Nuclear Chief Engineer

ENERCON; Shaker Heights (OH); Remote; USD 178,000 - 268,000; Full time

Job summary

ENERCON is seeking a Nuclear Chief Engineer to serve as the senior technical authority for the Nuclear Engineering organization. You will lead a cross-disciplinary team of engineers and SMEs, guiding design, analysis, and engineering governance for commercial nuclear power, federal programs, and new nuclear initiatives.

The role requires 25+ years in engineering, 10+ years of leadership, and a PE license, with travel ~15%. Locations include multiple U.S.

Qualifications

• 25+ years of engineering experience in commercial nuclear power, design, licensing, or plant operations.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership managing engineering organizations or discipline teams.
• Demonstrated SME in Mechanical, Structural, Nuclear, Electrical or Controls engineering across disciplines.
• Strong knowledge of NRC regulations, licensing, design control, and nuclear QA programs.
• Proven ability to influence technical strategy and mentor senior engineering talent.
• Excellent technical communication to clients, regulators, and executives.
• Travel overnight ~15% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the highest level technical authority and SME for engineering disciplines across Mechanical, Structural, Electrical, I&C, and Fire Protection.
• Lead and mentor Chief Engineers, Discipline Leads, and analyses teams; establish engineering standards and procedures.
• Oversee independent reviews, design evaluations, root cause investigations, and specialty analyses for plants and new nuclear projects.
• Direct technical governance including design control, QA, verification, regulatory reviews, and risk-informed decisions.
• Represent ENERCON with utilities, regulators, and industry groups; contribute to standards and initiatives.
• Develop and mentor the next generation of engineering experts and provide professional development.
• Identify emerging technologies and champion innovation in digital engineering and advanced analysis.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Technical communication

NRC regulatory knowledge

Project/discipline leadership

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Civil/Structural, Electrical, Nuclear Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Master's or PhD preferred

Job description

Overview

ENERCON is seeking a Nuclear Chief Engineer to serve as the senior technical authority for our Nuclear Engineering organization, providing strategic leadership for engineering governance, technical standards, and specialty engineering analysis functions. This highly visible role will lead a team of Chief Engineers, Discipline Leads, and recognized Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across Mechanical, Structural, Electrical, and Fire Protection engineering disciplines, ensuring the application of advanced engineering principles, analytical rigor, and industry best practices throughout our nuclear portfolio.

The ideal candidate is an engineer with deep technical expertise in their discipline and a demonstrated track record of leading highly technical teams. This position is responsible for governing design and analysis practices, resolving complex technical issues, and providing authoritative guidance on engineering challenges supporting commercial nuclear power generation, federal nuclear programs, advanced reactor technologies, and new nuclear deployment initiatives. The Nuclear Chief Engineer will champion technical excellence, regulatory compliance, innovation, and the development of the next generation of engineering experts while serving as a trusted advisor to clients, regulators, and industry stakeholders.

This role can be located in one of the following locations:

• Kennesaw, GA
• Naperville, IL
• Kennewick, WA
• Fort Worth, TX
• Chattanooga, TN
• Birmingham, AL
• Phoenix, AZ
• San Luis Obispo, CA
• Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Overland Park, KS
• Baton Rouge, LA
• King of Prussia, PA
• Cleveland, OH

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Technical Authority & Subject Matter Expertise

Serve as the highest level technical authority within your engineering specialty, providing expert consultation, technical decision-making, and oversight for complex nuclear engineering programs. Act as the organization's designated Subject Matter Expert (SME) and guide technical strategy, standards development, and engineering methodologies across Mechanical, Structural, Electrical, I&C, and Fire Protection disciplines.

Discipline Leadership & Engineering Excellence

Provide technical leadership and mentorship to Chief Engineers, Discipline Leads, Analysis Teams, and engineering specialists. Establish and maintain engineering standards, design practices, analytical methods, and technical procedures to ensure consistent delivery of technically sound, high-quality engineering products.

Advanced Engineering Analysis & Technical Oversight

Lead independent technical reviews, design evaluations, root cause investigations, complex engineering assessments, and specialty-focused analyses supporting operating plants, plant modifications, license renewal programs, advanced reactor technologies, and new nuclear development projects. Provide final technical resolution for challenging engineering issues requiring specialized expertise.

Engineering Governance & Technical Risk Management

Direct technical governance activities including design control, quality assurance, engineering verification, regulatory compliance reviews, and risk-informed engineering decision-making. Ensure conformity with NRC requirements, industry codes and standards, and nuclear quality assurance programs.

Industry Leadership & Technical Representation

Serve as a senior technical representative to nuclear utilities, advanced reactor developers, regulatory agencies, and industry organizations. Represent ENERCON at technical forums, industry working groups, code committees, and professional organizations. Contribute to industry standards development and emerging nuclear technology initiatives.

Technical Talent Development

Develop and mentor the next generation of engineering specialists and technical experts. Foster knowledge transfer, succession planning, technical training, and professional development programs to strengthen discipline-specific expertise throughout the organization.

Innovation & Nuclear Technology Advancement

Identify emerging technologies, engineering tools, analytical methods, and industry best practices that enhance technical capabilities. Champion innovation in digital engineering, advanced analysis methods, and next-generation nuclear technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Civil/Structural, Electrical, Nuclear, or related Engineering discipline. Master's Degree or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required; advanced technical certifications or graduate degree preferred.

Required Qualifications

• 25+ years of engineering experience supporting commercial nuclear power generation, nuclear design, analysis, licensing, modifications, or plant operations.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience managing engineering organizations, technical programs, or discipline-specific engineering teams.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a Subject Matter Expert in one or more core engineering disciplines including Mechanical, Structural, Nuclear, Electrical or Controls Engineering, with working knowledge across all major nuclear industry engineering disciplines.
• Strong working knowledge of NRC regulations, nuclear licensing requirements, design control processes, engineering governance, and nuclear quality assurance programs.
• Proven success influencing technical strategy, mentoring senior engineering talent, and driving organizational performance.
• Strong technical communication skills with the ability to present and defend complex engineering positions before clients, regulators, and executive leadership.
• Ability to travel overnight approximately 15% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting operating nuclear plants, advanced reactor programs, or new nuclear deployment initiatives.
• Recognized industry leadership through participation in EPRI, NEI, ASME, IEEE, NFPA, ANS, or other relevant industry organizations.

Compensation Range

USD $178,400.00 - USD $267,600.00 /Yr.

Additional Information

ENERCON Services, Inc. (ENERCON) is powered by people who make a difference. We offer rewarding careers in a culture built on excellence, innovation, and growth.

The compensation range listed is a good-faith estimate of the compensationexpected for this position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, geographic location, and internal equity.

Some positions may be performed remotely in one or more U.S. states. Compensation is aligned with applicable pay transparency requirements and reflects expected compensation at the time of posting.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future employer sponsorship. We ask all candidates this question to better understand work authorization and any potential sponsorship needs. Employment is contingent upon passing pre-employment and random drug/alcohol screenings, background checks, and annual motor vehicle record reviews per company and client policies.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

AI Disclosure & Accommodations

ENERCON may use AI or automated tools to assist with application review and communication.

• Human Decisions:All final hiring decisions are made solely by human reviewers.
• Your Rights:To request an accommodation or opt out of any automated review and/or communication, email [e-mail] before applying.

Opting out will not negatively impact your candidacy.