Digital Instrumentation & Control Design Engineer I OR Engineer II – Oconee Nuclear Station

Duke Energy Corporation; Seneca (SC); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Relocation assistance provided

Job summary

Duke Energy Corporation in the United States is seeking a Nuclear Engineer I/II to support instrumentation and control modifications at the Oconee Nuclear Station. You will work with engineers across disciplines to design, test, and turnover modifications in a highly regulated environment.

The role emphasizes safety, rigorous procedures, and the ability to collaborate with operations, maintenance, licensing, and external partners while progressively increasing ownership and technical depth.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited engineering degree required.
• Nuclear Engineer II requires 2+ years of engineering experience and 1 year of nuclear power plant experience.
• Additional qualifications include safety culture, regulatory awareness, and strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Develop engineering modifications for electrical, instrumentation and control, digital, software, and cybersecurity-related systems.
• Define project scope, technical requirements, design basis, installation approach, testing, acceptance criteria, and turnover strategy.
• Prepare calculations, specifications, drawings, design inputs, and test plans.
• Evaluate design alternatives and document recommendations with supporting basis.
• Develop conceptual designs and coordinate work by vendors and external firms.
• Serve as the Responsible Engineer and primary technical contact for modifications.
• Review installation packages to ensure translation of designs to field activities.
• Provide field, outage, and implementation support while maintaining configuration control.
• Perform design reviews, cybersecurity assessments, and licensing evaluations.
• Apply nuclear safety culture and rigorous procedure use in all tasks.
• Communicate technical information clearly and foster cross-team collaboration.

Skills

Nuclear engineering

Safety culture

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

B.S. in Engineering

M.S. in Engineering

Job description

More than a career - a chance to make a difference in people's lives.

Build an exciting, rewarding career with us – help us make a difference for millions of people every day. Consider joining the Duke Energy team, where you'll find a friendly work environment, opportunities for growth and development, recognition for your work, and competitive pay and benefits.

Depending upon the desired qualifications of the successful applicant, the hiring manager may elect to fill this position at a higher level within the job hierarchy.

Build the Future of Nuclear Energy

Join Duke Energy’s Instrumentation & Control (I&C) Design Engineering team at Oconee Nuclear Station and help modernize a three-unit nuclear generating facility that provides safe, reliable, carbon-free electricity to the Carolinas. In this role, you will develop engineering solutions that support continued operation into the 2050s. You will gain hands‑on experience with plant systems and contribute to projects ranging from targeted component upgrades to major digital control‑system replacements.

You will work with experienced engineers and multidisciplinary partners across Operations, Maintenance, Projects, Licensing, Cybersecurity, vendors, and external design organizations. The role offers structured qualification, mentoring, increasing technical ownership, and opportunities to lead a modification from concept through installation, testing, and turnover.

Position Overview

Nuclear Engineer I is an entry-level position for candidates who are ready to apply engineering fundamentals in a highly regulated, team‑oriented environment. Work is performed with close supervision while the engineer builds technical proficiency, completes required qualifications, and progressively assumes greater independence.

Nuclear Engineer II is an intermediate-level position for candidates with experience in nuclear power, electric utilities, power generation, industrial controls, regulated facilities, digital control systems, or another directly related engineering environment. Engineers at this level apply established concepts and procedures to varied, moderately complex assignments under general supervision and are expected to demonstrate increasing technical depth, judgment, and independence.

At either level, you will develop and support plant modifications involving instrumentation and controls, AC and DC power and control systems, digital hardware, software‑based applications, plant computer interfaces, control circuits, and cybersecurity‑related design requirements.

After completing the required training and qualification program, you may serve as the Responsible Engineer—the primary technical owner for an assigned modification—through design, planning, installation, testing, turnover, and closeout. Prior nuclear modification‑engineer qualifications may be considered when establishing your qualification plan.

