Job Description

Senior Reactor Fuel Engineer – Irradiation & Fuel Qualification
Oak Ridge, TN | $160K–$180K | Relocation Available

Lead the Experimental Program Behind Advanced Reactor Fuel Qualification

The Opportunity

Take ownership of the irradiation, post-irradiation examination (PIE), and safety-testing program supporting qualification of the ceramic matrix TRISO fuel architecture for the KRONOS High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR).

Reporting to the Reactor Fuel Design Manager, you’ll lead a multidisciplinary, multi-institution experimental program spanning specimen selection and irradiation planning through test execution, PIE, high-temperature safety testing, and delivery of qualification-grade evidence.

This is an opportunity for an experienced nuclear fuels professional to move beyond individual experiments and take broader ownership of an integrated fuel qualification program while working directly with research reactors, national laboratories, universities, hot cells, testing laboratories, and other technical partners.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• End-to-end ownership: Guide the experimental program from test strategy and specimen definition through irradiation, PIE, safety testing, and final evidence delivery.
• Advanced fuel technology: Work directly with ceramic matrix TRISO fuel supporting an advanced HTGR.
• Broad technical exposure: Integrate irradiation testing, dosimetry, instrumentation, thermal analysis, fission-product monitoring, PIE, and accident-condition testing.
• External collaboration: Work across research reactors, national laboratories, universities, hot cells, analytical laboratories, and testing facilities.
• Technical leadership: Coordinate multiple facilities, suppliers, engineering disciplines, schedules, contracts, and long-lead nuclear activities.
• Qualification impact: Produce controlled, traceable, regulator-ready evidence supporting fuel qualification.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and maintain the integrated irradiation, PIE, and post-irradiation safety-testing strategy, including objectives, evidence requirements, acceptance criteria, schedules, decision gates, and contingencies.
• Translate fuel-design requirements, failure mechanisms, model-validation needs, and safety-analysis conditions into representative specimen populations and measurable test conditions.
• Lead technical and contractual interfaces with research reactors, hot cells, furnace-testing and analytical laboratories, shipping organizations, national laboratories, and university partners.
• Coordinate experiment design, safety approvals, neutronics and thermal analysis, dosimetry, instrumentation, fission-product monitoring, specimen loading, operations, hold points, and readiness reviews.
• Maintain specimen identity, manufacturing pedigree, characterization, chain of custody, packaging, transportation, storage, and nuclear-material controls.
• Establish partnerships and direct PIE and safety testing addressing dimensional change, cracking, coating failure, particle-matrix interactions, fission-product behavior, microstructure, and accident-temperature retention.
• Deliver qualification-grade as-run, PIE, safety-test, anomaly, and qualification-impact reports with reconstructed exposure histories, quantified uncertainties, controlled data, independent review, and regulator-ready conclusions.

What You’ll Bring

Required

• Advanced degree in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in irradiation testing, nuclear-fuel examination, high-temperature safety testing, or complex nuclear experiments.
• Experience developing test plans, experiment specifications, specimen matrices, readiness reviews, and qualification-grade technical reports.
• Working knowledge of research-reactor interfaces, dosimetry, instrumentation, thermal analysis, fission-product monitoring, and as-run condition reconstruction.
• Experience working under nuclear QA requirements, including controlled procedures, calibrated equipment, chain of custody, nonconformance control, and records management.
• Proven ability to coordinate multiple facilities, suppliers, technical disciplines, contracts, schedules, and long-lead nuclear activities.

Preferred

• Direct experience with TRISO, FCM, HTGR, coated-particle, or advanced ceramic nuclear fuel.
• Experience leading experiments involving HFR, MITR, ATR, HFIR, or comparable research reactors.
• Experience with irradiated-fuel furnace testing, fission-product release measurements, or other accident-condition fuel testing.
• Familiarity with HALEU specimens, nuclear-material transportation, international test-facility interfaces, and DOE AGR fuel evidence.

Compensation & Benefits

• $175,000–$190,000 base salary
• Relocation available to Oak Ridge, TN
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance with company contributions
• 401(k) with 5% company match
• Unlimited PTO
• Company holidays and paid parental leave
• Opportunities for mentorship, professional growth, and technical leadership
• Collaborative engineering environment focused on innovation and technical excellence

NANO Nuclear Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply

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