Back to jobs

Reactor Systems Lead Principal Engineer

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. 

Reactor Systems Lead Principal Engineer 

The Reactor Systems Lead Principal Engineer reports directly to the Reactor Systems Senior Manager and is focused on the technical excellence and delivery of the reactor and its components and structures. In this role, you will act as a Lead Principal Engineer supporting TerraPower’s Natrium project. The successful candidate will integrate and coordinate with engineers working on the reactor and interfacing systems as part of a high-performing team of engineers and scientists.

Responsibilities

  • Responsible for coordinating with a geographically diverse design team to develop design of reactor equipment and supporting engineering documentation. The team members include TerraPower employees, subcontracted resources, partner engineers and teams, and customers.
  • Provide expert level knowledge and technical leadership in the design of integrated sub-systems and components from requirements definition through final design.
  • Act as a technical expert for the broad range of reactor systems topics and components, develop and advise solutions to critical team challenges, and champion innovation in the reactor systems team.
  • Perform technical review of engineering products as an extension of the project design authority, including specialist topics, cross-functional products, critical activities requiring focused resolution, and driving integration across the overall reactor systems and their interfacing SSCs.
  • Evaluate and facilitate the development of a complete product lifecycle, such as but not limited to necessary construction and fabrication details, startup and testing plans, maintainability/inspectability attributes, and decommissioning plans.
  • Design to and comply with project codes of record, including ASME BPVC Sect III Div 5.
  • Manage and verify correct and complete application of regulatory criteria, codes and standards, industry guidance, and design programs to complex mechanical design challenges.
  • Provide technical direction and oversight of supplier activities, working with or as the contract administrator to ensure delivery of deliverables, as well as performance of technical reviews of deliverables.
  • Propose and facilitate testing programs for equipment qualification, as needed.
  • Lead team in strategies for the creation, review and approve design package, including design verification of key calculations, design reports, mechanical drawings, and engineering specifications.
  • Advise design team in planning efforts, generate integrated project strategies for critical topics/sequences/activities to drive successful and robust products, and provide technical accountability for scope correctness and completeness.
  • Interface with and support licensing activities associated with Safety Analysis Reports and regulatory submittals.
  • Lead integrated team design reviews at project milestones to verify compliance and completeness of design, and conduct interim assessment reviews at intervening periods to correct deviations to project strategy or technical excellence.

Key Qualifications and Skills

  • B.S. in Mechanical or related discipline from an accredited university and 15+ years direct experience with proven mechanical systems skills.
  • Demonstrated diverse and robust experience in leading mechanical design of complex structures and equipment in high temperature and multi-discipline integration. Previous experience with nuclear mechanical components, nuclear reactor equipment, or similar design is highly desired.
  • Working level knowledge of the ASME Sect III Code, including Div 5 high temperature design, is highly desired.
  • Highly proficient knowledge and experience with nuclear quality fabrication, construction, and lifecycle management processes (including In-Service Inspection, material surveillance, vibration programs, equipment qualification programs, etc), and similar skills.
  • Experience in mentorship and technical leadership of high-performance engineering teams.
  • Excellent knowledge and practical application of ASME NQA-1 design control program and ANSI/NIRMA CM1.0 configuration management principles.
  • Excellent technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
  • Attention to detail and leadership in technical excellence.
  • Candidate must be a self-starter and possess ability to coordinate and lead a design team’s effort with minimal direction.
  • Ability to manage design activities that include many competing objectives and design constraints, with ability to resolve conflicts between objectives.
  • Ability to manage and support numerous simultaneous tasks that require a multi-disciplinary approach.
  • Experience working to ASME NQA-1 quality standards on design activities.
  • The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, able to 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 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
  • Travel required 0-10%

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:  $168,316 - $252,475
Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. This range is specific to the state of Washington.

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/

 

 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Phone
Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf


Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Available for: *
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
As part of our interview process, documentation (including proof of citizenship and NDA signature) will be required as a condition of employment for any and/or all of the above questions answered. *
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in TerraPower LLC.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.