Manager, Fuel Development & Testing

TerraPower

Bellevue (WA)

On-site

USD 163,000 - 218,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Short-term incentive payments

Medical and wellness benefits

Parental leave

401k Plan

PTO 21 days annual

Holiday schedule 10 paid holidays

Relocation assistance

Professional and educational support

Job summary

TerraPower in Bellevue, WA, seeks a Manager of Fuel Development & Testing to lead a dedicated engineering team focused on Natrium fuel development and qualification. You will steer schedules, ensure regulatory compliance, and develop tools for fuel performance, informing licensing and project decisions.

The role requires a strong background in nuclear quality, ASME NQA-1, and 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, plus leadership experience and excellent communication.

Qualifications

BS or higher in an engineering discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience.
2+ years of supervisory or mentoring experience.
Advanced knowledge of nuclear quality programs, design control, and configuration management.
ASME NQA-1 experience preferred.
Experience with 10 CFR 50 Appendix B control programs preferred.
Self-starter with ability to lead small teams with minimal oversight.
Strong communication and collaborative skills.
Nuclear industry knowledge and fuel performance modeling experience.
Knowledge of metallic fuel and sodium fast reactor technologies preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage the Fuel Development & Testing Team and project schedules.
Ensure compliance with procedures, standards, and regulatory criteria.
Provide technical approvals on team deliverables.
Develop best practices within the team and communicate progress to stakeholders.
Develop and deploy fuel performance tools for advanced metal fuel technology.
Coordinate testing activities to validate fuel performance tools and qualifications.
Support the fuel licensing process and safety requirements.
Lead recruitment and development of engineers; oversee safety and QA policies.

Skills

Nuclear quality

Design control

Configuration mgmt

NQA-1 experience

10 CFR 50 Appendix B

Project leadership

Nuclear industry

Fuel modeling

Irradiation testing

Metallic fuel

Education

BS in Engineering

Job description

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications – all for significant human health benefits.”

TerraPower is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced nuclear reactor research and development and influencing change within the nuclear power landscape and bringing forward the critical production of medical isotopes. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Manager, Fuel Development & Testing

The Natrium Manager, Fuel Development & Testing reports directly to the Senior Manager, Fuel Development & Qualification. This position is focused on managing the development and qualification of Natrium fuel. In this role, you will manage a dedicated team of engineers developing fuel performance tools and performing analysis and testing activities in support of TerraPower’s advanced nuclear reactor project. This position also supports the senior manager in project scheduling and reporting activities.

Responsibilities

Manage the Fuel Development & Testing Team
Work with the Senior Manager to develop and maintain project schedules
Assure compliance to procedures, standards and regulatory criteria
Perform technical approvals on team deliverables
Establish best practices and or leverage best practices within the team
Communicate the status of engineering and project priorities to the team, stakeholders and management
Develop and deploy nuclear fuel performance tools for advanced metal fuel technology
Identify and perform key testing activities to support validation of fuel performance tools and fuel qualification
Inform and support the fuel licensing process
Ability to work effectively within a highly collaborative environment
Delivers project work within schedule and cost constraints
Effectively communicates project expectations and assignments to project teams
Provides clear and concise updates of project progress
Leverages technical knowledge and experience combined with analytical thinking to execute work
Uses problem solving skills and operational judgement to make decisions and solve project issues
Coordinate with the Material Development and Qualification, Fuel Supply, and Core Design groups to develop fuel technologies supporting Natrium Demonstration and future commercial reactor concepts.
Coordinate with National Laboratories and other vendors to perform testing activities.
Work with Human Resources to recruit additional staff.
Train and develop young engineers.
Establish and enforce procedures to ensure a safe working environment.
Implement quality assurance policy and requirements for the project.

Key Qualifications and Skills

B.S. or higher in relevant engineering discipline from an accredited university and 8+ years of relevant experience
Two years of previous supervisory or mentoring experience or equivalent people leadership experience is required
Advanced knowledge and experience in nuclear quality programs, design control, and configuration management principles, practices, and tools are required
Experience working to ASME NQA-1 is preferred
Experience with 10 CFR 50 Appendix B control programs is preferred
Candidate must be a self-starter and possess ability to perform both individually and as a team contributor; proven ability to direct small teams with minimal oversight is preferred
The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, able to communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork
Proven track record in planning, budgeting, and execution of testing or modeling activities
Proven track record in successful management and leadership
Effective verbal and written communication skills
Nuclear Industry knowledge / experience
Knowledge of fuel performance modeling and/or fuel irradiation testing
Knowledge of metallic fuel and/or sodium fast reactor technologies strongly desired

Job Functions:

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation. Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations. An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

Motor Abilities: Sitting for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds.
Repetitive work: Prolonged
Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work
Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hours/day
Travel required 0-10%

TerraPower’s technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government. TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements. To facilitate TerraPower’s export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States. Government export authorization approval times vary. Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Job details

Salary Range: $163,423.92 – $217,898.56

*Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected individual’s qualifications experience. This range is specific to Washington State.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

Competitive Compensation
Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments
Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits
- Medical
- Vision
- Dental
- Life and Disability
- Gender Affimation Benefits
Parental Leave
401k Plan
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
- 21 days of annually accrued PTO
Generous Holiday Schedule
- 10 paid holidays
Relocation Assistance
Professional and Educational Support Opportunities