Senior Uranium Chemical Process Engineer

Oak Ridge, TN | Hybrid | Relocation Available

Turn Chemical Engineering into Real-World Process Innovation

Nano Nuclear Energy is seeking a Senior Uranium Chemical Process Engineer to develop and scale uranium conversion and deconversion processes from laboratory development to demonstration-facility operations. This is a hands-on engineering role for someone who can translate process chemistry into practical, scalable systems—and who enjoys working directly with scientists, operators, and equipment to solve complex engineering challenges.

Working within NANO’s Fuel Technology division, you’ll help establish process designs, optimize performance, and build the engineering foundation for advanced nuclear fuel-cycle technologies.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Hands-on engineering:
  Work directly with experimental equipment and process campaigns, not just desktop designs.
• Scale-up and innovation:
  Help translate laboratory results into demonstration-scale processes.
• Technical ownership:
  Shape process flow sheets, equipment requirements, and operating strategies.
• Cross-functional collaboration:
  
  Partner with scientists, operators, mechanical engineers, controls engineers, and safety specialists.

What You’ll Do

• Develop process flow sheets, material and energy balances, stream tables, and engineering design bases for conversion and deconversion systems.
• Engineer and evaluate unit operations, including reaction, filtration, drying, calcination, gas handling, solids handling, and recycle systems.
• Assess scale-up challenges involving heat and mass transfer, fluid dynamics, mixing, residence time, and solids transport.
• Support equipment checkout, commissioning, experimental setup, process campaigns, sampling, troubleshooting, and data reconciliation.
• Translate process requirements into equipment sizing, operating conditions, materials-of-construction, and instrumentation specifications.
• Analyze process data to improve yield, efficiency, operating stability, and waste reduction.
• Support process hazard reviews and engineering safeguards in coordination with safety specialists.
• Maintain controlled engineering calculations and evaluate process changes for impacts on equipment, product quality, and demonstration objectives.

What You’ll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Process engineering experience in chemical, nuclear, materials, mining/mineral, fluorochemical, or other high-hazard processing environments.
• Hands-on experience supporting laboratory, bench-scale, pilot-scale, or demonstration-facility campaigns, including startup, sampling, troubleshooting, and process adjustments.
• Strong knowledge of material and energy balances, reaction engineering, fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, solids handling, and process equipment sizing.
• Ability to identify scale-up risks and determine the experiments or analyses needed to support sound engineering decisions.
• Experience preparing engineering calculations, design-basis documents, process descriptions, equipment requirements, and technical reports.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with uranium, fluorination, UF6, oxide production, radio chemical processing, or nuclear fuel-cycle systems.
• Experience with process simulation, pilot-plant commissioning, and data reconciliation.
• Familiarity with solids processing, high-temperature systems, corrosive service, vacuum systems, and off-gas treatment.
• Working knowledge of nuclear quality and configuration-management requirements.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hybrid work arrangement in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
• Relocation package available.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with up to 5% company match.
• Unlimited PTO, company holidays, and paid parental leave.
• Mentorship, technical leadership, and professional development opportunities.

E3 - Senior Engineer I $110k-$160k

E4 - Senior Engineer II $135k - $185k

E5 - Principal Engineer I $160k - $215k

E6 – Principal Engineer II $185k -$255k

Build What Comes Next

Join Nano Nuclear Energy and help transform complex chemical engineering challenges into practical processes supporting advanced nuclear fuel technology.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NANO Nuclear Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply.