Nuclear Commissioning Engineer

TFE Inc.; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO & holidays

401k plan

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Employee assistance program

Job summary

TFE, Inc. is hiring Nuclear Commissioning Engineers at multiple levels to plan, execute and document testing and commissioning of complex nuclear systems.

Roles require ensuring safe transitions to service in line with engineering specs, safety standards, and regulatory requirements. We offer competitive pay, generous PTO and holidays, a strong 401k, medical/dental/vision coverage, disability insurance, and life insurance as part of our comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Nuclear, Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Experience in nuclear power generation, government nuclear facilities, or heavily regulated high-hazard industrial environments.
• Demonstrated experience in nuclear system testing, startup operations, or component commissioning.
• Strong ability to read and interpret complex P&IDs, electrical one-lines, logic diagrams, and instrument loop drawings.
• Deep understanding of nuclear safety standards, conduct of operations, and work control processes.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and execute detailed commissioning plans, pre-operational test procedures, and startup protocols for nuclear facility systems.
• Manage the system turnover process from construction to operations, including punch-lists and final documentation packages.
• Oversee cold and hot functional testing, FAT, and SAT documentation.
• Ensure commissioning activities adhere to nuclear safety culture guidelines and QA programs (e.g., ASME NQA-1) and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and document root causes of issues; coordinate corrective actions.
• Interface between construction contractors, design engineering, plant operations, quality control, and regulators.

Skills

Nuclear commissioning

System testing

P&IDs interpretation

Startup operations

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Nuclear/Mechanical/Electrical/Chemical Eng

Job description

Job Type

Full-time

Description

TFE, Inc. is seeking multiple levels of Nuclear Commissioning Engineers.

Founded in 1989, TFE, Inc. provides professional, technical, and administrative personnel and services in the U.S. nuclear energy complex and other commercial ventures. At TFE we know our employees are the key to our success. We value their ideas and opinions and want to help them grow in knowledge, skills, and abilities. TFE provides competitive pay, generous PTO, paid holidays, and a top-notch employee assistance program. Our benefit offerings include an excellent 401k plan, medical, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and other ancillary benefits.

Nuclear Commissioning Engineers bridge the gap between construction and full-scale operations. You will be responsible for planning, executing, and documenting the testing and commissioning of complex nuclear systems, process equipment, and safety-critical components. The ideal candidate will ensure that all systems are safely transitioned into service in strict compliance with engineering specifications, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Test Planning & Execution: Develop, review, and execute detailed commissioning plans, pre-operational test procedures, and startup protocols for nuclear facility systems.
• System Turnover Management: Manage the system turnover process from construction to operations, including preparing, tracking, and closing out punch-lists and final documentation packages.
• Testing & Validation: Oversee and document cold and hot functional testing, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all commissioning activities adhere to strict nuclear safety culture guidelines, Quality Assurance programs (e.g., ASME NQA-1), and applicable federal regulations (NRC / DOE).
• Issue Resolution: Identify, document, and troubleshoot system anomalies, design discrepancies, and non-conformances. Coordinate root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as a primary interface between construction contractors, design engineering, plant operations, quality control, and regulatory reviewers.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Nuclear, Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent combination of education and extensive nuclear experience may be considered.
• Experience: Nuclear power generation, government nuclear facilities, or heavily regulated high-hazard industrial environments. Minimum requirements by level: Junior (3-5 years), Mid-level (5-10 years), Lead (10+years) and SMEs (15+ years)
• Technical Expertise: Demonstrated experience in nuclear system testing, startup operations, or component commissioning.
• Blueprint Proficiency: Strong ability to read, interpret, and work from complex P&IDs, electrical one-lines, logic diagrams, and instrument loop drawings.
• Safety Culture: Deep understanding of nuclear safety standards, Conduct of Operations, and work control processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience working within [DOE (Department of Energy) / NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)] regulated facilities.
• Familiarity with ASME NQA‑1 Quality Assurance requirements.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or specific system certifications.
• Ability to obtain DOE Q Clearance / Active Secret, etc.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

• Must be able to access all areas of a nuclear/industrial site, which may include climbing stairs, ladders, and walking on uneven surfaces.
• May require wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators or anti-contamination clothing when necessary.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not a complete list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with it.

TFE, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

If you are an applicant with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] ext. 1.