Nuclear Shielding and Criticality Engineer

Nuclear Shielding and Criticality Engineer

Bellevue, WA or Everett, WA

Terra Power 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, Terra Power 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. Terra Power'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.

Terra Power 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. Terra Power 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.

Nuclear Shielding and Criticality Engineer

Terra Power, LLC. is seeking a highly capable and motivated nuclear shielding and criticality engineer. The position is primarily shielding related. The primary software is MCNP 6.2, and strong MCNP skills are required. The class of problems include shielding, energy deposition, neutron fluence, activation, and criticality. Strong written and oral communication skills are essential. Experience working in an NQA-1 environment with rigorous quality standards is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Perform radiation shielding design and analysis for advanced nuclear reactors, including calculating dose rates, activation rates, neutron fluence rates, and energy deposition rates.
• Develop radiation sources based on material activation analysis for non-fuel in-vessel components.
• Perform criticality calculations and develop upper subcritical limits (USLs)
• Establish and maintain formal documentation of analysis results.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• Experience:
  
  B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering with 5-20 years' experience
• M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering with 3-15 years' experience
• Ph.D degree in Nuclear Engineering with 2-10 years' experience
• Competitive candidates will typically have the above experience, but less experienced candidates with highly desired experience in specialized areas will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Strong MCNP skills and experience with performing radiation shielding calculations for both gammas and neutrons are required. Experience in criticality safety is desirable.
• Candidate should be familiar with variance reduction using MCNP, and features such as surface source read/write, mesh tallies, and weight windows. Familiarity with ADVANTG for weight windows generation is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal and communication skills required.
• Ability and professionalism to work within published regulatory guidelines required.
• Experience working under NQA-1 quality program desired.
• Strong computational expertise desired.
• Experience with Attila /Attila4MC and computed aided drafting (e.g., Solid Works, Space Claim) is a plus.
• Fast reactor experience a plus.
• Strong programming skills in any language is a plus, and Python is commonly used in this position.
• Knowledgeable or highly motivated to quickly learn basic nuclear reactor design concepts to meaningfully support engineering team.
• Acts independently to determine methods on new or special assignments. Works without specific direction from manager.
• Acts as a technical subject matter expert in the area of shielding or criticality safety.
• Mentors or provides technical guidance to less experienced engineers.
• Creates formal networks involving coordination among groups. Exerts cross-functional influence.
• Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications.

Job Functions

• 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…