ensure nonconforming conditions are controlled to prevent unintended use, acceptance, or progression of work.

Applicable Codes, Standards, and Industry Practices
The successful candidate should demonstrate working knowledge of applicable U.S. pipeline regulatory requirements, company specifications, project quality requirements, and industry practices, including as applicable:

• 49 CFR Parts 195 – U.S. pipeline safety requirements for hazardous liquid pipelines
• API 1169 – Pipeline construction inspection practices and inspector responsibilities
• API 1104 – Welding of pipelines and related facilities
• API RP 1173 and API RP 1177 – Pipeline safety management systems and construction quality management practices
• ASME B31.4 / B31.8 – Liquid and gas pipeline systems, as applicable
• ASME Section IX and applicable NDE qualification practices, including ASNT SNT-TC-1A where specified
• Applicable company standards, specifications, procedures, and project quality requirements

 
Qualifications
Required Qualifications

• API 1169 Pipeline Construction Inspector Certification required or strongly preferred based on assignment scope.
• 8+ years of experience in pipeline, facility, construction, maintenance, integrity, operations, QA/QC, inspection, supplier quality, or related energy infrastructure work.
• Demonstrated experience with field surveillance, desktop documentation review, audit support, NCR/CAPA management, contractor oversight, supplier/vendor surveillance, and quality program support.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. pipeline regulatory requirements, industry standards, construction practices, quality documentation, and audit-ready evidence expectations.
• Ability to work independently across field, office, and remote environments while coordinating with multi-disciplinary stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional certifications such as CWI, NDE, API 570, API 510, API 653, lead auditor, or other relevant inspection/audit credentials.
• Experience supporting regulatory audits, quality management systems, pipeline safety management systems, supplier qualification, and contractor performance oversight.
• Experience developing or maintaining QA tools, inspection checklists, surveillance plans, quality metrics, dashboards, and management review inputs.
• Experience supporting pipeline construction, facility work, integrity digs, in-service welding, maintenance, MOC, and return-to-service activities.

Core Competencies

• Sound judgment, independence, and professional credibility in field and office-based QA environments.
• Strong understanding of quality assurance, inspection, audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and evidence-based verification.
• Ability to interpret specifications, procedures, records, inspection results, and quality data to identify gaps, risks, and nonconformances.
• Strong communication, documentation, reporting, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Ability to support program-level QA activities, including planning, tracking, reporting, metrics, continuous improvement, and cross-functional alignment.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid role involving field assignments, office work, and remote quality assurance support.
• Travel to construction sites, operating facilities, supplier shops, fabrication locations, and contractor work locations may be required.
• Work may involve interaction with project management, engineering, operations, construction, supply chain, document control, contractors, suppliers, and third-party inspection personnel.
• Occasional schedule flexibility may be required to support project, outage, audit, inspection, or operational needs.