Fuel Fabrication Licensing and Criticality Engineer

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications - all for significant human health benefits.”

TerraPower is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced nuclear reactor research and development and influencing change within the nuclear power landscape and bringing forward the critical production of medical isotopes. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Fuel Fabrication Licensing and Criticality Engineer

TerraPower is seeking a Fuel Fabrication Licensing and Criticality Engineer to join the Natrium Fuel Design and Supply team. The Fuel Fabrication Licensing and Criticality Engineer is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining nuclear criticality safety analyses and controls supporting the fabrication of Natrium fuel. The Fuel Fabrication Licensing and Criticality Engineer will integrate criticality safety into facility and process design and will be involved with process development, production readiness, technical documentation, and supplier coordination. This role requires quality-driven execution for safety critical components and fabrication processes.

Responsibilities:  

• Develop nuclear criticality safety evaluations for fuel fabrication process steps, fresh fuel receipt, storage, handling, inspection, and transportation operations.
• Perform criticality safety calculations using industry-standard computational tools (i.e. SCALE/KENO, MCNP, etc) for Natrium fuel fabrication and related processes, including areas related to HALEU feedstock, fuel fabrication, and fresh fuel storage and transportation.
• Establish engineered and administrative controls to ensure subcriticality under normal, abnormal, and credible accident conditions.
• Develop and maintain Criticality Safety Evaluations, Criticality Safety Limits, and supporting technical documentation.
• Support design reviews to ensure equipment, storage configurations, fuel fabrication processes, and facility layouts satisfy criticality safety requirements.
• Evaluate design changes through engineering change processes and assess impacts to nuclear criticality safety.
• Support licensing activities by preparing technical reports, regulatory responses, and safety analyses for NRC review.
• Interface with fuel vendors and transportation organizations to support packaging, shipping, and receipt of fresh HALEU fuel.
• Support development of operating procedures, training materials, and operational readiness reviews.
• Participate in hazard analyses, design reviews, audits, and independent technical assessments.
• Support development of criticality safety programs consistent with ANSI/ANS-8 standards and applicable NRC regulations.
• Support continuous learning and application of nuclear industry best practices to maintain the highest quality of engineering design and proactively identify process change/enhancement opportunities.

 Key Qualifications and Skills  

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering or closely related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in nuclear criticality safety, reactor physics, fuel cycle engineering, or a related nuclear engineering field.
• Experience performing criticality safety analyses using Monte Carlo neutron transport methods.
• Working knowledge of nuclear cross-section libraries and uncertainty methodologies.
• Familiarity with NRC regulations applicable to criticality safety and fuel handling.
• Experience preparing technical reports and engineering calculations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate technical information across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work with minimum direction to solve challenging problems.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks concurrently during a given work week.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Experience supporting advanced reactors, sodium-cooled fast reactors, or fuel cycle facilities.
• Experience with HALEU fuel systems.
• Experience with fast-spectrum criticality methodology.
• Proficiency with SCALE, MCNP, Serpent, or comparable neutron transport software.
• Familiarity with ANSI/ANS-8 criticality safety standards.
• Experience with nuclear industry manufacturing and operation, DOE and NRC regulations
• Experience with NQA-1 / QL-1 standards or other highly controlled production standards
• Strong understanding of nuclear safety culture.

This position is subject to qualification requirements in accordance with ANSI/ANS 3.1. Candidates must meet the minimum education and experience criteria applicable to the role, including relevant nuclear industry experience where required. Verification of data will be part of the hiring process.

Job Functions:

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation.  Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations.  An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

• Motor Abilities: Sitting for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds.
• Repetitive work: Prolonged
• Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work
• Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hours/day
• Travel required 0-10%

TerraPower’s technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government.  TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements.  To facilitate TerraPower’s export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States.  Government export authorization approval times vary.  Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Job details

Salary Range: $140,021 - $181,845

Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. This range is specific to Washington State.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation
• Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments
• Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits
  • Medical
  • Vision
  • Dental
  • Life and Disability
  • Gender Affirmation Benefits
• Parental Leave
• 401k Plan
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • 21 days of annually accrued PTO
• Generous Holiday Schedule
  • 10 paid holidays
• Relocation Assistance
• Professional and Educational Support Opportunities

TerraPower Career and Benefits information:  https://www.terrapower.com/contact-us/careers/