Senior Technical Nuclear Expert
2 months ago
Seattle
Job Description The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally. About The Role The Senior Technical Nuclear Expert is a highly specialized technical leadership role responsible for providing deep nuclear engineering expertise across reactor systems, safety analysis, regulatory compliance, and nuclear facility design and operations. This position requires extensive knowledge of nuclear physics, reactor theory, safety systems, and NRC regulations to support TNC's fleet-scale nuclear deployment. You'll serve as a subject matter expert and technical authority on nuclear engineering matters, ensuring that all aspects of nuclear facility design, construction, and operations meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and regulatory compliance. Responsibilities Nuclear Technical Leadership & Expertise • Serve as subject matter expert on nuclear reactor systems, safety analysis, and nuclear engineering principles, • Provide advanced technical expertise on nuclear regulatory requirements including 10 CFR Part 50, 10 CFR Part 52, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, and ASME NQA-1 standards, • Lead technical reviews of design and construction processes associated with nuclear facilities, • Coordinate technical reviews of facility nuclear safety features, • Demonstrate deep knowledge of nuclear technology, reactor operations, and large-scale engineering systems, • Perform safety evaluations to verify that nuclear systems meet requirements and will perform as needed to afford reasonable assurance of plant safety, • Analyze nuclear safety systems including reactor protection, emergency core cooling, and containment systems, • Conduct reactor physics analyses including criticality, neutron flux distribution, and fuel burnup calculations, • Evaluate reactor control systems and instrumentation for safety-related functions, • Perform thermal-hydraulic analysis of reactor core and cooling systems, • Assess accident scenarios and develop mitigation strategies, • Support NRC licensing activities including design certification, combined license (COL), and operating license applications, • Lead ITAAC (Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria) development and closure to demonstrate compliance with design commitments, • Prepare and review safety analysis reports (SAR/FSAR) for NRC submission, • Support NRC inspections and respond to regulatory questions and requests for additional information (RAIs), • Ensure compliance with 10 CFR 52.103(g) requirements for fuel load authorization, • Coordinate with NRC staff on technical issues and regulatory positions, • Review and approve nuclear system designs for safety, reliability, and performance, • Evaluate equipment qualification for nuclear service including seismic, environmental, and radiation qualification, • Assess nuclear fuel design including enrichment, burnup, and reload strategies, • Review reactor core design including fuel assembly configuration and control rod patterns, • Evaluate radiation protection and shielding design for personnel safety, • Support nuclear island layout and arrangement optimization, • Ensure compliance with ASME NQA-1 quality assurance requirements for nuclear facilities, • Review quality assurance programs for design, procurement, construction, and operations, • Support 10 CFR 50 Appendix B implementation and compliance verification, • Evaluate supplier quality programs for nuclear-grade components, • Review inspection and test procedures for nuclear systems and components, • Ensure traceability of nuclear safety-related items throughout the supply chain, • Prepare technical reports and white papers on nuclear engineering topics, • Develop design basis documents and technical specifications, • Review and approve calculations, analyses, and technical evaluations, • Create technical training materials for nuclear engineering staff, • Document lessons learned from nuclear projects and operations, • Interface with NRC staff on technical and regulatory matters, • Collaborate with reactor vendors and nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) suppliers, • Engage with industry organizations (NEI, EPRI, ANS) on nuclear standards and best practices, • Present technical information to executives, board members, and external stakeholders, • Support public outreach on nuclear safety and technology, • Provide nuclear technical expertise to Nuclear OS development teams, • Ensure Nuclear OS features align with nuclear safety requirements and regulatory expectations, • Review AI/ML applications for nuclear safety implications, • Support digital twin development with nuclear system modeling expertise, • Validate automated compliance tracking for nuclear regulatory requirements, • Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering (Master's or Ph.D. strongly preferred), • 15+ years of experience in nuclear engineering, reactor design, or nuclear operations, • 10+ years working with commercial nuclear power plants or advanced reactor designs, • 5+ years in technical leadership or subject matter expert roles, • Expert knowledge of nuclear reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, and safety analysis, • Deep understanding of reactor systems including primary coolant, emergency core cooling, containment, and auxiliary systems, • Proficiency in nuclear safety analysis codes (RELAP, TRACE, PARCS, MCNP, or similar), • Strong knowledge of reactor core design, fuel management, and criticality safety, • Experience with probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and deterministic safety analysis, • Understanding of radiation protection, shielding design, and ALARA principles, • Expert knowledge of NRC regulations (10 CFR Parts 50, 52, 100) and regulatory processes, • Strong understanding of ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III (nuclear components), • Familiarity with IEEE standards for nuclear power plant instrumentation and control, • Knowledge of ANSI/ANS standards for nuclear facilities, • Experience with NRC licensing processes including design certification and COL, • Proficiency in nuclear analysis software and computational tools, • Strong analytical skills with ability to solve complex technical problems, • Experience with technical writing and preparation of regulatory documents, • Knowledge of engineering design processes and configuration management, • Understanding of digital instrumentation and control systems for nuclear applications, • Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering or related field, • Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) license or equivalent operational experience, • Experience with advanced reactor designs (SMRs, Gen IV reactors), • Background in nuclear construction or commissioning, • Experience with digital I&C systems and software-based safety systems, • Knowledge of international nuclear standards (IAEA, WENRA), • Publications in peer-reviewed nuclear engineering journals, • Active participation in ANS, ASME, or other professional societies, • Experience with NRC or international regulatory agencies, • Competitive compensation packages, • 401k with company match, • Medical, dental, vision plans EEO Statement The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination. Export Control Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants. Recruiting Fraud AlertYour safety is our priority. We want to ensure your job search stays secure. Please note that the team at The Nuclear Company only communicates through official @thenuclearcompany.com email addresses. We will never ask for payments or sensitive financial information at any stage of our recruitment process. For your peace of mind, please verify all openings and submit your applications directly through our official careers page: Careers