Licensing Engineer

ACU College of Business Administration; Abilene (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Abilene Christian University NEXT Lab seeks a Licensing and Regulatory Compliance professional to oversee NRC/DOE licensing activities and ensure safe, compliant operations.

You will coordinate licensing documents, respond to audits, and work with researchers, administrators, and regulators to maintain required certifications.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of nuclear engineering or related experience.
• Experience with NRC and DOE regulatory processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for preparing technical documents.

Responsibilities

• Ensure NEXT Lab operates in compliance with NRC and DOE requirements.
• Monitor regulatory changes to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Provide oversight to ensure laboratory activities align with regulatory expectations.

Skills

Nuclear engineering

Licensing/regulatory experience

Technical writing & communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Essential Duties

Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

• Ensure NEXT Lab’s nuclear research and training facility operates in compliance with NRC regulations and DOE requirements.
• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local regulations to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Provide oversight to ensure laboratory activities align with regulatory expectations.

Basic Responsibilities

• Regulatory Compliance
• Licensing Support
• Safety Analysis
• Procedure Development
• Audits and Inspections
• Training Support
• Stakeholder Communication
• Risk Assessment
• Documentation

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure NEXT Lab’s nuclear research and training facility operates in compliance with NRC regulations and DOE requirements.
• Monitor changes in federal, state, and local regulations to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Provide oversight to ensure laboratory activities align with regulatory expectations.

Licensing Support

• Prepare, review, and submit licensing documents, including licensebamendment requests, renewals, and technical reports.
• Tailor licensing submissions to NEXT Lab’s advanced reactor researchbobjectives.
• Track progress and outcomes of licensing submittals with NRC and DOE.
• Compose and guide responses to audit questions and requests for additional information from the NRC or DOE.
• Support other required licenses needed by ACU including but not limited to radioactive materials licenses.

Safety Analysis

• Coordinate development and compose portions of the MSRR Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR).
• Ensure FSAR reflects current research and operational activities.
• Verify compliance with NRC and DOE safety standards.

Procedure Development

• Develop and update operational procedures for NEXT Lab.
• Create and maintain training materials for staff and operators.
• Prepare and update emergency plans in alignment with NRC, DOE, and industry best practices.

Audits and Inspections

• Coordinate NRC and DOE inspections, audits, and assessments.
• Provide support and documentation during regulatory reviews.
• Address findings and implement corrective actions as needed.

Training Support

• Assist in training and qualification of NEXT Lab personnel.
• Support researchers and reactor operators in achieving and maintaining required certifications.
• Ensure training meets NRC and DOE licensing and operational requirements.

Stakeholder Communication

• Serve as liaison between NEXT Lab, ACU administration, NRC, and DOE.
• Provide clear and accurate communication on licensing matters.
• Represent NEXT Lab in discussions with regulatory agencies.

Risk Assessment

• Conduct risk assessments for experimental and operational activities.
• Evaluate impacts of proposed changes on licensing and safety requirements.
• Recommend mitigations to maintain compliance and safety.

Documentation

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of licensing activities.
• Archive correspondence with NRC and DOE.
• Ensure compliance documentation reflects NEXT Lab’s research initiatives.

Skills

• Proficient with general computer skills including e-mail, video conferencing, Acrobat, and Microsoft Office products (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint).
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in nuclear engineering or a related field, with at least 2 years in a licensing or regulatory compliance role directly involving NRC and DOE regulatory processes. Experience with research reactors or advanced nuclear technologies is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for preparing technical documents and interacting with NRC, DOE, and academic stakeholders.

Qualifications Professional

• Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred.
• Strong knowledge of NRC regulations (e.g., 10 CFR Part 50, Part 55), DOE requirements, nuclear safety principles, and licensing processes. Familiarity with research reactor operations, safety analysis, and advanced reactor designs is a plus.
• Ability to be approved for access to ACU SGI-M designated material.

Personal

• Ability to analyze complex technical issues, propose solutions, and implement corrective actions in a research-focused environment.
• Detail-oriented, highly organized, and able to work collaboratively within NEXT Lab’s interdisciplinary team of researchers, faculty, and students.

Physical Demands

• Able to lift 50 pounds on a regular basis.
• Able to stand 1 hour or more.

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law.

ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets. Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions. As a current employee, it will be determined if you need an additional background check upon your hire.