Lead Fuel Qualification Statistics & Uncertainty Quantification

Protingent; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Protingent Staffing is seeking a Lead Fuel Qualification Statistics & Uncertainty Quantification specialist for a direct-hire opportunity in Oak Ridge, TN. You will lead the development of statistical plans and acceptance criteria for nuclear fuel qualification, including uncertainty quantification and model validation.

Responsibilities include designing experiments, defining sample populations, estimating defect and failure fractions, managing measurement uncertainty, and preparing technical

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in statistics or related quantitative discipline.
• 5+ years in nuclear fuel/materials qualification or safety-critical program.
• Experience in experimental design, acceptance sampling, uncertainty propagation, reliability methods, and model validation.
• Strong technical writing and ability to translate statistics into safety/regulatory decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the KRONOS Fuel Qualification Statistics and Uncertainty Quantification Plan.
• Establish statistically defensible sample sizes and population definitions for kernels, TRISO particles, FCM pellets, manufacturing lots, irradiation specimens, PIE populations, and safety-test specimens.
• Define methods for estimating defective fractions and fission-product-release fractions, including censored data handling.
• Establish uncertainty budgets for characterization, irradiation conditions, PIE measurements, materials properties, safety testing, and derived parameters.
• Review data exclusions, outliers, missing data, and extrapolations; author statistical conclusions for licensing documents.

Skills

Statistical methods

Design of experiments

Uncertainty propagation

Validation & calibration

Technical writing

Education

Advanced degree in statistics or related quantitative field

Job description

Job Description

Position Title:

Lead Fuel Qualification Statistics & Uncertainty Quantification

Position Description:

Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Lead Fuel Qualification Statistics & Uncertainty Quantification opportunity.

Job Responsibilities:

• Qualification Statistics Strategy: Develop and maintain the KRONOS Fuel Qualification Statistics and Uncertainty Quantification Plan, including required confidence, acceptance probabilities, decision rules, and independent concurrence points.
• Sampling & Population Definition: Establish statistically defensible sample sizes and population definitions for kernels, TRISO particles, FCM pellets, manufacturing lots, irradiation specimens, PIE populations, and safety-test specimens.
• Defect & Failure Fractions: Define methods for estimating exposed-kernel, defective-SiC, particle-failure, fuel-failure, and fission-product-release fractions, including treatment of zero-failure and censored datasets.
• Measurement Uncertainty: Establish uncertainty budgets for characterization, irradiation conditions, PIE measurements, materials properties, safety testing, and derived qualification parameters.
• Model Validation & UQ: Define statistical requirements for model calibration, validation, bias evaluation, sensitivity analysis, uncertainty propagation, applicability limits, and comparison with experimental evidence.
• Manufacturing Demonstration: Develop design-of-experiments, process-capability, variability, sampling, and acceptance methods that demonstrate qualification lots represent repeatable production-intent fuel.
• Data Review & Regulatory Support: Review proposed data exclusions, outliers, missing data, anomalous observations, and extrapolations; author clear statistical conclusions and uncertainty statements for qualification and licensing documents.

Job Qualifications:

• Education: Advanced degree in Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Reliability Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related quantitative discipline.
• Materials Qualification: 5+ years of experience supporting nuclear fuel, materials qualification, reliability, manufacturing qualification, model validation, or another safety-critical technical program. Demonstrated expertise in design of experiments, acceptance sampling, uncertainty propagation, reliability methods, statistical inference, and model calibration or validation.
• Development of Statistical Approaches: Experience in developing statistical methods before data collection and defending conclusions based on sparse, censored, zero-failure, or heterogeneous datasets. Proficiency with controlled statistical-computing workflows and the ability to document calculations, software, data transformations, assumptions, and independent reviews.
• Technical Reporting and Documentation: Strong technical writing and communication skills, including the ability to translate statistical limitations into clear engineering, safety, and regulatory decisions.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Direct experience with TRISO, FCM, HTGR, advanced nuclear fuel, or high-temperature ceramic qualification.
• Experience estimating low-probability defect or failure fractions at regulator-relevant confidence levels.
• Familiarity with ASME NQA-1, nuclear software quality assurance, configuration control, and regulator-facing technical reports.
• Experience integrating manufacturing process capability, experimental uncertainty, and model-form uncertainty into qualification decisions.

Job Details:

• Job Type: Direct Hire
• Salary Range: TBD
• Location: Oak Ridge, TN (Onsite)

About Protingent:

Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.