Senior Fuel Process Engineer

THORIZON; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

International team

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Thorizon is developing a new generation of small modular molten salt reactors. The Senior Fuel Process Engineer will lead design, scale-up and safety integration of fuel salt preparation, partnering with European nuclear labs to ensure robust, compliant processes.

You will drive lab-to-pilot deployment, align with regulatory expectations, and support the integration of containment systems for future industrial deployment.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a relevant engineering or physics field.
• Experience in chemical process development and process engineering.
• Experience with process design, scale-up or pilot plant development.
• Experience in highly regulated industrial environments is highly desirable.
• Nuclear facilities or controlled environments experience is a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize high-temperature chemical processes for molten salt fuel preparation.
• Define process architectures, operating parameters and performance requirements.
• Produce process design notes, functional specifications and engineering calculations.
• Develop innovative solutions while operating within nuclear safety constraints.
• Drive the transition from laboratory-scale to pilot-scale implementation.
• Coordinate activities with external nuclear laboratories and partners like NRG.
• Ensure nuclear safety is integrated from the earliest stages of design.

Skills

Chemical process development

Process design

High-temperature process engineering

Nuclear safety integration

Process scaling

Containment systems

Education

Master's degree or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Physics

Job description

Your mission

As a Senior Fuel Process Engineer, you will play a critical role in the development of Thorizon's fuel salt supply capability for the Pioneer demonstrator and the future Thorizon One reactor.

You will lead the development and scale-up of the fuel salt preparation process, from laboratory-scale validation through pilot-scale deployment and active facility implementation. Working closely with a leading nuclear laboratory partner, you will ensure that the process is technically robust, compliant with nuclear safety requirements, and ready for future industrial deployment.

Your work will directly contribute to one of the critical paths of the Pioneer programme and accelerate Thorizon's ability to deliver a reliable fuel supply solution for its next-generation molten salt reactor technology.

In This Role You Will

Develop and Design Innovative Fuel Salt Processes

• Design and optimize high-temperature chemical processes for molten salt fuel preparation.
• Define process architectures, operating parameters and process performance requirements.
• Produce process design notes, functional specifications and engineering calculations.
• Develop innovative solutions while operating within the constraints of nuclear facilities and safety requirements.

Lead Process Scale-up Activities

• Drive the transition from laboratory-scale fuel salt preparation to pilot-scale implementation.
• Support the development of inactive and active process demonstrators.
• Define scale-up strategies and technical requirements for future industrial deployment.
• Ensure process designs remain suitable for operation within controlled nuclear environments.

Manage Technical Collaboration with Nuclear Partners

• Act as Thorizon's primary technical interface with external nuclear laboratories and partners, including NRG.
• Coordinate technical activities related to active testing and process deployment.
• Align project objectives, technical requirements and regulatory expectations between partners.

Deliver Process Engineering Documentation

• Produce process flow diagrams and operational schemes.
• Develop functional analyses and process specifications.
• Define technical requirements for equipment and containment systems.
• Support engineering package development for future industrial implementation.

Integrate Nuclear Safety into Process Development

• Ensure nuclear safety is incorporated from the earliest stages of process design.
• Contribute to safety assessments and safety dossier preparation.
• Support criticality safety analyses and technical justifications.
• Ensure compliance with the requirements of nuclear operators and active laboratories.

Provide Technical Leadership

• Serve as the reference expert for process sizing, scale-up and active testing activities.
• Support internal project teams and contribute expert guidance across fuel-related activities.
• Share knowledge and support the continued growth of Thorizon's fuel programme.

About You

Education

• Master's degree or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Physics or a closely related discipline.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of relevant industrial experience.
• Experience in chemical process development and process engineering.
• Experience with process design, process scale-up or pilot plant development.
• Experience working in highly regulated industrial environments is highly desirable.
• Experience in nuclear facilities, active laboratories or controlled areas would be a strong advantage.

Technical Skills

• Chemical process development.
• Process design and sizing.
• High-temperature process engineering.
• Process safety and nuclear safety integration.
• Engineering documentation and technical specifications.
• Knowledge of containment systems and operation in controlled environments.
• Understanding of licensing and nuclear safety requirements is an advantage.

Personal Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Creative mindset capable of developing innovative solutions under challenging technical constraints.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with external partners and multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Autonomous, proactive and result-oriented.
• Comfortable working in an international and fast-growing technology company.

What You Can Expect From Us

• The opportunity to contribute directly to the deployment of Generation IV molten salt reactor technology.
• A key position on one of the most strategic and critical workstreams within the Pioneer programme.
• Collaboration with leading European nuclear laboratories and industry experts.
• A highly innovative and entrepreneurial environment where your expertise has direct impact.
• Significant opportunities for technical growth, ownership and career development.
• An international team committed to accelerating the energy transition through advanced nuclear technology.
• Competitive employment conditions and flexibility in the way we work.

About Us

Thorizon is a European deep tech scale up developing a new generation of small modular molten salt reactors to power the AI and industrial age with abundant, clean and affordable energy. With offices in Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Lyon, we are developing a reactor that combines inherent safety, high temperature industrial heat and competitive electricity generation. Designed to recycle long lived nuclear waste as fuel, our technology also advances a more circular nuclear fuel cycle.

Having completed the conceptual design of our demonstrator reactor and secured the site for its deployment in Noord Holland, we are entering the next phase: detailed engineering, licensing, supply chain development and construction of our first of a kind reactor, paving the way for commercial deployment in Zeeland.

We work alongside leading industrial partners including Orano, VDL Groep, Tractebel and EPZ. Our program has been selected by the European Commission and by the French government under the France 2030 investment plan, and is recognized by the Dutch government as a flagship innovation project strengthening the country's long term competitiveness.

At Thorizon, we believe a strongly coupled multidisciplinary technology development requires a culture of full openness and transparency. That’s why we foster values like unity, communication, and support to ensure we grow together as a team while achieving our purpose.