The successful candidate will bring strong attention to detail, clear communication, sound technical judgment, a commitment to safety, and the ability to learn and work effectively across organizational boundaries.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop engineering modifications for electrical, instrumentation and control, digital, software, and cybersecurity‑related systems.
• Define project scope, technical requirements, design basis, installation approach, testing, acceptance criteria, and turnover strategy.
• Prepare accurate, traceable engineering products such as calculations, specifications, drawings, design inputs, evaluations, setpoints, and test plans.
• Evaluate design alternatives, technical risk, operating experience, lifecycle needs, and stakeholder input; document clear recommendations and their basis.
• Develop conceptual designs and technical specifications and coordinate engineering work performed by vendors and external design firms.
• When qualified, serve as the Responsible Engineer and primary technical contact for assigned modifications from design through closeout.
• Review installation work instructions and implementation packages to confirm that the approved design is correctly translated into field activities and testing.
• Provide field, outage, and implementation support while maintaining configuration control, procedural compliance, and design authority.
• Perform or coordinate design reviews, digital and software evaluations, cybersecurity assessments, licensing evaluations, and post‑modification testing.
• Apply a strong nuclear safety culture, conservative decision‑making, human‑performance tools, and rigorous procedure use.
• Communicate technical information clearly and build effective working relationships with station organizations, project teams, vendors, and external partners.
• Support continuous learning, knowledge transfer, and team goals while representing the company professionally.

Minimum Qualifications

The incumbent must meet the minimum ANSI requirements for this position identified within the scope of Nuclear Operating Fleet Administrative Procedure AD-LS-ALL-0011, Confirmation of Regulatory Guide 1.8 Personnel Qualifications.

Note: This posting is for one open position. Dependent on relative experience, the level to which a candidate is aligned is outlined below.

Nuclear Engineer I

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an ABET accredited program
• A Master's degree in Engineering will be considered in lieu of a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Nuclear Engineer II

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an ABET accredited program
• A Master's degree in Engineering will be considered in lieu of a Bachelor of Science in Engineering
• Minimum of 2 years of engineering experience
• 1 year of nuclear power plant experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering.
• Passed the Fundamentals of Engineering examination.
• Nuclear design, modification, operations, maintenance, or project implementation experience.
• Nuclear utility modification‑engineer qualification or comparable experience leading engineering changes through implementation.
• Experience developing or reviewing digital hardware, software, firmware, network, virtualization, plant computer, or control‑system modifications.
• Experience with digital interfaces or protocols such as Modbus, OPC DA, or OPC UA and with migration of legacy systems to modern infrastructure.
• Experience applying systems‑engineering principles to the lifecycle of digital modifications, including stakeholder needs, requirements, architecture, testing, implementation, and turnover.
• Working knowledge of digital‑upgrade licensing considerations, 10 CFR 50.59, and 10 CFR 73.54 cybersecurity requirements.
• Experience developing digital or software modification test plans and acceptance criteria.
• Experience with an engineering‑change or work‑management system; Nuclear Asset Suite experience is beneficial but not required.
• Demonstrated commitment to technical rigor, configuration control, procedure use and adherence, and nuclear safety culture.
• Strong professional oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to research engineering and design issues, evaluate alternatives, develop sound recommendations, and present the supporting basis.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and accept coaching while developing independent capability.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Mobility Classification – Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees must live within a reasonable commute to their designated Duke Energy facility, not greater than 50 miles one way. Employees are expected to report to their assigned Duke Energy facility as required and directed by their manager, on average 3 full workdays per regular workweek.
• On‑site presence is required during onboarding and qualification and as needed for project execution, plant walkdowns, outages, emergent support, and team activities.
• The team typically works a four‑day, 10‑hour schedule. The balance of on‑site and remote work may vary based on business, qualification, and project needs.
• Occasional travel to other company sites, industry facilities, vendor locations, conferences, and meetings.
• Occasional off‑hours or extended‑hours support for outages, testing, plant conditions, storm response, or project implementation.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to obtain and maintain unescorted access to a nuclear facility, including required training, security screening, and compliance with the site Fitness for Duty Program.
• Complete required engineering and Responsible Engineer qualifications before performing assigned modification work independently.
• The role may include Emergency Response Organization responsibilities, callouts with a defined response time to the site, on‑call duty, and associated Fitness for Duty requirements.
• Support utility storm response when assigned.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment, including a hard hat, safety glasses, and fall protection, as applicable.
• Ability to perform plant walkdowns and work in office, field, and industrial environments as required by assigned projects.
• Occasional overnight travel, generally 5–10%.

Travel Requirements

5-15%

Relocation Assistance Provided (as applicable)

Yes

Represented/Union Position

No

Visa Sponsored Position

No. This is not a Visa Sponsored Position. This role requires the ability to work lawfully in the U.S. without employment‑based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.

Please note that in order to be considered for this position, you must possess all of the basic/required qualifications.