System Analysis Lead Principal Engineer

TITLE:               System Analysis Lead Principal Engineer

LOCATION:      Bellevue, 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.

Plant Integrated Analysis Lead Principal Engineer

Reporting to Senior Manager, System Analysis and Methods, the Lead Principal Engineer is responsible for supporting System Design Analysis, Plant Performance Analysis, the development of the evaluation methods, models, and the validation and applicability bases for a variety of analysis scopes. In this role you will provide leadership, guidance, mentorship, creative and technical oversights to the team to ensure a high level of integration with other departments/groups.

Responsibilities

• Manage technical interfaces of System Analysis Team to other departments/groups such as plant, system and component design, safety analysis, licensing, thermal hydraulic analysis, operation, code development and assessment, Design Authority, and other teams.

• Identify and resolve cross-functional technical challenges and risks. Provide technical direction and oversight of technical activities.

• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to integrate Safety Analysis of Licensing Basis Events (LBE) and ASME Design Transients into thermal loading specification.

• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to integrate Plant Performance Analysis (operation margin, confirmation of operations and commercial performance) with design, operations and simulator.

• Check and review RELAP5-3D models for steady state and transient one-dimensional network hydraulic analyses.

• Check, and review calculations using first principles of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics to support and validate analysis results.

• Check and review analysis of reactor normal operations, upset events, emergency events and faulted events as defined in the ASME BPVC Section III to establish design, service, and test loadings from thermal hydraulic design basis events.

• Check and review analysis of plant wide transients for evaluation of operation margins, operation narratives and confirmation of design solutions for plant and system requirements. 

• Check and review multiscale and multidisciplinary neutronics and control analyses involving the thermal hydraulics of sodium, molten salt, and non-condensable fluids.

• Check and review code benchmarking and validation analyses to support code qualification and methodology development.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• M.S. or PhD in relevant engineering disciplines from an accredited university and at least 10 years direct experience with RELAP5 code, Safety Analysis and plant Integrated Analysis.

• B.S. in relevant engineering disciplines from an accredited university and at least 15 years direct experience with RELAP5 code, Safety Analysis and plant Integrated Analysis.

• Strong thermal-hydraulic analytical skills with one dimensional hydraulic networks analysis background

• Familiarity with code V&V and associated regulatory guidelines.

• Experience with Design Control under an NQA-1 program

• Experience performing independent design verification of system models and analyses

• Experience serving as the subject matter expert supporting licensing submittals under the NEI 18-04 and10 CFR Part 50 pr 52 licensing processes, and support of regulatory engagements with NRC and ACRS

• Experience with nuclear power plant design or operations a plus.

• Knowledge of design approach under ASME Boiler Code Section III a plus.

• Experience developing new analytical methods highly desirable.

• Experience with first-of-a-kind or high temperature nuclear reactor design projects is a plus.

• Strong technical writing skills.

• Effective communication skills.

• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.

Job Details

Salary Range Level 12:  $163,702 - $226,844

Salary Range Level 13:  $187,088 - $268,939

*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

o Medical

o Vision

o Dental

o Life

o Life and Disability

o Gender Affirmation Benefits

o Parental Leave

• 401k Plan

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)

o 21 days of annually accrued PTO

• Generous Holiday Schedule

o 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/

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Last updated on Sep 4, 2024