Nuclear Shielding and Criticality Engineer

TITLE: Nuclear Shielding and Criticality Engineer

LOCATION: Bellevue, WA, USA

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. In addition, as a federal contractor, TerraPower has instituted an Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) in an effort to proactively recruit, hire, and promote women, minorities, disabled persons and veterans.

Nuclear Shielding and Criticality Engineer

TerraPower, LLC. is seeking a highly capable and motivated nuclear shielding and criticality engineer. The position is primarily shielding related. The primary software is MCNP 6.2, and strong MCNP skills are required. The class of problems include shielding, energy deposition, neutron fluence, activation, and criticality. Strong written and oral communication skills are essential. Experience working in an NQA-1 environment with rigorous quality standards is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Perform radiation shielding design and analysis for advanced nuclear reactors, including calculating dose rates, activation rates, neutron fluence rates, and energy deposition rates.
• Develop radiation sources based on material activation analysis for non-fuel in-vessel components.
• Perform criticality calculations and develop upper subcritical limits (USLs)
• Establish and maintain formal documentation of analysis results.
• Work at TerraPower is dynamic and evolutionary. As such, new responsibilities often arise, and you should be capable of and excited about learning and applying specialized skills.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering or equivalent experience; Advanced degree and 5+ years of relevant experience with nuclear analysis preferred. For less than 5 years’ experience, a college transcript is required.
• Strong MCNP skills and experience with performing radiation shielding calculations for both gammas and neutrons are required. Experience in criticality safety desirable.
• Candidate should be familiar with variance reduction using MCNP, and features such as surface source read/write, mesh tallies, and weight windows. Familiarity with ADVANTG for weight windows generation is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal and communication skills required.
• Ability and professionalism to work within published regulatory guidelines required.
• Experience working under NQA-1 quality program desired.
• Strong computational expertise desired.
• Experience with Attila /Attila4MC and computed aided drafting (e.g., SolidWorks, SpaceClaim/ANSYS, Cubit) is a plus.
• Fast reactor experience a plus.
• Strong programming skills in any language is a plus, and Python is commonly used in this position.
• Knowledgeable or highly motivated to quickly learn basic nuclear reactor design concepts to meaningfully support engineering team.
• Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications.

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 and/or standing 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 hrs/day
• Travel required: 0-5%

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 will not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Job details

Salary Range Level 9: $95,415 - $143,122

Salary Range Level 10: $109,446 - $164,170

• Typically, our employee salaries are within .90 – 1.0 of the mid-point of the posted salary band. Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected individual’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
  • 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
• Flexible Work Schedule

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

Please visit www.terrapower.com to apply