TITLE:Senior/Principal Engineer, Safeguards & Non-Proliferation
LOCATION:Everett, WA
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.
Senior/Principal Engineer, Safeguards & Nonproliferation
TerraPower’s Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR) project seeks an experienced Senior or Principal Engineer for Safeguards and Non-Proliferation. MCFR is commercializing the technology to operate the world’s first fast-spectrum, chloride salt cooled molten salt reactor. TerraPower and its partners are building the foundation of the MCFR technology development program, including chloride salt separate effects tests, the MCFR Integrated Effects Test (IET), and the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) project. The fuel form and operational modes of MCFRs are outside the basis of established safeguards and material accounting approaches. Material in an MCFR will be continuously flowing and changing composition from transmutation, depletion, and fuel salt polishing. Existing safeguards technologies and regulatory frameworks are premised on either item accounting of containerized fuel during irradiation or bulk material undergoing chemical processing in the absence of irradiation. MCFR technology combines aspects of both paradigms, requiring the development of novel technologies and methodologies for nuclear material accounting, containment and surveillance, and unattended/remote monitoring systems.
In this role, you will lead R&D for safeguards and material control and accounting (MC&A) instrumentation technology for MCFR. You will report to the discipline manager for the Safeguards & Non-Proliferation Group, and you will build collaborative teams across all MCFR disciplines. You will play a crucial role in developing a strategic vision for R&D to adapt existing safeguards and MC&A instrumentation and measurement methodologies to MCFR fuel cycles, as well as developing novel approaches for deployment in future commercial MCFR plants. Initial activities will include assessing readiness of current safeguards technologies for MCFR deployment, creating R&D plans to close technology gaps, and building capability for safeguards instrumentation experimental work. You will then build and lead multi-disciplinary teams to execute these R&D plans and to incorporate existing and novel safeguards instrumentation and methodologies into MCFR plant design cycles.
Responsibilities:
•Lead development and execution of the MC&A technology R&D roadmap for MCFR fuel cycle technologies
•Build capacity and capability for safeguards and MC&A instrumentation experimental campaigns at TerraPower’s laboratory facilities
•Lead development of unattended and remote monitoring approaches to meet international safeguards requirements for non-traditional deployment scenarios and harsh environments characterized by high temperature, high radiation, corrosive conditions, and dynamic nuclear material inventories
•Create and execute plans for qualifying conventional safeguards and MC&A technologies and measurement methodologies to MCFR fuel and containment forms
•Collaborate across disciplines to create new safeguards-by-design (SBD) solutions leveraging unique fuel handling and nuclear instrumentation systems inherent to MCFR designs
•Engage with external stakeholders to build confidence in new and adapted safeguards technologies
•Publish and disseminate key findings at diverse technical forums related to domestic and international safeguards
•Assist in growing and leading a multi-disciplinary team to support safeguards and MC&A R&D for MCFR fuel cycle technologies
Key Qualifications and Skills:
•A bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical sciences or a related technical field is required, with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience. A master’s (with at least six years of relevant experience) or Ph.D. (with at least three years of relevant experience) is preferred.
•Experience in domestic nuclear material control and accounting programs or international safeguards is required.
•Specific experience in R&D for novel non-destructive assay (NDA) safeguards instrumentation (gamma spectroscopy, neutron-based approaches), containment and surveillance approaches, and/or unattended/remote monitoring approaches is highly desired.
•Familiarity with state-of-the-art and emerging R&D for molten salt monitoring approaches is desired.
•Excellent analytical, problem solving, and communication skills; demonstrated aptitude for conveying complex technical information effectively to diverse audiences.
•An ability and desire to work across large, multi-disciplinary engineering teams under rapidly evolving conditions.
•The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.
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 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 50 pounds.
•Repetitive work: Prolonged.
•Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work and ability to perform role in personal protective equipment.
•Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hrs./day.
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 Level 11: $138,685 - $208,027
Salary Range Level 12: $168,316 - $252,475
*We typically place offers in the lower to middle portion of the range to maintain internal equity and allow room for growth. Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected individual’s qualifications 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 for family or individual
oVision
oDental
oLife
oLife and Disability
oGender Affirmation Benefits
oParental Leave
•401k Plan
•Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
o21 days of annually accrued PTO
•Generous Holiday Schedule
o10 paid holidays
•Relocation Assistance
•Professional and Educational Support Opportunities
•Flexible Work Schedule
TerraPower Career and Benefits information:https://www.terrapower.com/contact-us/careers/
