Senior Material Inspection Surveyor

Sayres Defense; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Part time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for a Senior Material Inspection Surveyor to provide essential technical engineering and acquisition support to the U.S. Navy's Boats and Combatant Craft Program. This role involves conducting material inspections, performing technical analysis, and ensuring compliance with operational and quality requirements. The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of Navy small boats, quality assurance principles, and DoD acquisition practices. This remote position offers the chance to contribute significantly to the lifecycle of maritime defense systems while enjoying a collaborative work environment focused on professional growth and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in material inspection or acquisition support.
• Active Secret clearance required for U.S. Citizens.

Responsibilities

• Conduct inspections and readiness assessments of Navy boats.
• Support acceptance trials and evaluate vendor processes.

Skills

Material Inspection

Technical Analysis

Quality Assurance Principles

DoD Acquisition Practices

Root Cause Analysis

Education

Associate's degree in Engineering

Marine Technology

Quality Assurance

Tools

Inspection Checklists

Quality Monitoring Tools

Job description

Sayres Defense is seeking a Senior Material Inspection Surveyor (part-time/temporary) to provide technical engineering and acquisition support to the U.S. Navy's Boats and Combatant Craft Program. The position involves material inspections, technical analysis, and support for acquisition lifecycle activities to ensure boats, craft, and related systems meet operational, contractual, and quality requirements.

This position is remote and based in Washington, DC with occasional travel up to 30% to support the customer.

The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge of Navy small boats and combatant craft, quality assurance principles, and DoD acquisition practices, with experience supporting Program Executive Offices (PEOs), NAVSEA, or similar maritime defense organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct detailed material inspections and readiness assessments of Navy boats and combatant craft at shipyards, OEM facilities, and operational locations.
• Review, revise, write and interpret technical data packages, engineering drawings, specifications, and contract documentation to verify compliance with program requirements.
• Support Acceptance Trials, Pre-Delivery Inspections, and Post-Delivery testing for new construction and in-service craft.
• Evaluate vendor and OEM processes, conduct root cause analysis on deficiencies, and support corrective action implementation.
• Assist government clients with acquisition planning, source selection activities, and technical evaluations related to small boat and craft procurement.
• Track and report inspection findings, quality trends, and fleet readiness issues to the government lead and acquisition stakeholders.
• Contribute to lifecycle sustainment and modernization planning through material condition assessments and technical input.
• Interface with PEO Ships, PMS 325, PMS 300, NAVSEA technical branches, and other supporting agencies as required.
• Develop and maintain inspection checklists, data repositories, and quality monitoring tools tailored to boat and craft platforms.

Qualifications

Required:

• U.S. Citizen with active Secret clearance.
• Associate's degree in engineering, Marine Technology, Quality Assurance, or a related technical field.
• 10 years of relevant experience in material inspection, systems engineering, or acquisition support-preferably with Navy small craft or maritime platforms.
• Knowledge of U.S. Navy and DoD acquisition regulations, quality standards (e.g., ISO 9001, MIL-STD-882, MIL-STD-167/2037/2045), and technical review processes.
• Experience with combatant craft, patrol boats, RHIBs, landing craft, or other high-speed naval platforms.

Preferred:

• Prior experience supporting NAVSEA, PMS 325, PMS 300, or other PEO Ships programs.
• DAWIA certification (or equivalent experience) in Production, Quality and Manufacturing (PQM), Engineering, or Program Management.
• Familiarity with shipboard systems integration (electrical, mechanical, navigation, and C4ISR systems).
• Frequent travel to shipyards, OEM facilities, waterfront locations, and test sites (up to 25-40%).
• Work may require shipboard access, climbing ladders, confined spaces, or wearing PPE in accordance with safety protocols.

The position description is only meant to be a representative summary of the major responsibilities and accountabilities performed by the incumbents of this position. The incumbents may be requested to perform position-related tasks other than those stated in this description. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

At Sayres, our employees enjoy an atmosphere conducive to realizing their potential through personal and professional development while simultaneously exceeding customers' expectations.

Sayres is headquartered in Washington, DC with offices throughout the United States and has a presence abroad.