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Digital Twin Principal Engineer, Lead

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. 

Digital Twin Principal Engineer, Lead

We are seeking a Digital Twin Principal Engineer / Technical Lead to design and build the foundational architecture for our Digital Twin initiative, enabling next-generation insights across reactor design, construction, and operations. This role is responsible for translating the digital twin strategy into technical execution — establishing system architecture, leading technical development, and building the early prototypes that will define the program’s technical direction.

You will lead the hands-on design and integration of high-fidelity simulation, engineering, and operational data into a cohesive digital twin ecosystem. The role requires deep technical expertise, strong systems thinking, and the ability to guide both internal teams and external partners in developing validated, scalable digital solutions for advanced nuclear systems.

Reporting directly to the Director of Digital Products and AI, you’ll be part of a small, mission-driven team building foundational digital systems that will define how advanced nuclear reactors are designed, built, and operated. As one of the first technical leaders on the Digital Twin initiative, you will directly influence architecture, standards, and long-term technical direction—working alongside industry-leading engineers and partners in AI, HPC, and simulation.

Responsibilities:

  • Technical Leadership
  • Define and uphold the technical vision and architecture for the Digital Twin program, spanning data infrastructure, model integration, simulation, and analytics layers.
  • Establish software standards, interfaces, and design principles to ensure modularity, scalability, and traceability across the digital twin ecosystem.
  • Serve as the technical authority and hands-on lead engineer, ensuring that development activities align with the strategic direction set by the Director of Digital Products & AI.
  • Translate digital twin strategy into actionable technical roadmaps, milestones, and design decisions.
  • Collaborate across Engineering, IT, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to ensure seamless integration with enterprise systems and data environments.
  • Hands-On Engineering
  • Prototype and deliver core digital twin components integrating simulation data (e.g., thermal-hydraulics, neutronics), IoT and sensor data, and AI/ML-driven predictive models.
  • Develop APIs, data schemas, and pipelines connecting simulation tools with enterprise and visualization platforms.
  • Implement secure, compliant, and validated software workflows in accordance with SQA and NQA-1 standards.
  • Benchmark and optimize performance for high-fidelity and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.
  • Collaboration & Mentorship
  • Mentor engineers and data scientists to establish strong technical foundations and development best practices.
  • Contribute to hiring and onboarding technical staff as the digital twin program scales.
  • Provide technical guidance to vendor and research partners to ensure integration quality and alignment with internal standards.
  • Innovation & Continuous Improvement
  • Evaluate and implement emerging technologies in simulation, AI/ML, and industrial digital twins.
  • Drive proof-of-concept efforts and technical feasibility studies to accelerate innovation.
  • Support the development of software verification and validation (V&V) frameworks and documentation to meet regulatory and quality standards.

Key Qualifications and Skills:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mechanical/Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
  • 10+ years of experience in software engineering, simulation, or large-scale data systems.
  • Proven record of leading the design and delivery of technically complex, integrated systems.
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, or equivalent.
  • Experience with HPC or GPU-based computation for simulation or AI workloads.
  • Understanding of scientific or engineering data workflows (e.g., CAD/CAE, CFD, FEA, or physics-based modeling).
  • Demonstrated experience guiding technical teams and delivering solutions under structured software governance.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
  • Experience architecting or implementing digital twin frameworks, industrial IoT platforms, or predictive modeling systems.
  • Proficiency with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and physics-informed ML approaches.
  • Familiarity with hybrid cloud or distributed compute systems (e.g., Azure HPC, Kubernetes, Omniverse).
  • Working knowledge of software quality and compliance frameworks (e.g., NQA-1, ASME V&V 40, DOE or NRC software standards).
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to clearly present technical content to diverse audiences.

 

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
  • Minimum Travel required 5-10%

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 Level 12: $169,922 - $235,464

* 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
    •   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/

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