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Principal Anti-Drone Engineer

Seattle, WA

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally.

Position Overview

As a Principal Anti-Drone Engineer at The Nuclear Company, you will lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) to protect nuclear infrastructure from drone threats. This role combines expertise in RF detection, electronic warfare, sensor fusion, and physical security systems to build comprehensive anti-drone defense capabilities for Nuclear OS and fleet-scale nuclear power plant operations. You will establish industry-leading standards for counter-drone systems in the nuclear sector.

Key Responsibilities

System Architecture

  • Design comprehensive counter-drone detection, tracking, and mitigation systems for nuclear construction sites and operational facilities
  • Develop multi-layered defense strategies employing diverse detection, protection, and response capabilities
  • Integrate passive 3D detection, RF spectrum analysis, radar systems, and optical tracking for 360° coverage
  • Architect sensor fusion systems combining multiple detection modalities for high-confidence threat identification

Detection & Countermeasures

  • Design RF detection systems identifying drone control signals across multiple frequency bands (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, ISM)
  • Develop electronic countermeasures including GPS jamming, RF signal disruption, and protocol-specific interference
  • Implement real-time detection and alerting systems for early warning of drone incursions
  • Design tamper detection mechanisms and surveillance systems for perimeter security

Regulatory Compliance & Security Integration

  • Ensure compliance with NRC physical security requirements and 10 CFR 73.55 physical protection standards
  • Integrate anti-drone systems with existing physical security plans and intrusion detection systems
  • Coordinate with NRC on emerging drone threat assessments and security measures
  • Protect safety, security, and emergency preparedness (SSEP) functions from drone-based threats

Electromagnetic Compatibility & Safety

  • Evaluate anti-drone transmissions to ensure safe operation near sensitive nuclear equipment
  • Conduct EMI testing to verify counter-drone systems do not disrupt critical station equipment
  • Assess RFI impacts on nuclear facility wireless networks and IoT systems

Threat Assessment & Response

  • Conduct threat assessments for commercial and military-grade UAVs including NATO Class 1-3 drones and drone swarms
  • Evaluate adversary capabilities including reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and attack scenarios
  • Develop incident response protocols for drone detection events
  • Assess AI-enabled flight technologies and autonomous drone capabilities

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, RF Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
  • 10+ years experience in counter-drone systems, electronic warfare, RF engineering, or related security technologies
  • 5+ years in senior/lead engineering role with technical leadership
  • Deep expertise in RF detection and analysis: spectrum analyzers, software-defined radios, signal processing
  • Proficiency in electronic countermeasures: jamming techniques, GPS spoofing, protocol disruption
  • Experience with radar systems, optical tracking, acoustic detection, and multi-sensor fusion
  • Knowledge of drone technologies: flight controllers, communication protocols, autonomous navigation
  • Understanding of EMC and RFI mitigation
  • Programming skills in Python, C++, or similar languages
  • Knowledge of NRC regulations and nuclear facility security standards
  • Security clearance eligibility for nuclear facility access

Preferred Qualifications

  • Ph.D. or M.S. in RF Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
  • Professional Engineer (PE) license
  • Military or defense industry experience with counter-UAS systems
  • Nuclear industry or critical infrastructure experience
  • AI/ML for autonomous threat detection and classification
  • NIST cybersecurity frameworks and critical infrastructure protection standards knowledge
  • Experience with layered security architectures and defense-in-depth strategies

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation packages
  • 401k with company match
  • Medical, dental, vision plans
  • Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary Range
The estimated starting salary range for this role is $198,000 - $228,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role.

EEO Statement
The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.

Export Control
Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants.

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