Senior Engineer, Fuel Enrichment

 

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. 

Senior Engineer, Fuel Enrichment 

TerraPower is seeking a Senior Engineer, Fuel Enrichment to join the Natrium Fuel Design and Supply team. The Senior Engineer, Fuel Enrichment will support the front end of the Natrium fuel supply chain, including overseeing the chemical processing necessary to create feedstock for Natrium fuel. The engineer will support specification and material form development, interface management, supplier coordination, and shipping and inventory planning.

Responsibilities: 

• Execute supply and services contracts to process material in accordance with schedule and budget constraints
• Collaborate with process development teams to calculate and plan for losses during process steps
• Evaluate waste recovery and recycling options for feed material
• Work with industry partners to evaluate material standard specifications and ensure Natrium program goals are represented
• Support deployment planning and capacity evaluations using material from various sources and suppliers
• Develop and evaluate opportunities to improve fuel economics via innovations in material processing
• Work with design, fuel fabrication, and shipping teams to coordinate interfaces between material handoffs to ensure requirements are met

• Generate technical documents in support of purchase requisitions
• Review and approve supplier technical submittals
• Ensure vendor work complies with engineering drawing, specifications, safety, quality, and other requirements
• Work within controlled quality environments supporting configuration management, material traceability, and nuclear safety culture expectations
• 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: B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, or equivalent preferred
• Minimum of seven years of nuclear industry experience, with at least two years in fuel or fuel adjacent areas; relevant M.S. and Doctorate degrees may be credited for up to two or four years of experience respectively
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Strong analytical/problem solving skills, creative thinker
• 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:

• Demonstrated technical expertise in nuclear fuel cycle, specifically uranium enrichment or processing
• Experience managing or technically directing vendors with strength in supplier relationship development
• Experience with 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: $138,685 - $208,027 

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.

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/